The Importance of Grease Duct Access Doors in Commercial Kitchens

If you're a restaurant owner or a commercial building contractor, you know that safety is one of the crucial – if not the number one – concerns in commercial structures. Fire hazard is always lurking no matter what building you may have. Commercial kitchens are highly prone to various fire hazards because of electrical and combustible materials present in the place. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) released the NFPA 96 commercial kitchen fire code, specifying preventative and operational fire safety regulations for all private and public commercial kitchens to prevent fire accidents.

One way to prevent fire hazards in your commercial kitchen is to install a grease duct access door. Read along to know more about the importance and benefits of this equipment.

Grease is a silent killer.

Did you know that one of the leading causes of kitchen fires is grease traps? Yes, you read it right. You might not be aware, but grease is a silent killer in your kitchen.

Each year, thousands of restaurants get caught up in fire because of combustible materials left unattended in the kitchen. Cooking fire and flammable kitchen materials are the leading culprits of severe restaurant fires. Adding to this is the grease accumulation in your kitchen's HVAC system, ovens, and stoves that you don't properly dispose of.

Oven hoods pose a significant fire hazard if not cleaned and maintained correctly. This equipment is home to grease traps that can start a fire. Hence, regular cleaning is a must. Aside from oven hoods, your kitchen's ducts, vents, and fans also need a thorough cleaning as they remove heat, vapor, and smoke that carry oil substances inside your kitchen.

So, what is the solution?

Adhering to the commercial kitchen fire code is one of the factors that you should prioritize. NFPA released a guideline for fire protection basics in your commercial kitchen.

It would help if you considered egress, which refers to the evacuation plan in your building in case a fire breaks out. It would help if you also had fire alarms, sprinklers, and fire extinguishers. These methods are reactive measures in case of a fire. But as we all know, prevention is better than cure. What better way to avoid disasters than preventing them from happening at all?

One way of preventing fire disasters is proper inspection and maintenance of your kitchen. To prevent grease buildup, regularly clean your kitchen ducts and equipment. You need a maintenance team that will ensure the safety of your kitchen and the whole building. Aside from this, access panels are vital to the successful maintenance of your kitchen.

A fire-rated access panel is what you need.

At Access Doors and Panels, we offer you a wide range of access panels for all your commercial building needs. Our fire-rated access panels enable safe access to electrical, mechanical, plumbing, HVAC, and other building systems. We build our products to withstand fire and heat.

When a fire breaks out, these doors can keep the fire from spreading quickly to nearby buildings or portions of a building. It will allow building inhabitants enough time to evacuate and extinguish the fire before it spreads. Install heavy-duty fire-rated access panels in your commercial kitchen to ensure safety. Choose from our extensive selection of high-quality, low-cost access doors and panels.

We have grease duct access panels from Acudor and Elmdor that are more economical and come in various sizes. Our GDD model is easy to install access doors for grease ducts. This access door is grease-tight and airtight thanks to the 16-gauge steel structure and the high-temperature-resistant gasket and sealant. You may use this door to follow mechanical code requirements.

Check out our blog to learn more about commercial kitchen door requirements!

Final words

Knowing fire hazards in your commercial kitchen is not enough. You need to ensure that your duct systems are thoroughly cleaned and maintained. This way, you can ensure safety all the time. Make sure you adhere to NFPA fire codes and use nothing but a high-quality, fire-rated grease duct access door for your kitchen.

We are your best partners in commercial building safety and compliance. Access Doors and Panels are here to provide you with the best products and services in the market. Partner with us now!