Suppression systems are a part of commercial kitchen safety, so it's important to know how to properly care for your system. An improperly maintained fire suppression system can malfunction or fail in the event of a fire. Not to mention, if your kitchen is inspected and your fire suppression system is found to be unmaintained, you could face heavy fines.

Cleaning Your Nozzles And Hood

In a commercial kitchen, grease can accumulate quickly. The nozzles for your fire suppression system are responsible for deploying the extinguishing agent in the event of a fire. If these nozzles aren't cleaned properly, they can become clogged or blocked by grease buildup. If you don't take steps to remove the accumulated grease from the hood and valves of your fire suppression system, you only provide more fuel in the event of a fire. These nozzles can be cleaned with a warm, damp rag or with a recommended cleaner.

Your hood works to filter out smoke and fumes in the event of a fire. Often it will be equipped with a removable metal filter that can be easily cleaned with degreaser. If your kitchen is a busy one, your hood may also be equipped with grease cups or trays. These grease cups will be located at the end of the grease trough. In order to care for these cups, you'll have to remove and empty them of their grease before cleaning them with a degreaser.

Shut-Off Valve Maintenance

The shut-off valves of your suppression system are responsible for cutting the gas or electric to your cooking appliances. The maintenance tasks for your shut-off valves are simple. You should check that the valves aren't blocked during the workday and that they are easily accessible on a daily basis. You should perform tests on the shut-off valves on an annual basis to ensure they're functioning in the event of an emergency.

Fusible Link Care

This is one of the most important parts of your fire suppression system. These tiny metal links are what tells your fire suppression system that a fire is present. Fusible links, or detector links as they're sometimes called, activate your fire suppression system by burning up when a certain temperature is reached. When these links burn up, the nozzles on your suppression system spring into action and deploy the extinguishing agent. All that's needed to keep these links in good shape is wipe them down with a damp sponge or cloth.