Opening and maintaining a commercial kitchen is a meticulous process with many steps. Complying with regulations and requirements is mandatory for every establishment in order to maximize safety of the public and staff alike. This is especially relevant regarding...
How to organize a commercial kitchen
Any commercial kitchen should be simple, efficient and easy to manage with flexibility. Good organization is one of the key foundations for any commercial kitchen to run smoothly and make your profits go up. After you have purchased your kitchen equipment - your first...
The most common kitchen range hood problems and solutions
Certain items in restaurant kitchens can be more troublesome than others. One such item is the vent hood. These tend to be problematic because of potential fire hazards that can happen due to a build-up of grease if they are not regularly and thoroughly cleaned. It’s...
The commercial kitchen safety checklist
Cooking is fun and dangerous. There are so many Final Destination-like scenarios that can go down in a kitchen. That’s why it is important that you, whether you are a restaurant manager or owner, prevent any potential hazards from occurring. Here is the ultimate...
Commercial Construction vs Homebuilding: What’s the Difference?
The most characteristic differential trait between commercial construction and homebuilding might be pretty evident. The first one refers to any business related constructions, whereas the latter simply houses people. However, the differences come from a broad...

How often should your restaurant have its vent hoods cleaned?
There are different theories about how regularly vent hoods should be clean. Some say it should be every month, every 3 months or at least twice a year. But, which is the correct answer?
The importance of vent hood cleaning
Preparation of food involves the release of greasy particles in the air, along with smoke and vapors. Over a period of time, these particles and vapors settle on the vents, hoods and other parts of the ventilation system.
Improper cleaning or cleaning after prolonged intervals can result in the blockage of the vents and hoods. This blockage will then prevent further exhaustion of the fumes released during cooking. The blockage can then lead to kitchen fires, spreading rapidly to other parts of the restaurant. It is this presence of highly flammable materials like cooking oils, gas, furniture and upholstery can trigger and spread the fire very quickly.
What professionals say
According to professionals, regular cleaning is essential to ensure that there is no grease buildup in the vents and hoods of the kitchen ventilation system. Not only is it necessary, but mandatory. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) requires regular inspections. These should be:
- Monthly for systems serving solid fuel cooking operations.
- Quarterly for systems serving high-volume cooking operations such as 24-hour cooking, charbroiling or wok cooking.
- Semi-annually for systems serving moderate-volume cooking operations.
- Annually for systems serving low-volume cooking operations, such as churches, day camps, seasonal businesses or senior centers.
Cleaning the vent hoods
Grease build-up and its potentially hazardous consequences is something all restaurant owners and managers should be acutely aware of. A regular ‘surface’ cleaning might not solve the problem, therefore it is essential a professional, deep-clean job is done to keep fires at bay.
That is why is it essential to hire experts on the matter such as Protech in Houston, Texas. With over 35 years of experience in this field, we can perform this task for you with results that far exceed those achievable by standard cleaning companies. We have the necessary equipment and expertise to perfectly clean the ventilation system.