Why does my kitchen get so smokey?
- Thread starter mbryan
- Start date
kmjt1021
Member
I met a Fire Marshall last week that would insist that you had to get it all out the first time!
We cleaned a McDonalds that had a fryer fire, set the suppression system off. It didn't appear to get into the duct, luckily because it hadn't been cleaned in a year and half. The duct was typical McDonalds duct with two elbows making the mid-section inaccessible. We had a hard time getting the top part of the bottom vertical above the hood cleaned. It had a slight tilt back over your head. He insisted that he see no grease in that duct before he would let the store reopen. After an hour of applying chemicals and spraying the same ft' and a half of duct I called him back, he gave the ok, and wants a copy of out paperwork. He looks at it and says this is no good because it says not cleaned to code because of inaccessible areas blah, blah, blah.
I then had to spend the next 30 minutes explaining and showing him that right next to the spot that was so troublesome that he was so anal about is an 8-foot section of duct that has never been cleaned. He just looked befuddled and said he would look into it.
We cleaned a McDonalds that had a fryer fire, set the suppression system off. It didn't appear to get into the duct, luckily because it hadn't been cleaned in a year and half. The duct was typical McDonalds duct with two elbows making the mid-section inaccessible. We had a hard time getting the top part of the bottom vertical above the hood cleaned. It had a slight tilt back over your head. He insisted that he see no grease in that duct before he would let the store reopen. After an hour of applying chemicals and spraying the same ft' and a half of duct I called him back, he gave the ok, and wants a copy of out paperwork. He looks at it and says this is no good because it says not cleaned to code because of inaccessible areas blah, blah, blah.
I then had to spend the next 30 minutes explaining and showing him that right next to the spot that was so troublesome that he was so anal about is an 8-foot section of duct that has never been cleaned. He just looked befuddled and said he would look into it.
indiana jones
Member
Matt,
Looks like the restaurant changed hands along the way. The base grease in the after picture looks like ancient oriental. By the way, in the grand scheme of things we warn customers not to let their systems get bad or the fire gods will come and take their restaurant away, how come this joint didn't have a fire - that's the worst I have ever seen. Your part of the country sure seems to have some serious grease build ups, granted it's job security - but how can they explain that big a mess. (at least 50 gallons - I'd wager.)
Looks like the restaurant changed hands along the way. The base grease in the after picture looks like ancient oriental. By the way, in the grand scheme of things we warn customers not to let their systems get bad or the fire gods will come and take their restaurant away, how come this joint didn't have a fire - that's the worst I have ever seen. Your part of the country sure seems to have some serious grease build ups, granted it's job security - but how can they explain that big a mess. (at least 50 gallons - I'd wager.)
Michael T
Member
Matt & Bryan, I built a duct spinner that will go all the way down the duct to the hood. Thats going around 2 corners. This was originally built for McD ducts. Ill have to measure it but I think it is only about 5" in dia. Works great . The first couple of times down the shaft it is kind of sticky. But after that it slides right thru. We call it the "Spin Doctor".
kmjt1021
Member
I have a duct spinner that will go to the hood at most McDonalds, however I don't say it is cleaned unless I can be totally sure, and without a panel to inspect it I don't know for sure. The problem with the store in the post was that it was so overdue. In that situation normally we will get the majority of it and the hard to get or stubborn stuff we get to the next time. Our new customers are all told that if we get into a system and it is really bad, that we may not be able to get all of the first time, unless of course they are willing to pay for a second night.
Michael T
Member
Bryan, Sometimes when we encounter a really tuff one it takes several runs . Apply chems, dwell time, run spinner, do it all again. Usually by the 2nd or 3rd service trip it is manageable. Like you said, unless they want to pay extra. This all falls under the caveat , " Some areas may not be accessable" and " To Industry Standards". Talk about vague. But this is the Real World.