Stricter Enforcement Vital for Restaurant Hood Cleaning

June 02 00:17 2021
A single kitchen fire can devastate a restaurant.

According to a four year study by the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association, there were 7,640 structural fires in eating and drinking establishments, resulting in more than $246 million in property damages and more than 108 civilian fire injuries.  FEMA reports on average, a fire in a commercial kitchen will result in an average loss of $23,000. For about 43 percent of those restaurants, that fire caused a total loss, forcing the restaurant to shut its doors.

Grease and oil were the leading fuel sources, causing almost 70% of all restaurant structural fires: But a simple yet much-ignored solution lies readily at hand.  Regular cleaning and maintenance of restaurant hoods, ducts and fans is the single most effective method of reducing fires, according to Mike Creamer.

“Fire inspectors, health inspectors and insurance inspectors rarely enforce the codes that do exist,” said the manager of Florida based Clean Hoods Express, an industry leader in kitchen and restaurant exhaust hood cleaning.

“The fire code specifies at least a quarterly or semiannual cleaning.  Inspectors show up every year or more.  And even then it’s a warning to get a current hood system cleaning.  There are no fines, no enforcement. Even insurance companies don’t require regular cleaning as a prerequisite for coverage.”

Creamer said there are third party compliance reporting platforms but few jurisdictions in Florida use them.  In fact, he was told by a fire inspector to go online and email a complaint to the local fire inspector.  “Enforcement is not my job, preemptive cleaning is my job.” 

Creamer believes significant requirements should be implemented for restaurants to keep their food and beverage licenses and their insurance. “If a restaurant isn’t in compliance with basic life safety they shouldn’t be allowed to open.” 

“We don’t need more regulation, we need to enforce the current code.  This would protect the customers, kitchen staff and firefighters while saving hundreds of millions of dollars currently being lost to avoidable fires.”  

Creamer founded Florida based Clean Hoods Express and is now a leader in the field of kitchen exhaust hood cleaning and conveyor oven cleaning for restaurants and facilities.

About Clean Hoods Express

Clean Hoods Express is an expert in restaurant exhaust hood cleaning and pizza conveyor oven cleaning serving national chains, property management and privately owned restaurants throughout Floridas.  For more information, please call 1-941-270-4465 or email [email protected]

Media Contact
Company Name: Clean Hood Express, LLC
Contact Person: Mike Creamer
Email: Send Email
Phone: 941 270 4465
City: Englewood
State: FL
Country: United States
Website: www.cleanhoodsexpress.com