Choosing Kitchen Ventilation

Kitchen ventilation systems are an essential feature of any large kitchen; removing the heat and grease from cooking equipment, as well as steam and dangerous fumes such as carbon monoxide. The law states that all kitchen ventilation systems must incorporate both extraction and air supply.

By complying with BS-6173 the ventilation system will automatically switch off the gas supply should the extraction system stop working.

The main type of kitchen extraction comes in the form of a canopy that covers the main cooking line. Separate extraction systems can be fabricated for trapping steam from ware washing equipment.

The various types of filters used in ventilation canopies are as follows:

• Mesh Filters - These basic filters require regular washing and are not hugely efficient at removing high levels of grease. Mesh filters should only be used where there is little or no grease held in suspension. They should not be installed above deep fat fryers, chargrills or griddles.
• Baffle Filters - More efficient than mesh filters, baffle filters work by making the air change direction and speed. This separates the grease from the air stream with the grease running off into grease traps. A suitable choice for general cooking with a moderate grease load.
• Cartridge Filters - These are stainless steel filters which are more efficient than baffle filters as they are intended for moderate to heavy grease load applications. Cartridge filters can be cleaned simply by running through a commercial dishwasher.

Cleaning Kitchen Ventilation

The regular cleaning of any kitchen extraction system is an essential part of the kitchen cleaning routine on both hygiene and fire safety grounds. Failure to follow correct ventilation system cleaning routines could invalidate insurance in the event of a kitchen fire - most kitchen fires happen as a result of a build-up of grease in the extraction system.