How Does A Commercial Kitchen Exhaust System Work?

The commercial kitchen is the heart and soul of any cooking establishment. It is where the food for public consumption is prepared in large quantities, but this creates massive amount of contaminants, odours, grease vapour, moisture and combustible gases that accumulate in the area.This is why a well-constructed exhaust system should be in place to ensure the safety of the kitchen staff and customers.

The ventilation system has five main parts. Every part has a different purpose and needs to be in good working condition to ensure safe kitchen operations. Understanding each part and its function is essential to create a safe working environment:

The hood is one of the most vital pieces of equipment in a large-scale kitchen. It is essential for removing smoke, fumes, grease-laden vapours, and unwanted odour in the cooking area. Failure to remove the irritants and airborne contaminants can make the kitchen intolerable or worse, nauseating.There are two main types of exhaust hoods for commercial kitchens:Grease hoods – these are built on top of equipment that produces grease or smoke.Condensate hoods – these need to be built on top of equipment that produces heat, steam, or products of combustion.

Grease ducts serve as channels for contaminated and flammable air to be safely transported outdoors. The kitchen’s fire rating must not be compromised when a duct goes through a fire-rated ceiling or wall.

The exhaust fan enables elimination of air, particles and fumes from the commercial kitchen.

Air goes through the grease filters as it ascends from the cook top and into the kitchen canopy. This is where the cooking grease is removed, if the filters are changed frequently to prevent the accumulation of grease.

Access panels facilitate access to the exhaust duct for maintenance. These are installed when the exhaust system is built, but a cleaning company can also install these to improve access.

Some hoods have built-in ozone injection, UV treatment or water scrubbers. These are methods to decrease the amount of grease that goes to the duct, which also reduces the need to clean the ducts due to build-up of grease.

Commercial kitchen exhaust systems need to be compliant with the following regulations:Food Act 2003 and Food Regulations 2015 – mandates the approving authority (Local Government) to evaluate if the premises of a food business are appropriate.AS/NZS1668.1 – using air-conditioning and ventilation in a building: control of fire and smoke in buildings.Australian Standard AS/NZS1668.2 – use of air-conditioning and ventilation in buildings: ventilation design for indoor and control of air contaminants.

Not all kitchen exhaust systems are compliant with best practices. Below are common issues that can put you, your staff and clients at risk.