This letter was emailed to
Attn: Secretary, Standards Council NFPA
1 Batterymarch Park
P.O. BOX 9101
Quincy, MA 02269-9101
By Ed From Hood Pros in Massachusetts. I thought it was a very
good idea because aluminum hood filters are dangerous for restaurants.
They need to be removed from under the hood.
I have been in the grease exhaust system cleaning business
in Massachusetts for 22 years. This year the MA Dept of Fire Services
mandated that hood cleaners be licensed by the state. This licensing
brought on more open lines of communication between hood cleaners and
the Fire Marshals than ever before. We came upon an issue which it was
recommended by the Fire Marshals, that it be brought to the NFPA’s
attention.
Regarding filters. It
seems that most hood cleaners on various forums are in agreement that
aluminum baffle filters do not meet the codes. They only meet one,
they are ul listed. UL standards require that the filter be able to
condense airborne grease and run it off. No testing for strength or
resistance to a fire! As for being made of an equivalent material to
steel, no. As to holding up to the rough treatment common in the
industry. no. Additionally each time we clean the filters they
degrade, actually very quickly. If the restaurant runs them thru the
dishwasher where the chemical strength is very high they fall apart
even quicker. With the combination of being a weak metal at the start
and constant degradation from cleaning they become much to thin to
offer much resistance to a fire. In conjunction the filter is usually
held together with aluminum rivets which are weakened even more
quickly than the filter itself.
After doing some research I found that filter companys will
offer the fact that galvanized filters can stand up to 450 degrees and
stainless steel 900. Aluminum……. not a word. The
temperature at which aluminum breaks down in conspicuously omitted.
Everywhere, not a word. Could it be the temperature is lower than the
average fire? Imagine the reduction in effectiveness after several
cleanings. Baffles much thinner than when they were initially
purchased.
Another concern I thought you might consider is, say a fire
breaks out in a hood. All the personnel evacuate and the firemen come
in. The aluminum filters, when they break down and burn emit toxic
fumes that can kill. The only people exposed to these fumes will be
the firefighters. Not a good thing. Their job is dangerous enough
without this oversight.
Hopefully you will take this into consideration during the next
NFPA 96 codes meeting.
I’m reprinting this post with his permission. If you feel the
same way, follow this link and email the NFPA, yourself.
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Fire in the flue at Jr. Seau’s restaurant in San Diego! Wonder if he went with the lowest bidder for his hood cleaning service?
SAN DIEGO – A kitchen fire in the Mission Valley restaurant of former San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau disrupted lunchtime service Saturday, …
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Those wood burners need to be cleaned VERY often. A lot more often than the owners realize. Hood Cleaning is serious business, sometimes it takes a fire for people to realize this.
The fire was reported at approximately 2:30 pm and no one was injured, firefighters said. Sous chef Rito Castaneda said he was in the kitchen when an …
You don’t have to be Martin Scorsese to make a video that can help your business. You don’t have to know how to act, you don’t even have to be pretty. I’m living proof of that. Marketing your hood cleaning business on the internet is some of the easiest and cheapest way to get traffic making your phone ring, or visiting your website. You don’t even need a website, hosting or any knowledge of html code.
Making a video and putting it on Youtube is very simple. However, making a good video does have a couple elements that will cause it to be watched and make people act on what they watch. After all, we’re not doing this to be popular, we’re doing it to make money, right? Let me share a few items that will make your videos better and drive some traffic to your business.
First, the first 8 seconds of the video needs to have a hook. In writing copy, this is called the headline. Within your headline you want to get your viewers attention and tell them why they will benefit from watching the rest of the video. Hint: Fear and money are great motivators.
Next, break down the features of your hood cleaning or pressure washing business and put them into benefits for your customer. Remember, it’s not about how great you are, but what you can do for them. Very important. I learned that my customers couldn’t care less if I use foam, or downstreaming, or a scotch pad. What’s in it for them is the only thing that matters.
Lastly, tell them what to do next. If you want them to call, then tell them. If you want them to visit your website for a special offer you have for them, tell them. It’s that simple. Here is a good example of a video I did for my home-made duct spinner video:
It was 2 years ago that a major restaurant grease fire changed how restaurant hood cleaning was regulated from then on. I think we hood cleaners need to think of these two fire-fighters every time we are feeling lazy about doing our jobs correctly. Somebody’s life could be on the line.
Two years ago fire struck a restaurant in West Roxbury in the city of Boston. The fire rapidly advanced necessitating the striking of four alarms. Two Boston firefighters, Paul Cahill and Warren Payne, perished during the fire.
The WatchDesk Post – http://www.watchdeskpost.com/
This restaurant will be shut down for awhile thanks to his hood vents catching fire. Wonder if this restaurant owner saved money by going with the cheapest hood cleaning price he got?
When crews arrived flames and smoke were visible on the roof, said Tim Wheeler, EFD fire prevention chief. The fire was contained to the restaurant's …
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If you are anything like me, you want to have a restaurant hood
cleaning business that is growing; not dying. How we do that is by
marketing our business constantly and consistently. I would like to
share some of the things that have helped me market my hood cleaning
business over the years.
The first thing you need to do is familiarize yourself with AIDA. AIDA
stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. In all your
marketing you need to have a headline that attracts attention. I
personally study ads that I have seen for years in the backs of
magazines because I know that they are working.
Next to you need to pique the restaurant owner’s interest by stating a
problem that they are probably having. Is their current hood cleaning
company leaving a mess in their kitchen? etc…
Then, you want to offer the solution to their problem which will create
a desire in them. “We don’t leave messes when we’re done, how would
you like to come in the next morning and see your kitchen cleaner than
you left it the night before?” Something like that.
Finally, EVERY piece of advertising you put out must have a clear,
immediate call to action. “Call now for free inspection”, or “fill out
this form on our web page to have a representative call you right
away”. It must be clear.
Well, I hope these simple tips help you market your hood cleaning
business a little better in the future. I will have many more to come
so please fill out your name and email address in the update list to make sure you don’t miss
any. Also, please leave comments if you have some more advice on
marketing a restaurant hood cleaning business or pressure washing
business.
