Kitchen exhaust cleaning

Kitchen exhaust cleaning (often referred to as "hood cleaning") is the process of removing grease that has formed on the walls of ducts, hoods, fans and vents in restaurant kitchen exhaust systems.

Process

Several processes are used to clean kitchen exhaust systems. The most common is the use of chemicals to break down the grease, and hot water to rinse away the residue. Chemicals are generally applied with either a garden type sprayer, downstream injection through a pressure washer or with a chemical foamer. [http://www.ikeca.com/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=148&MMN_position=134:16:19] Once the chemicals are applied, they are allowed to dwell on the surface of the grease for a period of time, before being washed off of the surface with hot water. In extreme situations, where grease buildup is too heavy for a chemical application and a rinse, scrapers may be used to remove excess buildup from the contaminated surfaces, before chemicals are applied. [http://www.ikeca.com/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=231&MMN_position=242:16:19]

Regulations

Currently the kitchen exhaust cleaning industry is unregulated in most areas of the country. The guideline that most kitchen exhaust cleaners follow is the [http://www.nfpa.org/aboutthecodes/AboutTheCodes.asp?DocNum=96&cookie%5Ftest=1 National Fire Protection Association Standard 96] , Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations.

Reputation of hood cleaners

Kitchen exhaust cleaners generally have a bad reputation in the restaurant industry, mainly caused by companies performing shoddy work.

"The trade of kitchen exhaust cleaning carries the dubious distinction of being the least respected of any service a restaurant requires. Many times all the customer receives is an external hood wash and filter cleaning. It only takes a matter of minutes." - [http://www.philacklandcleaning.com/bio.html Phil Ackland] , [http://www.upyourstack.com/HoodDuctFireSystemsCleaning.asp Stop Being Victimized (by Shoddy Workmanship)]

"This exhaust cleaning service has long suffered from an inconsistent and shoddy level of workmanship, leaving both Authority Having Jurisdictions and restaurant owners unsure of what sort of service has been performed." - Phil Ackland [http://www.philacklandcleaning.com/docs/article02.pdf]

Shoddy workmanship in the kitchen exhaust cleaning trade has been linked to such catastrophes as the [http://www.firerescue1.com/news/310154/ fatal Boston fire] which caused the deaths of two Boston firefighters. [http://www.firetactics.com/NEWS1.htm]

Education

Several bodies have been formed to help educate kitchen exhaust cleaners on the NFPA 96 standard, and the best standards and practices to use in performing kitchen exhaust cleaning. Among these are the [http://thegreasepolice.org/ Grease Police] , [http://www.philacklandcleaning.com/ Phil Ackland Associates] , [http://ikeca.org/ International Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning Association] , [http://pwna.org/ Power Washers of North America] and [http://www.chdca.com/ Certified Hood and Duct Cleaners Association ] .

Each organization has it's own philosophies, but they are all designed in some form, to improve the kitchen exhaust cleaning industry.

“Our goal is to inform those with the ability to improve and enforce a higher standard in the Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning industry that there is an association that ensures the job is being performed properly, that its members are committed to a higher standard, and that each member of The Grease Police Association is accountable for their efforts” - Josh Dodson, President, The Grease Police [http://www.prleap.com/pr/103164/]