Exhaust Blower Inspections
In Conjunction With Cleaning Schedules
by
Jerry Scoggins
Nelbud Service Group
As professional kitchen ventilation cleaning conÂtractors, we should make it a point to visually inspect the exhaust blower as part of our grease reÂmoval service schedules. The folÂlowing are critical points that need attention during service schedules.
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- Worn or cracked belts
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- Proper belt tension
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- Worn or cracked belts
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- Worn bearings
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- Proper bearing lubrication
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- Vibration due to misÂaligned pulleys
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- Worn bearings
Your customers will appreciate your going the extra mile . . . good service, information and helpful tips will prevent any down time in their system and lost revenue due to exhaust blower failure.
Those of you who include exÂhaust blower maintenance as part of your system service schedules should take special care in making adjustments to kitchen exhaust ventilation to accommodate cusÂtomers’ complaints such as “I think the fan is running too slow or too fast”. This involves many factors, including a clear underÂstanding of cooking equipment configurations and the grease proÂduction associated with it. Below are some cases associated with improper adjustments.
Low air velocities could cause the following:
1. Smoke loss or better known as a capture problem.
2. Poor and/or lack of grease extraction.
3. Excessive heat in duct systems.
High air velocities could cause the following:
1. Excessive noise in the duct systems.
2. Grease being pulled off the ducts and into the air stream.
3. Grease accumulating on the exhaust blower and/or on the roof.
As for grease accumulating on the roof, this tends to make cusÂtomers very unhappy. This could result in a call back to clean the roof at your expense. Exhaust blower efficiency and air speeds, along with preventive mainteÂnance and inspections will insure that we truly stand by the trade name “Professional Kitchen VentiÂlation Cleaning Contractors.”
This article appeared in the Summer 1997 edition of The Scratch Pad
