Energy costs for commercial kitchens are continuing to rise. While many restaurants have lowered their energy consumption with water-saving dishwashers, high tech reach-in refrigerators and freezers, programmable thermostats, and the like, many commercial kitchens are overlooking a few obvious and affordable solutions.
Are your energy bills starting to skyrocket? If you want to improve your bottom line, reduce your commercial kitchen energy use and your lower your utility bills with these cheap and easy tips you can begin implementing today.
1. Clean Your Commercial Kitchen Ventilation Equipment
Ventilation Systems – Cheap & Easy Ways To Save Money” width=”239″ height=”300″ />One of the most overlooked way to save on energy costs is simply to clean your commercial kitchen ventilation equipment. When restaurant ventilation systems are poorly or improperly cleaned they will have to work harder to do the same job.
Hood filters, exhaust fans, rooftop ventilators, restaurant vent hoods, and duct work can become coated in layers of grease, oil, or creosote deposits as well as the dirt, dust and grime that attach to the deposits.
When it gets bad enough, the buildup that once caused your commercial kitchen ventilation equipment to work harder may cause equipment to stop working altogether. Using appropriate hood cleaning supplies to clean your restaurant ventilation system on a routine basis allows the proper amount of airflow throughout your entire restaurant ventilation system.
The more build up on your commercial kitchen ventilation system, the harder your hood has to work to collect, contain and exhaust grease, oil, moisture, and heat contaminated air. Properly cleaning your ventilation system saves you money on energy costs because your exhaust system is not forced to work overtime picking up the slack for anything from a dirty filter or clogged duct to grease coated fan blades that have become unbalanced.
2. Routinely Maintain Your Commercial Kitchen Ventilation Equipment
Routine preventative maintenance of your commercial hood system is critical to its energy efficiency. Set up a preventative maintenance calendar to keep track of recommended maintenance. Preventative maintenance on your ventilation system can save you hundreds each year on energy and repair costs.
Help maximize your commercial kitchen ventilation system’s energy efficiency with these tips:
• Install new grease hood filters when needed
• Regularly check gaskets, seals, and pipe fittings
• Replace worn, loose, cracked or slipping fan belts
• Balance exhaust fan blades
• Check for aging vibration isolators on exhaust fans
• Lubricate fan motors, exhaust fans, valve stems, and bearings
3. Use Energy-Efficient LED Lighting
Did you know that you could save up to 20 percent on your annual utility bills by upgrading to energy efficient canopy hood lighting? LED bulbs for canopy hood light fixtures can reduce energy consumption by 75%. They are an incredibly effective and simple method of reducing your energy consumption and lowering your costs.
Need help selecting energy efficient LED lighting bulbs or fixtures for your canopy hood? Give us a call at 877-394-9731 and let one of our product specialists assist you in finding exactly what you need.
Looking for supplies to keep your commercial kitchen ventilation equipment clean, maintained, and running efficiently? Visit HoodFilters.com and check out our selection of exhaust hood filters and restaurant ventilation system products, all designed to help keep your system running smoothly and efficiently!