Restaurant and cafe operators may be forgiven for overlooking certain aspects of their business due to a never-ending job list and the need to deliver high-quality service to their clients. The kitchen, on the other hand, is an area that hospitality business owners should keep an eye on at all times.
Commercial duct cleaning is often overlooked by hospitality business owners, but it is a simple cleaning chore that should be performed regularly in a commercial kitchen. The health and safety consequences of an unmaintained duct system in your food establishment will be discussed in this blog post, as well as reasons why every hospitality provider should consider scheduling duct cleaning in Melbourne.
What Happens If a Kitchen’s Duct System Isn’t Maintained?
Grease-caked canopies, hood exhausts, and kitchen ducts not only impair indoor air quality quickly but also pose the greatest risk of kitchen fires. In reality, duct and cooking system build-ups are to blame for one out of every four fires in commercial kitchens in Australia.
With employee salary, bills, and supply prices to consider, it can be tough for business owners to rationalize stretching their budget for regular duct cleaning. However, hospitality businesses simply cannot afford not to include an Air Duct Cleaning service for their commercial kitchen.
You’ll have a much harder time passing your next health and safety inspection if your duct system isn’t well-maintained. This could result in the temporary closure of your restaurant or café, resulting in a loss of revenue and the loss of salary for your employees.
The most serious and damaging effect of an unmaintained air duct system is the constant risk of fire. Fires caused by clogged exhaust ducts can cause property damage that may not be covered by insurance, and in the worst-case scenario, injury or the whole loss of your business.
How Frequently Should Kitchen Ducts Be Cleaned?
The hospitality business in Australia is at an all-time high, and standards of hygiene are no exception. This is particularly true when it comes to commercial kitchen hygiene.
Regular duct cleaning and filtration changes are required to meet Australian commercial kitchen regulations. Filters in kitchen hood exhausts and duct systems should be changed at least once a month. Fans and ducting should be checked at least once a year, according to industry standards.
While an annual duct system inspection may appear to be lenient, the interval time is determined by how busy your cafe or restaurant is. A cafe with a higher-than-average volume of customers, for example, may require duct cleaning more frequently than the recommended annual interval. This is because a high-volume kitchen’s duct system will invariably retain more fat and oil.
What Are the Benefits of Cleaning Kitchen Ducts on a Regular Basis?
A smoky kitchen is not only unpleasant for employees, but it also gives the wrong impression to customers. If your kitchen’s exhaust fan can’t keep up with the demand during a busy service, it’s time to contact a Melbourne duct cleaning firm.
The most significant benefit of duct cleaning is that it rapidly recovers a degraded duct system, ensuring that employees and customers are no longer inhaling toxic particles like cooking oils and chemicals trapped in ducts. Cleaning the ducts in your professional kitchen also means that when it comes time for a health inspection, you won’t be concerned about whether the duct system in your kitchen is in good working order.
Compliance is also an immediate benefit. Aside from health and safety regulations, certain venues that are located in or near an apartment complex will be subject to building requirements. You’ll have peace of mind knowing that you’re not breaking any unique building standards in your lease contract if you have your commercial kitchen’s ducts cleaned on a regular basis.
Is it Expensive to Clean Kitchen Ducts?
Surprisingly, commercial duct cleaning is frequently less expensive than other cleaning services you may already be employed in your company. The cost will vary depending on the number of outlets in your kitchen and any further duct system work that may be required.
Today is the best time to schedule duct cleaning for your commercial kitchen.
Don’t hesitate to contact Dust Busters if you feel your commercial kitchen’s hood exhausts, canopies, or ducts require some TLC. Our crew can service your commercial kitchen’s duct system quickly, easily, and economically to guarantee it’s safe and compliant. For a free, no-obligation estimate, call 03 9879 1933 today.