Cleaning Method: Facilitec West will clean all accessible areas of your exhaust system, including all hoods, ducts and fans, to National Fire Protection Association 96 standard “Cleaning of Exhaust Systems”, according to the cleaning schedule we design for your business and type of cooking. Depending upon the severity of the buildup in each system, there may be areas of carbonized grease buildup that will require additional attention. NFPA 96 requires access panels and/or hinge kits to allow for complete accessibility to your system. Upon completing the cleaning of your exhaust system, the kitchen will be left in the condition in which it was found. Facilitec West will NOT move your kitchen equipment to clean behind or under the equipment. The wastewater generated from the cleaning will be collected, where possible, and disposed of through your grease trap.
Please note that Facilitec West uses a combination of steam and high pressure rinsing to properly and thoroughly clean your kitchen exhaust system. As a result, you may notice some water leaking from your exhaust system. Minimal leaking is normal and not cause for alarm. You may also find water in the light globes if the gasket is bad or there are leaks in the ductwork. To minimize the leaking, we will turn on your exhaust system before leaving to facilitate the drying of the system. NFPA 96 requires that “All seams, joints, penetrations and duct-to-hood collar connections have a liquid-tight continuous external weld”. Facilitec West will not be liable for any damages that may be caused due to the leaking of non-compliant ductwork.
Hood Area: All interior surfaces behind the grease filters will be cleaned. Facilitec West will NOT be cleaning the linkage for your fire suppression system. Per NFPA 96 “cleaning chemicals shall not be applied on fusible links or other detection devices of the automatic extinguishing system”.
Ductwork: All accessible ductwork will be cleaned and inaccessible areas will be noted on the work order. Accessing the crawl space between the ceiling and the roof may be required. It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure access is available to ductwork that passes through shared, common or another tenant’s space.
Exhaust Fans: Exhaust fans will be cleaned using available openings/access points to reach the interior of the housing and fan blades. If the system has a Pollution Control Unit or Electrostatic Precipitator, then Facilitec West will only clean up to the ESP unit unless additional cleaning is specified in the service agreement.
Note: If extensions have been added to the discharge of any exhaust fans, this sometimes reduces the ability to clean the fan and vertical ductwork properly. It is our recommendation that these extensions be designed so they are semi-permanently attached to the fan with access panels to allow for cleaning. Removal of these extensions and reinstallation during the cleaning process is not desirable or practical.
SCOPE OF SERVICES
Scheduling: By Thursday of each week, at 5:00 pm PST, our cleaning schedule has been completed for the coming week, which is Sunday through Thursday. Our schedulers will ask to speak with the General Manager or Kitchen Manager to schedule services. We will also call the day of your scheduled cleaning to confirm the appointment time. We ask that you allow us to begin at the agreed upon time so the entire job can be completed. Delaying the start of cleaning may result in additional charges. You must provide 24 hours’ notice to cancel a scheduled cleaning – including mall/property & security cancellations. Failure to provide notice of cancellation may result in a trip charge.
Preparation: We ask that you remove all food and other items that could be contaminated from the cleaning area and provide our service associates full access to your kitchen exhaust system. We use plastic for masking the hood, equipment and service area, and where possible to collect wastewater for proper disposal.
Grease Exhaust Filters: We will NOT be cleaning your hood filters. Please be aware that improper filter care results in poor ventilation and can cause smoke and heat to build up in your kitchen cooking area. Therefore, it is critical to remove and clean filters on a daily basis.* Furthermore, you should soak the filters at least once a week to remove any baked-on grease from the inside of the filter.
* If cleaning hood filters in the dishwasher, be sure to place them vertically, as opposed to stacking them on top of each other, to ensure a more thorough cleaning.
Grease Exhaust Filter Replacement Program: NFPA 96 requires all hood filters to be in their proper place and fully functional whenever you are cooking. These filters serve as a firebreak, controlling cooking flare-ups and minimizing flame penetration beyond the filters. We will notify you of any damaged or missing filters that we discover, and suggest that you replace them immediately. Facilitec West sells UL listed, baffle grease filters and upon your approval, we can have an order of filters shipped or delivered to your location.
Rooftop Grease Containment: Grease and oil emitted onto the rooftop by your kitchen exhaust fans can wreak havoc, creating uncontrollable fire hazards, unnecessary roof leaks, costly roof repairs and unsafe work areas. Facilitec West can help you protect your roofing system with a UL listed, NFPA-compliant rooftop grease/oil containment systems. The Omni Grease Gutter (four-sided protection) and the Omni Sidekick (one-sided protection). These units mount off the roof with an absorbent Fill-More Grease Boom insert which traps grease and oil, keeping them off your roof. Please contact your sales representative to discuss in more detail how these grease containment products will help keep you in compliance with NFPA 96 standards.
Documentation: After each job we complete, we will leave a copy of our Service Report that summarizes the work performed and any pertinent information about your exhaust system. You will also have access to our Web Portal that will allow you to see any documentation regarding your system as well as photos of your cleaning as part of our Picture Perfect Program.
Access & Security: If you require Facilitec West to take any specific action or provide any specific information prior to entering your facility, please notify us at the time we schedule the work. Whether your unit is free-standing or a leased property (such as an office complex, strip mall, etc.), it is your responsibility to provide the mall/property management and security office with proper notification of the cleaning.