The kitchen is the heart of every home. It is also one of the noisiest and most chaotic areas in any home.
It's where we spend the majority of our time, so it's only reasonable that we want to make it seem like home.
To some, this may mean installing a state-of-the-art wall oven or adding an island with barstools for spot checks on dinner prep. Others may choose to start fresh with brand-new countertops and cabinets.
Either way, when designing your dream kitchen, one important detail you should not overlook is exhaust ventilation.
Whether you're putting together a renovation plan or need to upgrade your central home system, ensure that your kitchen has proper ventilation with these helpful tips.
Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning, Repair and Maintenance
Like any other room in your home, regular maintenance is key to extending the life of your kitchen ventilation system.
A clogged or dirty vent hood system can allow cooking odors and other harmful contaminants to build up and cause a fire.
To help prevent these risks, make sure you clean your vent hood regularly. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions when cleaning your vent hood.
Based on the range hood you have, you may need to clean it more or less frequently. It would be best to wash your hood when it gets dirty or, every six months.
Your kitchen exhaust fan should also be cleaned regularly or as needed. Since it's in a different location than the vent hood, it's more likely to get dirty quickly.
Reduce Grease and Risk of Fires
Kitchen grease build-up is one of the most common reasons for kitchen fires.
A clogged or dirty vent hood system allows grease to accumulate and potentially ignite, leading to a dangerous fire.
Thankfully, there are a few ways you can prevent a grease fire in your kitchen.
Install a high-quality vent hood. Although it may seem apparent, it is essential to understand that not all ventilation systems are considered equal.
While no industry regulations require that kitchen equipment be certified, some manufacturers voluntarily license their products.
To make it easier to find a high-quality system, you can use the Kitchen Ventilation Institute's product search tool.
While most cleaning services will do their best to clean your vent hood, it's essential to find a professional who understands how to properly clean a vent hood system to receive excellent customer service.
Ensure your cleaning service is certified in duct cleaning and kitchen vent hood cleaning services.
Avoid putting grease-based dishes on your stovetop. Instead, use a well-ventilated, electric stovetop to sauce foods with lots of greases.
Thorough Kitchen Vent Hood Cleaning Services
While it may seem like you can clean your vent hood by simply wiping it down with a rag, it's essential to do so correctly.
Not only can this be dangerous, but it's also likely that the build-up inside your hood and cooking odors will not go away.
The best way to thoroughly clean a vent hood system is by using a vacuum. Always make sure that the vacuum you use has a rotating nozzle.
To assist in eliminating allergens, purchase a model with a HEPA filter if at all conceivable.
Before you clean your vent hood, turn off the fan so that you don't get sucked into the system.
Next, attach the vacuum nozzle to your hose and begin sucking out the grease.
If you notice that the lubricant is being pushed back into the system, move the nozzle to a different position.
What Does "Clean" Really Look Like?
Before you book your cleaning appointment, it's essential to know what "clean" looks like. While it may seem obvious, different companies have different cleaning techniques with their flexible service.
Depending on the system you have and where it's located, you may want your cleaning company to use different cleaning techniques.
When cleaning a vent hood system, you have two options:
- Wet cleaning
- Dry cleaning
Both methods use vacuums to remove contaminants, but wet cleaning uses cleaning chemicals, while dry cleaning is ideal for systems that have sensitive motors or other parts as minor repairs.
Our 5-Step Vent Hood Cleaning Process
Here is a very handy five-step cleaning process we love to follow.
Step 1, Pre-Inspection:
Before we begin cleaning, we thoroughly inspect the system. We look for any issues and take pictures to document any damage.
Step 2, Degreasing:
Next, we de-grease the entire system, including the copper hood, ducts, and fan blades.
Step 3, Disinfecting:
We use a disinfecting agent to kill bacteria and germs.
Step 4, Cleaning:
We vacuum the ducts and hood to remove any remaining grease.
Step 5, Post-Inspection:
We conclude the cleaning process by taking another thorough inspection of the system to ensure it's in great shape.
Trusted Exhaust Hood Maintenance and Repairs
While it's essential to keep your vent hood system clean, there may come a time when it needs repair.
Depending on your system type, you may need maintenance checks to ensure it's working properly due to the warranty policy.
If your system experiences a long-term problem or is broken, you can bring it to an HVAC technician to get it repaired.
While you may think that repairs are expensive, they are actually quite an affordable service. Depending on the problem, restorations can take as little as 30 minutes and cost as little as $100.
If you choose to repair your system yourself, there are a few things to take into consideration:
- Always ensure that the electrical system and any gas lines are turned off.
- It is also advisable to wear safety equipment, such as gloves, a face mask, and goggles.
Types of Issues We Handle Include:
- Clogged ducts - This may cause your system to run inefficiently, leading to higher energy bills. If your ducts are clogged, you may find that your system is operating at a higher volume than typical.
- Dirty ducts - While a clean duct will not affect your system's performance, a dirty one can. This can cause your system to run louder and more inefficiently.
- Dirt, debris, and other contaminants can block your filters - Which can cause your system to run poorly.
- Broken fan - A broken fan can cause your system to overheat.
High-Quality Hood Filter Options Available
Even though you can clean your ducts, they are exposed to grease and other contaminants daily. This can lead to clogged ducts and a dirty system.
Fortunately, there are several high-quality hood filter options that you can use to keep your system clean.
- Foam filters - These are the most popular type of hood filter. They are easy to swap out and are relatively inexpensive.
- HEPA filters - This is great for people with allergies or sensitive immune systems. They are more expensive than foam filters, but they are much more effective.
- Carbon filters - This filter works well for grease removal but isn't as effective at capturing allergens.
Additional Service Charge Included at No Extra Cost
- Thorough duct cleaning - Duct cleaning is integral to keeping your system in good working order. Inefficient operation of your system and higher energy costs may result from dirty ductwork.
- Duct repair - Duct repairs are essential to the effective functioning of your system. If your ducts are damaged, it might compromise the performance and lifetime of your system.
- Duct maintenance - The system operates smoothly or not, depending totally on duct maintenance. Without routine maintenance, dust and debris can accumulate in your ducts, causing your system to perform poorly.
The Services Difference
When it comes to kitchen exhaust, one company stands above the rest.. When you choose CopperSmith, you're getting more than just an exhaust cleaning; you're getting a complete solution that includes repairs, maintenance, and installation.
This full-service approach ensures that your system is always working correctly and that the air in your home is clean and healthy.
If you have any questions about the services that we offer or service contracts, don't hesitate to give us a call.
Key Takeaways
The kitchen is where you have to prepare food and enjoy meals every day, so when it comes to your kitchen, a clean and efficient ventilation system is essential.
Install a high-quality approach to ensure your home is safe and sanitary.
Ventilation offers free support for all systems that we install. This includes free maintenance and cleaning.
If you have questions about installing a new system or technical support, or if you need to troubleshoot an existing one, give us a call today.
Our experts are happy to help answer any questions you have, and we can provide you with a free estimate.
Don't delay! Start your search by contacting us today.