Types of Grease Duct Access Doors for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation

When it comes to commercial kitchens, they are all unique in one way or another. As such, ventilation requirements for each are also different. The most trusted companies offer a broad range of options for listed grease duct access doors to ensure optimum safety and functionality.

A metal door or panel serves as an access point for cleaning and maintaining the exhaust ducts in commercial kitchens. The primary styles of access doors are the bolt-on and weld-on. Although they are both beneficial, the style that most restaurant owners go with is the bolt-on styles as, when installed in the field, there is no welding or other hot work required to install the door.

Why is this Door Important?

Grease from the cooking process builds up quite rapidly inside of ductwork, especially in commercial kitchens. If not removed on a regular basis, it becomes a significant fire hazard. With an access door, your qualified duct cleaning service can access the inside of the duct to remove the accumulated grease, and thereby, eliminate the risk of a fire.

For a commercial kitchen, you also need the grease duct access doors installed in the correct places along the ductwork to stay compliant with the building codes. One could otherwise face severe penalties and, if not quickly remedied, a temporary shut-down of your establishment.

Enhanced Safety

The last thing you want is for a fire to break out in your kitchen due to limited access, preventing someone from removing the accumulated grease inside your exhaust system. Not only could the flames cause intense damage to the kitchen, but also the dining area, either of which could force your business to close for an extended period of time. Even worse, because grease fires spread abruptly, a small flame could turn into a massive problem within seconds, putting your staff’s and customer’s lives at risk.

As the owner of a restaurant, it is your responsibility to follow all industry and government regulations, including staying code compliant for your kitchen exhaust ducts and access doors. Whether you have a zero clearance, reduced clearance or 18” clearance grease duct system, the right company has the right doors that can be installed easily and quickly.

Regardless if you need a standard door or perhaps a zero clearance grease duct access door, you should expect some of the same things. As an example, UL/ULC and Intertek ETL listed doors are the best options because they meet or surpass both mechanical code and all NFPA 96 requirements. Also, as you look at the different grease duct access doors, depending on your grease duct construction, you may want to select 304 or 316 stainless, or galvanized steel access doors.

According to the NFPA 96 fire code, every interior surface of an exhaust system must be “reasonably accessible for cleaning and inspection purposes.” Beyond choosing the right type, size, and shape of access doors, you need to have the correct number installed, placing one every 10 to 12 feet along the ductwork. Access doors are also required at every change in direction of ductwork. One exception is for ducts with a 20” x 20” opening, large enough for someone to crawl inside.

For convenience, consider doors that require no tools or welding for both installation and removal. The bottom line is that some characteristics span across all grease duct access doors while others are specific to the customer’s needs and product design. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact a reputable supplier of grease duct access doors.