What to Do before Buying a Ventilation Hood

If you are opening a new restaurant or renovating an existing establishment, a ventilation hood is a necessary piece of equipment that is required in all foodservice establishments. The hood is typically placed above cooking equipment in order to suck up any grease or other vapors that are coming off your grill and bringing them outside through a ventilation system. Before opening your restaurant your ventilation hood will need to be functioning properly and able to meet various health and safety codes.

The first step is to consider the fire code in the area where you are opening the restaurant. Different locations have different fire codes with specific requirements regarding commercial kitchens. Your fire code should specify how big a hood you will need for the type of restaurant you’re opening as well as any other requirements you will have to meet. Looking over the fire code is a great way to get a feel for what needs to be done and how long you can expect it to take. If anything in the fire code is difficult to understand you can contact CS Ventilation for a more in-depth explanation.

After you’ve figured out the type of equipment you will need to purchase it’s time to arrange your kitchen in a way that will allow the hood to cover as much of your equipment as possible. If you are able, it is good practice to have your range, char broiler and fryers in the same area. This way you can have one hood that will be sufficient for the entire area. Having one hood is the easiest way to stay on top of the cleanliness and overall condition of your hood system.

Once you have your fire code and kitchen layout together you will be ready to have your ventilation hood installed. Having a properly installed ventilation system will do wonders for the overall cleanliness of your restaurant. It will help bring grease, vapors and other disgusting odors out of your restaurant and replace them with clean fresh air from outdoors. A well ventilated restaurant is also a much safer one too. Keeping grease from building up in your kitchen is the best way to avoid an unwanted kitchen fire. Call CS Ventilation today to learn more about getting a professionally installed ventilation hood in your restaurant.