Ventilation Systems Hygiene More Vital Than Ever

January 13, 2021

Businesses and facility managers should look after the hygiene of their ventilation systems even more so in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic according to the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA).

As part of efforts to cut costs in the wake of the disruptions being caused during repeated lock-downs, some businesses may look to reduce the frequency of ventilation systems duct cleaning, but this should only be done in a planned way, according to PBC.

Gary Nicholls, managing director of duct and legionella risk specialists Swiftclean, said the hospitality sector had been hit particularly hard, but cutting back on ventilation systems hygiene could increase the risk of fires being spread by poorly maintained kitchen grease extract systems.

“We need to keep grease build up below 200 microns to minimise risk,” said Nicholls.

“Owners should look at how frequently they were having systems cleaned before the lockdown and compare that with their expected turnover.”

He said it was vital that any changes were supported by accurate records to satisfy fire risk assessors and insurance companies.

Keeping comprehensive records and using competent companies to carry out ventilation hygiene work as buildings come back online after lockdown.

Fire Investigations
“In many fire investigations, there is a complete lack of adequate post-clean documentation to prove if the system had been cleaned properly,” said Nicholls.

BESA publishes the ventilation systems hygiene industry guide to good practice in the UK, and recently added a specification aimed specifically at kitchen extract cleaning. ‘TR19 Grease’ includes a schedule explaining the link between the frequencies of cleaning required and the average daily build-up of deposits in the extract system to help manage fire risks.

George Friend said there was no direct link established between the spread of the coronavirus and the cleanliness of ventilation, but that should not mean systems are not cleaned.

We help businesses like McDonald’s to stop grease build-up, reduce their fire risk and save them money with a cleaner kitchen exhaust system, hood, rooftop fans, HVAC and other rooftop equipment.

This results in the more efficient operation of the equipment, less maintenance, and an environmentally-friendly way of managing grease build-up, a natural bi-product from cooking.

The Shepherd Filters media are carbon-neutral and will break down in the landfill in weeks to less than one year depending on environmental conditions and this is due to its high nitrogen content. Aside from reducing the frequency of grease hood cleans, Shepherd Filters can help commercial kitchens to save on water and reduce the need for potentially harsh cleaning chemicals. In today’s world, we all need to do our part to help the environment.

“Building managers should also consider whether their current ventilation systems strategy is still fit for purpose.”

Like many of the world’s industries, the ventilation systems industry is slowly changing and evolving for the better. Hood exhaust system technology is changing as well. The hood cleaning industry is at a turning point with the likes of Shepherd Filters entering the market, revolutionising the way kitchen exhaust cleaning contractors run their business and ultimately helping restaurant owners and facility managers within commercial kitchens to mitigate grease build-up in accordance with regulations in a cost-saving and environmentally-friendly way.

Shepherd Filters are helping small, medium and large restaurant operations, hotels & resorts and fast food chains all over the world to save money and reduce their fire risk with an easy-to-use system.

Our disposable kitchen grease filters capture up to 98% of airborne grease before it gets into the ventilation system and stops you from having to guess when your system is dirty. A clean system protected by the Shepherd Filters solution means foodservice businesses can greatly reduce the extensive hood, canopy and duct cleaning required, which can see you saving for years: