1. Which style hood do I need?

First of all, where is the cooking equipment located?  If the cooking equipment will be against the wall, you will need a Wall Hood.  If the cooking equipment will be located in an open area of the room, accessible from all sides, you will need an Island Hood. Secondly, what type of cooking will be done under the hood?  Char grilling and deep grease fryers require more exhaust than stoves, ovens or dishwashers, as well as appropriate filtration.  Our BSSM, VSSD, VSE, and CONCESSION style hoods are designed specifically for this application.  See our PRODUCTS page for details on these models and their application. Finally, what are your height constraints in the cooking area?  Our VSSD, VSE, and CONCESSION style hoods are designed with a lower profile in the front (ranging from 16″ to 4″) for use where lower ceiling height is a consideration.  The Concession hood is sized 30″ front-to-back for use in cramped Concession Trailer applications.

2. What size hood do I need?

National Fire Code (NFC) dictates that the hood should extend a minimum of 6 inches on all sides beyond all of the equipment that is under it. Please consult your local Fire Marshall for your specific requirements.

2. Why Does a Commercial Kitchen Need a Ventilation System?

Ventilation systems keep your kitchen clean and fire safe. All the cooking vapors emitted from the grill, stovetop, or oven would merely float around in the air if there were no ventilation system to pull them in. Then, they would stick to the appliance surfaces and surrounding shelves. This not only produces poor indoor air quality for your customers, but it is also an extreme fire safety hazard. If a flame were to suddenly flare up from the stove, the whole kitchen would be covered in a thin layer of fuel – ready to go up into a structure fire!

3. Do I need a Make-up Air or Supply Air Fan?

Yes.  Our BSSM and VSSD hoods duct the supply air directly into the front of the hood.  Other models (Exhaust-only) will need the make-up air to be supplied to the room via a diffuser in the ceiling of the room containing the hood.

4. What is the advantage of having Make-Up Air ducted directly into the hood (as in the BSSM and VSSD models?)

The advantage of our VSSD and BSSM hoods is that the make-up air (MUA), which is air channeled directly from outside the building, goes directly into the hood where it is needed and not on top of the cook’s head, which is where external make-up air plenums typically blow.   In colder climates and/or seasons, this would necessitate the use of a heated MUA supply with the external plenum.  Having the air ducted directly into the hood eliminates this necessity, and provides a more efficient, economical , and comfortable system overall.

5. What type of stainless steel is used in the manufacturing of your hoods? Are Stainless Steel filters available?

Our hoods are constructed using 18-gauge Type 430 stainless steel, #3 polish.  Stainless filters are available for an additional cost (aluminum come standard).

6. Who can install the hood?

A licensed HVAC contractor must install your hood system.  Contact your Fire Marshall and Building & HVAC departments for your requirements.

7. Do I need Fire Suppression?

If you are using or plan to use char broilers, fryers, griddles, wok ranges, cooking ranges and other similar equipment, fire suppression is required. You do not require fire suppression if you are operating convection ovens, pizza ovens or steam cookers as well as other similar equipment.

8. Is a fire system included in the Hood?

We strongly recommend adding a fire suppression system to your hood. Pre-piped fire systems are available for an additional charge. As with the hood system, the fire system is customized to your needs.  We use Amerex, the nation’s foremost wet chemical fire suppression system for commercial kitchens. For more than one fryer, you incur an upcharge for the extra fire suppression agent and larger tanks required by the system.

9. What is needed for a complete Hood System?

First, you will need the required permits prior to installation. Please discuss this with your HVAC installer before ordering. Hood systems include the Hood, Filters, Grease Cup, Welded Duct for Exhaust, Exhaust Fan, Exhaust Curb, Supply or Make Up Air Duct, Supply (or Make Up Air) Fan, Supply Air Curb, Skirting, Fire Wall Panels or Metal behind the hood, and a Fire Suppression System. If you have a lay-in ceiling, you will need metal lay-in panels for the ceiling above the hood.

10. How long does it take to manufacture a hood?

They typically require around two weeks of labor depending on the size and custom itens required.

11. Do I need Fire Suppression?

If you are using or plan to use char broilers, fryers, griddles, wok ranges, cooking ranges and other similar equipment, fire suppression is required. You do not require fire suppression if you are operating convection ovens, pizza ovens or steam cookers as well as other similar equipment.

12. How Often Should My Exhaust Hood Be Cleaned?

Every restaurant is different, and the hood cleaning frequency is based around the volume and cooking type of the particular kitchen. For solid fuel cooking operations a monthly professional cleaning is required, while a high-volume cooking operation using charbroiling or wok cooking is required to have a professional cleaning every quarter. A moderate-volume kitchen can get semi-annual cleanings, and low-volume cooking operations such as seasonal businesses, senior living homes, churches, and day camps can get away with one yearly cleaning.

 13. What Risks Come With Non-Regular Hood Cleaning?

Not only do you risk fines and temporary kitchen closings by not staying up to date on your professional hood cleanings, but you also put the health and safety of your kitchen staff and patrons at risk as well. A hood system that is not properly maintained can result in fires, unsafe air quality, property damage – all which can lead to temporary closure of business, getting dropped by your insurance, and more.

14. What Equipment Does NFPA 96 Require For My Exhaust Hood System?

With NFPA 96 you are required to have rooftop access panels for each exhaust fan, as well as hinge kits installed for every upbeats fan. This allows for direct access to maintain and clean the exhaust fans, less wear and tear on fan belts and bearings, and keeps you up to code with NFPA 96. Making sure that your exhaust hood system is properly maintained and cleaned not only ensures that your kitchen space stays healthy and safe, but regular cleanings keep you up to code and keeps your kitchen equipment running smoothly and for a long life-span. All exhaust hood accessories such as no-weld grease duct, hood filters, canopy hood lights, and curbs.

15. What does an exhaust hood do for a kitchen?

Hoods are designed to remove odors, smoke, grease and other pollutants that are released into the air while cooking. The polluted air is sucked through a motorized fan and is either carried outside or filtered and re-circulated. In commercial kitchens exhaust hoods are often used in combination with fire suppression devices so that fumes from a grease fire are properly vented and the fire is put out quickly.

16. How much clearance does a hood need?

A low profile hood has a shortened face to lower the whole canopy in order to gain the minimum clearance to combustibles of 18″. Which is the minimum height clearance required by most building codes.

17. What is make-up air?

Make-up air is air brought in to compensate for what the exhaust system is removing.  Proper make- up air is essential to your kitchen hood’s performance.  Imagine trying to suck the air out of an empty two liter bottle of soda.  You can’t.  However, poke a hole in the side and voilà, you can breathe.  In this scenario you are the exhaust fan and the hole is the make-up air.  Your exhaust simply will not work with out the hole in the side of the bottle, check out our make-up air units.

18. What is tempered make-up air?

Tempered make-up air is exactly the same as regular Make-up air with one e  xception.  Tempered MUA is heated and is required any time you bring it directly into a room via a front make-up air unit or ceiling diffusers.  This is a code issue.  The International Mechanical Code states that when MUA has the ability to decrease the comfort of the room, it must be heated.  But be careful, tempered make-up air units are very costly and with proper design may be avoided

19. What is a three inch standoff or air gap?

A standoff is used to gain clearances from combustible walls or ceilings.  It is highly recommended that you check with your local building authority to find out if this is acceptable or not.  Many building departments will not agree with this.  Since hood installations are very expensive, it makes great economic sense to verify and disclose all information before proceeding. 

20. How does the kitchen layout affect the ventilation?

Here are some helpful design guidelines that can maximize your ventilation effectiveness and improve the air quality in your kitchen (and your dining room as well): Locate your cooking equipment as far back against a wall as you can and seal any gaps behind equipment. Generally speaking, wall-mounted exhaust hoods are more effective than overhead hoods. Your vent hoods should overhang your cooking appliances so they can capture more smoke and grease. Mount hoods as low as you can while still allowing easy access to the equipment for kitchen staff.