​Duct Access Doors and Panels For Easier Cleaning and Maintenance

It is fundamental for every commercial kitchen to have an HVAC system and exhaust. Over time, grease, oils, fats, and other harmful substances will typically accumulate in the ductwork system. However, duct access doors and panels provide the maintenance easy access to thoroughly remove all contaminants on the ductwork surface.

How Does Grease Enter Ductwork?

Commercial kitchens create different grease levels from the high volume of fryers and wok cooking. Low-volume cooking can also leave traces of oils, fats, and dirt built upon ventilation duct surfaces. Even having an appropriate hood filter, grease and oils will still vaporize and enter the exhaust ducts during cooking.

Grease Accumulation Hazard

Grease and other contaminants that build up in the ductworks can pose a significant risk and are highly flammable. If not properly maintained, it can quickly get thick and turn into a highly combustible substance, thus, causing a fire. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), most accidental fires in restaurants start in cooking appliances and flare up to the exhaust duct system. However, incorporating duct access doors like flame gard access doors can help mitigate these hazards.

Duct Access Doors Function

Most of the time, hazards that you can't see are the ones that will cost more damage to your ducting system. Regardless of your effort to keep your commercial kitchen as pristine as possible, one can hardly avoid the accumulation of contaminants. It is essential to ensure proper maintenance and cleanliness of the ducts to provide appropriate airflow and safety in your commercial kitchen.

Incorporating kitchen exhaust duct access doors that comply with the NFPA standard can minimize these hazards and help safely check and clean the horizontal and vertical exhaust ducts.

Is the Duct Access Doors a Requirement?

According to the Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operation or the NFPA 96, commercial kitchen duct systems of exhaust systems must incorporate access panels for duct cleaning to comply with the NFPA 96 standards.

Access to vertical and horizontal ducts is mandatory in every commercial kitchen. At least one provision of a grease access panel or stainless steel duct access doors with a 20-inch by 20-inch hole must be on horizontal exhaust ducts. However, if a large opening is not practicable, a 12-foot interval opening is enough to allow thorough cleaning to take place.

The composition of the grease duct access doors needs to be the same material and thickness as the ductworks as it is part of the requirements during installation. As a part of the NFPA standards on grease duct access doors code, all duct access doors must come with a gasket or grease tight seal that can withstand a temperature up to 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. They must include stainless steel or carbon steel fasteners that will not pierce the duct wall surface.

Incorporating duct access doors is essential. It can mitigate the risk of fire hazards, providing efficient vacuum airflow, safety, and more. Selecting the appropriate duct access should not be complicated. However, with so many different types to pick from, it would be best to get assistance from professionals before purchasing.

Whenever you need to know more about the different duct access doors and panels, call us today at 1-800-483-0823. You can also email info@bestaccessdoors.com, or you can visit our website at www.bestaccessdoors.com; it's our pleasure to serve you.