Fire blackens, boils and barbeques the delicious meals that put restaurants in business. Without the right precautions, however, fire can just as easily shutter restaurants permanently.

A United States Fire Administration report found that nearly 5,900 restaurant fires occur every year, causing around 75 injuries and more than $172 million in damage.

One way to avoid a business-ending blaze is by maintaining a clean exhaust system.

When equipment is not regularly cleaned, grease adheres to the cool surface of the hood or duct. If a fire occurs in the cooking equipment below, the grease melts into a combustible liquid and can drip onto the open flames, providing fuel for the fire and spreading it into the hood and exhaust duct.

Having a comprehensive restaurant insurance policy is a must, but there’s more you can do. Take care of these small details to smother this kitchen fire catalyst.

• Clean baffle filters in exhaust hoods weekly, depending on cooking volume
• Regularly remove grease accumulation from all cooking equipment and surrounding areas
• Replace missing and broken filters immediately. Do not continue cooking operations with missing filters. Doing so will lead to excessive grease build-up in the exhaust hood ductwork
• Perform professional chemical or steam cleaning on the entire exhaust system, including the kitchen hood, through the ducts, and into the exterior vent at least semi-annually
• Clean the grease along the back wall of the cooking line and on equipment at least monthly. Don’t miss the fryer cabinets!
• Whenever grease is visible on any surface, it indicates a cleaning is necessary
• Increase or decrease cleaning schedules depending on cooking volume and seek the advice of an exhaust cleaning professional

For further fireproofing, check out our white paper on identifying and eliminating restaurant fires or get in touch with a risk control rep.