Kitchens tend to provide challenges that are unique in themselves to kitchen commercial HVAC contractors & equipment. This is because the manner by which air is handled in industrial kitchens or restaurants for that matter affect both air quality throughout the building as well as the comfort levels. This requires that HVAC systems be very safe, highly reliable and very efficient in operation. However, the reality on the ground is that there is no single size that accommodates all HVAC solution for industrial kitchens.
Reasons to Choose Commercial Kitchen Ventilation Equipment
There are several reasons as to why commercial kitchen ventilation requires specialization. The notable reasons include the following ones:
Contamination of Kitchen Air
Kitchen air is normally contaminated by smoke, fumes, grease as well as food odors. A kitchen ventilation system that is effective will function to keep all cooking odors to a bare minimum, eliminate fumes, remove airborne greases and eliminates smoke from the kitchen. The various cooking techniques, different foods and even equipment must be considered prior to designing the ventilation system.
Variation in Kitchen Styles and Sizes
A number of restaurant kitchens are totally cramped and even closed off from the dining area. However, there are large open kitchen types that allow guests to smell, hear and see everything are gaining popularity by the day. The two different kitchen setups require ventilation solutions that are different.
Amount and Style of Cooking will Vary
The kitchen area of a quick serve type of restaurant whereby several items come in already pre-cooked and are just preheated will require ventilation system that is very different to a kitchen that everything is cooked from the very start. Similarly, a kitchen that mostly deep fries food will have ventilation needs that are different from those that specialize in booking.
Two separate tasks are carried out in commercial kitchens
Cooking equipment emit heat, grease, odors and smoke. Commercial kitchens incorporate an area just for dishwashing. When actively sanitizing dishes, the machines heat up and produce clouds made of steam. This implies that there is area of the kitchen that experiences high humidity. Proximity of the dishwashing area to the kitchen will greatly affect the design of the kitchen’s ventilation system. This is because 2 different type of kitchen ventilation are needed for the 2 areas.
Workload can be All or Nothing
Kitchens tend to have beehive of activity during certain times of the day and very low traffic at other times. This situation calls for a HVAC system that can be easily adjusted from peak cooking hours to off hours that are less busy. A variable speed equipment will suffice for this.
Heat
Commercial kitchens tend to be uncomfortably hot. The comfort experienced by those in the kitchen must be carefully balanced with those of both wait staff and diners. The movement of staff to and from the kitchen also affects airflow. There might also be some significant difficulty in keeping cooling equipment in a proper working condition in a kitchen that is very hot.
Kitchen Ventilation Can be Expensive
Equipment used for ventilation in a kitchen restaurant trends to be among the most expensive. The HVAC systems also contribute to approximately 25% of the total energy consumed by the restaurant. An HVAC system for food service should have a very efficient design without effectiveness being affected.
Conclusion
Applied Air Quality can provide clients with smart air quality solutions to the problems experienced in commercial kitchens such as the ones above. Now you know the reasons why commercial kitchen ventilation requires specialization such as the one possessed by Applied Air Quality.