The potential for fires in commercial kitchens is higher because hot cooking oils, grills, and other heating elements are in daily use.
As reported by the National Fire Protection Association, cooking equipment is the number one cause of residential and commercial kitchen fires. Here we will outline what are the most common causes of kitchen fires and why a hood suppression system can be the answer.
Kitchen Hood Fire Reason #1 – Grease Build-Up
Grease is one of the top culprits for kitchen fires. It collects on the hood, the filters, and the ducts posing a fire hazard. Cookers can generate enough heat and grease to combust and can cause a major fire.
A hood suppression system would avoid this situation by capturing the cooking equipment’s grease and smoke as well as heat before it builds up enough to ignite.
Kitchen Hood Fire Reason #2 – Overheated Cooking Oil
Cooking oil can catch fire when heated too much. This happens when oil is left heating unattended or it is simply heating too hot.
Hot oil can catch fire and lead to a kitchen fire. This could be avoided with a hood suppression system that detects the temp of the cooking equipment and automatically engages when a fire has started to eliminate the flames.
Kitchen Hood Fire Reason #3 – Electrical Malfunction
Commercial kitchens can also be the cause of fire due to electrical failure, such as a short circuit or overloaded outlet.
They can result in equipment and appliance fires, with rapid fire advancement. This can be avoided with a hood suppression system that detects the fire on its own and activates automatically to put the fire out before it spreads.
Kitchen Hood Fire Reason #4 – Improper Use of Cooking Equipment
Kitchen fires can also occur from incorrect usage of cooking equipment. Such conduct includes keeping equipment powered for longer than necessary, utilizing broken or torn electrical cords, and inappropriate use of equipment.
This risk for fire can be mitigated by the application of a hood suppression system which offers a fire-retardant buffer between cooking equipment and the hood, filters, and ducts.
How A Hood Suppression System Can Help
Hood suppression systems eliminate these frequent fire causes in the kitchen. It is designed to trap and contain the grease, smoke, and heat from cooking equipment. Covering the hood, filters, and ducts is a fire-retardant material which prohibits the spread of fire. If a fire starts, the hoods’ suppression systems automatically activate and put out the fire before it can spread.
What You Can Do to Prevent Fires In Commercial Kitchens
The use of hot cooking oils, grills, and other heat and flame inducing devices on a daily basis puts commercial kitchens at extreme risk for fires. Kitchen fires are most often caused by grease accumulation, cooking oil that has been heated too high, faulty electrical connections, and misuse of cooking equipment.
These fires can be avoided through the use of a hood suppression system that traps and contains grease, smoke, and heat as well as providing automatic fire suppression.
Keeping your kitchen safe from fire hazards is important and a much needed service provided by Brazas Fire is hood suppression systems.
We will help you find the right system for your -business and provide installation and maintenance to ensure your system is working properly. For more information or to receive a free kitchen hood fire suppression system, contact the Brazas Fire Team, 505-881-1112.