2023 Trends for restaurant design

2023 Trends for restaurant design

Micro trends have made interior (restaurant) design somewhat of a difficult task because of the overwhelming number of options available in the market. However, we have pinpointed some of the top restaurant design trends of 2023 to make your restaurant functional yet...

Types of Exhaust Fans and their differences

Types of Exhaust Fans and their differences

Commercial kitchen ventilation is of utmost importance in any restaurant. It’s in charge of eliminating steam, smoke, smells and other types of waste such as grease that stem from cooking. In commercial kitchens, range hoods are large pieces of equipment composed of...

5 ways to improve restaurant profitability

5 ways to improve restaurant profitability

Profitability is always on the mind of restaurant owners, and there are many ways to increase it, such as a focus on infrastructure, menu, and employee training. Choose a place to start and take a look at the following tips. Optimize the prices of the plates The first...

Common vent hood system problems

Common vent hood system problems

Vent hoods are just the tip of the iceberg of a more complex system composed of duct work installation, fans, a control panel, access panels and a fire suppression system. That’s why it’s easy to get caught up with several problems from different sources related to this very important piece of equipment for commercial kitchens.

There are some indicators we need to pay attention to in order to prevent possible fire hazards. Before mentioning which are the common vent hood problems, remember to do a regular inspection of the following elements of your vent hood system, such as, but not limited to: circuit board, kitchen extractor fan and fan blades, switches, control panel and light bulbs.

Now, here’s a brief list of common vent hood system problems:

Slow exhaust fan

Smoke in your kitchen may indicate your exhaust fan is not working properly, meaning it’s just not spinning at a great enough speed, which leads to smoke or exhaust not being eliminated through the vent. Another indicator may be unusual noises coming from you vent hood.

If either of these two things happen, the motor of the fan might be too dirty to grind properly. Without resolving the matter right away by cleaning it, the motor may break down and burn out completely. If cleaning the area surrounding the motor does not eliminate the strange noise or smoke, then there are two possible solutions: either it’s replaced by a larger fan motor or the number of motor amps are increased. In any case, the help of a technician is key.

Loose Internal Components

Whenever there’s an inner rattling sound coming from your vent hood, it might suggest it has loose screws or defective components, especially if it’s regularly cleaned. A simple repair might be the solution.

Power supply

If a range hood doesn’t turn on, the circuit breaker might have tripped or the fuse may have blown. These type of electrical issues related to the power supply must be addressed by an authorized professional, who can prevent any electrical accidents or further damage that may occur if you do the repairs on your own.

Negative pressure in the kitchen exhaust system

As mentioned above, one important element of any vent hood system is the air duct. The duct delivers fresh air to the kitchen through a special intake fan. When this fan ceases to work, an imbalance in the air flow may occur, thus raising the overall temperature of your kitchen or an increase in humidity, leading to accumulation of moisture.

When moisture accumulates over time, germs and mold grow in your vent hood, affecting your whole kitchen’s sanitation. You can check moisture accumulation by removing the venthood’s fan cover and cleaning its inner surface. Moisture exposure over time can, without being properly cleaned, end up ruinning the entire system.

At the end of the day, most of these issues can be prevented with a regular cleaning service. A dirty vent hood equals grease accumulation, leading to the restriction of the air flow and concentration of smoke. If there’s exhaust or unusual sounds coming in your kitchen, your vent hood system probably needs to be cleaned ASAP. 

It’s highly recommended that you trust this work to a team of professionals like us at Protech, a company with 35+ years of experience in the field, to do a thorough cleaning of your vent hood system. 

Contact us now!