A kitchen is a very busy yet productive space. A lot of cooking, baking and frying happens over here. It causes an increase in temperature and pollutants. If a kitchen at home in itself be so suffocating, think about the commercial kitchens! Here food is cooked in large quantities and so the discomfort caused may also be in huge amounts. That calls for the need for a ventilation system in every commercial kitchen. But what is it? And what does a commercial kitchen ventilation system accomplish? Keep scrolling down to get to know the answers to these intriguing questions.
What Is A Commercial Kitchen Ventilation System?
Ventilation is a process through which, clean and fresh outdoor air is intentionally supplied into a space while removing stale air that is already present in that area. There are several types of ventilation systems including air conditioning, air circulation, air curtains and air infiltration. Whereas a commercial ventilation system circulates fresh air using fans and ducts. Instead of relying on natural airflow through small holes or cracks in the roofs, walls, and windows these mechanical ventilation systems use ducts and fans to circulate air. It helps in controlling excess humidity, indoor air quality, odours and contaminants. Therefore it provides a safe environment by minimizing exposure to airborne contaminants and removes hazardous things like dust, fumes, and vapours. As a result, home and business owners can easily breathe in the fresh air and stay with peace of mind knowing that their space has good ventilation. There are four types of ventilation in the mechanical system, they are:- Heat Recovery Ventilation (MVRHR), Decentralised mechanical extraction system(D-MEV), Centralised mechanical extraction system, most commonly known as Mechanical Extraction Ventilation (MEV) and Positive input ventilation system (PIV)
What Is The Purpose Of A Commercial Kitchen Ventilation System?
The important focus and purpose of a ventilation system are primarily to provide a continuous and fresh supply of outside air in an enclosed setting. It also endeavours to maintain temperature and humidity at comfortable levels. One of the important purposes of a ventilation system is to reduce the potential fire or explosion hazards. It should also ensure safety by either removing or diluting airborne contaminants.
Why Is It Important To Have A Commercial Kitchen Ventilation System?
Generally, ventilation is considered as an ‘ engineering control‘ to control or remove contaminants that are released in indoor work environments. It limits staff exposure to the exposure of contaminants. Moreover, it is the ventilation system that eliminates the use of hazardous chemical and materials. It also substitutes these things with less toxic chemicals. Therefore for your commercial kitchen to perform efficiently for a longer period of time, a ventilation system is more than essential. It also helps in decreasing sick leave and staff turnover.
Does Your Kitchen Layout Affect Your Commercial Kitchen Ventilation Requirements?
To maximize the effectiveness of your commercial kitchen ventilation system and improve the air quality in your kitchen and dining room you should follow a few guidelines. Some of them are:-
- Place your cooking equipment as far back as you can against the wall. And do not forget to seal all the gaps behind the equipment.
- For your vent hood to capture more smoke and grease, make sure that your vent hoods overhang exactly over your cooking appliances.
- Always remember that, although overhead hoods can be a good option, the wall-mounted exhaust hoods are more effective than them.
- While allowing easy access to the equipment for the kitchen staff, make sure to mount the hoods as low as you can.
What Does A Commercial Ventilation System Consists of?
There are two main parts to a commercial ventilation system. They are the fresh air supply system and exhaust system.
The supply system takes care of functions like heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC). They consist of an air inlet. heating/cooling equipment, fan, ducts, air filtering equipment and air registers.
Whereas the exhaust system consists of components like an air cleaning device, an ‘air intake’ area, discharge stacks, ducts that are used to move air from one area to another and fans to bring in outside air and exhaust the indoor contaminated air.
What Does A Commercial Kitchen Ventilation System Accomplish?
As we have noted above, Commercial ventilation systems make sure that heat and grease that is generated from the catering equipment directly underneath it is removed safely from the area. At the same time, it also operates to remove the steam that is produced from other cooking processes, dishwashers and other catering equipment’s.
When gas appliances are used in the kitchen, combustion processes occur, which produces the hazardous carbon monoxide gas. But a good ventilation system helps in eliminating this and other toxic gases from the kitchen atmosphere and then it will safely be disposed of in some other place.
What Are The Advantages Of Having A Commercial Kitchen Ventilation System?
Commercial ventilation systems offer comfort
God has created us in a way that humans feel comfortable if there is air movement. Conversely, most of the buildings nowadays are sealed, which greatly inhibits the movement of air. But with a proper ventilation system, you can increase the ventilation rate in your enclosed workspace. Therefore it will make working in such environments more comfortable and easy. And so the chef and other staff working in the kitchen will not feel lazy or dizzy.
Commercial Kitchen Ventilation systems help in improving the indoor air quality.
A good ventilation system will keep the people working it safe as it will protect them from them the problems and health ailments that will be caused by harmful gases or pollutants. A commercial ventilation system will let fresh air come inside the building without affecting the efficiency of your heating or air conditioning equipment. As it controls humidity levels, it will prevent symptoms that are associated with respiratory issues or other illnesses. You can contact the fantechnicians.co.uk website for all your ventilation solutions.