What is a Flame Gard exhaust fan access panel and why should you install one? Exhaust fan access panels play a crucial role in keeping your commercial kitchen ventilation system properly cleaned and maintained.
Exhaust fan clean out access ports help you access concealed and hard to reach areas of your fan. Plus, they are required by the National Fire Protection Association. Flame Gard access panels aren’t just an affordable way to comply, they are super easy to install.
NFPA 96 Fire Code
Commercial kitchen hood and ventilation systems are required to be thoroughly cleaned and inspected on a regular basis. The NFPA Fire Code Standard 96 8.1.1.1 and 8.1.5.3.1 states that kitchens with high-volume operations must have quarterly inspections.
Those with moderate-volume operations require semiannual inspections. Commercial kitchen exhaust systems using solid-fuel cooking equipment such as wood-burning or charcoal-burning ovens require monthly inspections.
Watch Our For Grease Buildup
In order to pass those inspections, you’ll need to make sure your ventilation system is kept clean. If grease is allowed to build up in your ventilation equipment and duct work, it can become a serious fire hazard.
It can also cause your equipment to work less efficiently or even break down. Keeping exhaust fans free of grease buildup is particularly important. Grease and oil buildup in an exhaust fan restricts the air flow which can affect everything from your hood filter efficiency to the make up air system.
And if exhaust fan blades aren’t routinely cleaned of fat, oil, and grease buildup, your fan can become unbalanced, which costs you money to have fixed. And if that unbalance goes unrepaired, eventually, the whole wheel assembly will need to be replaced. Grease buildup can also cause stress on the fan motor, fan bearings, and the drive belt.
How the Flame Gard Access Panel Can Help
The Flame Gard exhaust fan access panel helps keep your upblast exhaust fan cleaner and working more efficiently. It also decreases your risk of fire. With nearly 8,000 restaurant fires costing an average of $246 million in property damage reported annually, that’s a huge benefit for something so small and affordable.
Upblast exhaust fans can be tricky to keep clean because there are so many different surfaces to grease and oil to accumulate on. Many of those areas, such as the fan blades, are concealed or hard to reach.
The Flame Gard clean out port is an simple step you can take right now to stay in compliance with NFPA 96, prevent fires, minimize potential damage, and make cleaning your exhaust fan much easier.
Design and Features
The Flame Gard exhaust fan access panel has a simple but effective design. It is rugged and weatherproof with four corrosion resistant zinc-plated spring loaded latches and a center eyebolt.
It is constructed of heavy-duty hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber HNBR bonded to closed cell foam. HNBR helps prevent stick-slip and extends the seal and system life of the panel.
The access panel provides excellent temperature and ozone resistance as well as abrasion resistance. It has superior heat resistance with an operating temperature range when it comes in contact with greases from -30°C/-22°F to 140°C/284°F and for a short period of time up to +160°C/320°F.
Step-by-Step Installation Guide
The Flame Gard access panel features a space saving design that will fit most commercial fan bases and it is extremely easy to install. A 4” bi-metal hole saw is the recommended tool for this job. It cuts faster and more smoothly and has reduced vibrations.
Bi-metal hole saws typically require the use of an arbor – often called a mandrel. Arbors are designed as a connection between the hole saw and the drill chuck. A ½” arbor is suggested for this installation. Here is a step-by-step guide to installing your Flame Gard cleanout port.
Before doing any maintenance on your upblast exhaust fan, make sure the power to your fan is turned off. Next, you’ll need to determine where to drill the opening for the port. You want the hole to be located in a place that will allow you the best access to the fan blades.
Reach your hand down into the fan bowl and locate the approximate depth of the fan blade assembly. Keep in mind that you need direct access to the blower wheel. Once you have determined the correct location, you are ready to continue to the next step.
Always wear eye protection when drilling. Using your bi-metal hole saw, drill a 4” hole into the side of the fan bowl. Here’s a tip from the pros: let the leading edge of the hole cut the saw. Once the hole is drilled, be sure to remove the cut out piece of metal from the fan bowl.
It’s also a good idea to clean up any frayed or sharp edges where you’ve drilled the hole to avoid injury when installing or removing the panel. Next, pull all four of the panel latches up to get them out of the way.
The access panel is designed to collapse so that it can easily fit through the hole you drilled. Fold the panel in half. Holding the eye bolt with one hand and keeping the panel folded, insert it into the hole.
Keep the panel held tightly toward you, center it, then reopen the latches to secure it into place. Alternatively, you can install the panel from the inside wall of the fan bowl by reaching in with one hand and taking hold of the eye bolt with your other hand from the outside.
The flexible material will conform to the shape of the fan bowl for a tight fit. As time goes by, the panel will tighten up even more as it continues molding to the curves of the bowl. When removing the access panel for exhaust fan cleaning or maintenance, always be sure to remove it from the inside of the fan bowl or fold it in half to extend the life of the gasket.
That’s all there is to installing a Flame Gard exhaust fan access panel. It takes only 5-10 minutes and can save you lots of time, money, and hassle.
Exhaust Fan Access Panels Are Crucial To Your Kitchen Ventilation System
You need to be able to access your upblast exhaust fan blades in a way that allows them to be completely cleaned of fats, oils, and grease buildup. The Flame Gard exhaust fan access panel does just that – both easily and for a low cost.
Check out all of our restaurant exhaust fan accessories and keep your commercial kitchen ventilation system running smoothly. Have a question? Give us a call at 877-394-9731. One of our product specialists would be happy to help you out! You can also send an email or live chat with us online.