Translating…
No restaurant owner likes to deal with water leaks. Sometimes water leakage can occur around a kitchen hood exhaust fan. Sometimes this happens as a result of the fan not being secured properly.
This could be caused by a hood cleaner not securing the fan properly after conducting a routine hood cleaning. Another cause could be corrosion as a result of normal wear and tear on the equipment.
Regardless of what caused the leak, the next time it rains, water will come straight down the exhaust system.
When a restaurant owner or manager is faced with a water leak, identifying the source quickly is imperative. Knowing some troubleshooting tips can be helping in getting the leak located and repaired quickly.
Recent Cleaning?
In a restaurant that has recently had the hood system cleaned, it is possible that some water became trapped in a corner of the duct system and is dripping. If this is the case, it simply has to clear itself out, which will happen fairly quickly.
If it appears that there is a lot of water stuck in the system, it may be necessary to drain it through an access panel.
Ductwork Problems
A leak could be an indicator of problems in the ductwork.
Commercial hood cleaning experts may run into that a lot where a welding job was not done properly in the duct system, so there might be little cracks that enable water to leak through.
Depending on how the ducts are run in the restaurant, the leak could be in the dining room area of the restaurant, which could result in an unpleasant dining experience for patrons.
Access panels must be installed at every 90-degree angle and about every 10 feet on horizontal duct lines to make the entire system accessible for cleaning, maintenance and repair. In addition to preventing water leaks, ducts must be properly welded to prevent the likelihood of grease leaks. Grease leaks can act as fuel in the event of a fire.
At the end of the day, it is important to remember that water leaks in kitchen exhaust systems must be dealt with immediately, because they can damage ceiling tiles. If this is happening and you are renting, you need to notify your landlord.
One thing restaurant owners and managers never should do is ask their hood cleaner not to spray the water with high pressure during the hood cleaning process.
Sometimes clients will ask to spray lightly, in an effort to avoid leaks. That only postpones the problem, and spraying lightly does not clean the system effectively. Fix the leaks and have your hood cleaner use all of the tools at their disposal to clean your system to like-new condition each time. You’ll be glad you did.