If you are running a commercial kitchen space and are dealing with grease, oils, and fats, you are at risk of grease buildups. Different kitchens deal with grease differently – some collect the grease and then send it out for recycling, others dump it down the water drains, and others exhaust the grease into the air through an exhaust hood system. Collecting and recycling of grease can be a tedious task for larger volume kitchens, and dumping grease into the drain can pose risks to your restaurants drainage system as well as the local environment. Exhaust hood systems work great for collecting grease particles as they are expelled into the air, but what happens with the airborne grease after it’s collected?

As the grease is released from the food being cooked your exhaust hood system should suck up the grease by-products. Once the grease has been absorbed you will see that some of the grease residue will remain on the actual hood itself and some grease can end up on the baffle filters. Any grease that escapes the filters will eventually make their way into the kitchen exhaust ducts and in the end will end up in your rooftop grease traps.

Often you will find that the grease will wind up on the roof, and can cause structural damage as well as potential problems with the city, landlords / building owners, etc. There are several issues that can lead up to rooftop grease buildups. It is possible for grease to pool from the fans leaking, this is usually is caused by issues such as improper seals on the joints of the exhaust fan, or excessive raining. Grease can also be sprayed onto nearby surfaces during maintenance. For example, if a stream of water is being used to clean the fan blades and the blades start spinning it is possible for the blades to throw grease onto nearby surfaces. More typical is a buildup of grease within the base of the exhaust fan and can cause grease overflows when collecting the airborne grease particles. The overflow will be being to cause grease drips on the rooftop which can then collect and eventually puddle.

Regular preventative maintenance of your commercial exhaust system will help to protect your rooftop from grease buildups. Scheduling professional hood cleanings every couple of months on top of monthly regular cleanings should help keep your exhaust hood system running smoothly and properly disposing of airborne grease particles. HoodMart provides our customers with a wide range of exhaust hood systems - from Compensating (Short Cycle) to Perforated Supply Plenum PSP - as well as all exhaust hood accessories such as hood filters, canopy hood lights, and curbs. If you still have questions regarding the purchase of your hood system, please feel free to contact one of our experts today by calling us at 1.800.715.1014 or by contacting us through our live chat system.