A well-maintained ventilation system is the most important segment of your commercial kitchen. In order to own a properly functioning kitchen, the ventilation system needs to be functioning at its best. However, they often get ignored by commercial kitchen owners even though the smooth operation of the kitchen mostly depends upon it. You wouldn’t want your chefs choking in the smoke in the kitchen. In such cases, preventative maintenance is the key,along with help from experts for commercial kitchen appliance repair.

Save your unnecessary efforts and be more energy efficient with these preventative maintenance techniques for your commercial kitchen ventilation system.

1- Inspect & Adjust the Fan Belts:

Routinely planned visual inspection along with adjustment of the exhaust fan’s belt ensures that it gets a proper grip and doesn’t slip down midway. Make sure you do not tighten the fan belts way too much. This can lead to the bearing eventually wearing down and snap all of a sudden. Fan belts aren’t meant to last forever.

However, you can increase their longevity by maintaining them with proper care. If you happen to notice that the fan belt has been riding low, you need to replace it since it has worked off its estimated age. It might be hard to get it done on your own. So, if you aren’t a pro, it is better to seek help from commercial kitchen appliance repair experts.

2- Install the Fan Hinge:

With time, the fan hinges can loosen up or even bend to a certain angle. The most effective option, in this case, is timely oiling of the hinges to ensure flexibility. However, the hinges come with a limited lifetime. Operating them beyond their estimated age can lead to sudden breakdown of the system. In such cases, the go-to option is replacement and installation of new fan hinge. Secure hinge kits allow the fans a scope for being titled back with safety.

Moreover, the NFPA Fire Code clearly states that hinge kits are a must for the ventilation system fans.

3- Inspect the Cords and Electrical Wirings:

Always make sure that you practice caution when checking for any errors in the cords and electrical wirings. Remember to turn off the main switch before you handle the wires as failure to do so can lead to electrocution. In most cases, the number one cause of ventilation system failure comes from electrical sources.

So, make sure you thoroughly check for any cuts or wires coming off from their original places. Keep in mind that the electrical wirings should never come in contact with grease, chemicals, or hot surfaces being used inside the commercial kitchen. When it comes to electrical requisites, calling in help for commercial kitchen appliance repair is a must.

4- Check for balance in fan blades:

When your exhaust fan blades aren’t balanced properly, it can lead to excessive vibration. If and when this occurs, it can lead to the entire rooftop shaking vigorously. This can further cause the bolts, screws, and similar parts to loosen up. With time, when left unchecked, it can significantly bring down the efficiency of the fan and compromise the overall security inside the room.

To avoid these types of unfortunate circumstances, you need to routinely check the fans for excessive vibrations. If you ever notice such vibrations, call in the experts for commercial kitchen appliance repair and check for any imbalance in the fan blades. Even the tiniest hint of grease place in the wrong area can lead to the balance getting upset and causing issues in the long run. So, introduce routine check-up sessions for the fan blades and keep up the safety quotient in your commercial kitchen.

5- Lubrication is a must:

To keep the exhaust fans up and running at their best, you need to lubricate them on a regular basis. Keep in mind crucial sections such as fan shaft, fan bearings, as well as the motor. These are certain parts of your ventilation system that should be at fleek with proper lubrication.

Lack of proper lubrication is the primary cause of friction-induced fire hazards. The shaft of the fan spinning over the bearings can lead to the generation of extreme heat and damage to the parts of the ventilation system. If you ignore such cases, it can lead to heavy damages with the need for replacement of entire unit. In order to extend the overall life of your ventilation system, check for lack of lubrication in the damper linkages, fan, damper bearings, valve stems, motors, and so on.

Conclusion

In essence, preventative maintenance might seem like a monstrous task to handle, but timely implementation of such strategies will save you from future efforts and loss of a pricey appliance mid-work. Follow these tips and extend your commercial kitchen ventilation system’s life.

Whether you require regular commercial kitchen appliance maintenance or installation of a whole new system inside the kitchen, Enertia HVAC/R is your go-to expert service provider. We handle everything from hot-side installations to commercial kitchen maintenance and repairs. To get more information about our charges and services, give us a call at (214) 550-3458 or text us at (469) 351-9657.