Exhaust Duct System Design Flaws in Commercial Kitchens

Not every exhaust system for commercial kitchens works the same, and many do not follow best practices. For example, many of them do not have doors at the required locations, or the duct might be too close to combustible material. Mistakes like this can lead to a fire, which could be costly and endanger your staff and customers. To protect your building and everyone in it, you need to ensure you have the proper kitchen exhaust duct design.

Design Flaw: Having the Hood Close to a Heat Source

Many times, fires in commercial kitchens begin when a deep fryer, range, or another grease source ignites. The fire could end up in the ductwork, and then it might spread throughout the building. To avoid this problem, you will want to locate the hood at least 18 inches away from any cooking surface. If you use charcoal broilers, increase this distance, to a maximum of 4 feet.

Design Flaw: Improper Kitchen Exhaust Duct Access Door Installation

The access doors should be big enough that you can easily clean the ductwork. You will need to have a panel door every time the duct changes in direction. If you have a horizontal duct, depending on your local building code, you need a door every 12 or 20 feet. The access door gaskets need to provide a tight seal to prevent grease leaks, and the door thickness needs to be the same gauge or thickness as the ductwork is.

If you do not have the right number of doors, in the right locations, your duct cleaners will not be able to clean and maintain the system properly. This increases the risk of fire in the kitchen because of the grease and oils building up in the ductwork.

Design Flaw: Kitchen Exhaust Duct Clearance to Combustibles

If the exhaust ducts in your kitchen are not fire rated, they must maintain a minimum of 18 inches to combustible materials, or 3 inches clearance to limited combustible materials such as gypsum wallboard. This is to prevent a fire inside the exhaust system from spreading throughout the kitchen by igniting nearby combustible materials. If the 18 inches cannot be maintained, there are many listed zero-clearance exhaust duct systems that allow the duct to be installed tight to other materials, including combustible materials.

Choose the Best Kitchen Exhaust Duct Today

If you want to keep your kitchen, staff, and customers safe, you need to have properly installed kitchen exhaust duct system. That way, you can prevent accidents from occurring. If you want to know more, now is the time to contact DuraSystems. We can help you understand the various components that go into the right duct for the job. We will help ensure that your kitchen is safe. Contact us today to discover how we can help you.