The design and layout of a restaurant kitchen is imperative to running a smooth operation, but there is more that goes into the layout than the line of tables for preps and cooks. Where you place appliances, the location of your freezer, and the exhaust hood system are all taken into account when designing a kitchen space as these are the fundamental elements keeping the kitchen running and functioning efficiently. Ensuring that your kitchen is properly ventilated helps to ensure that the air being circulated is clean - making it safe for the staff and also helping keep the kitchen space clean of build ups that could cause employees to slip, or even pose a fire risk. 

Every commercial kitchen space is going to require an exhaust hood system. What this exhaust system does is capture and ‘exhaust’ heat, smoke, grease, fumes, and other air particles that dirty up the air and remove it from inside the kitchen to outside the building. Since you are removing all of this dirty air from inside the restaurant, your exhaust hood system will need a make-up air unit that will then take air from outside and push clean air back into your kitchen and building. There are different types of make-up air units for different types of scenarios. For example you can install a tempered makeup air unit that can heat-up outside air before its sent into your building to provide heat during colder months, or go with a unit that cools air down to help push colder air back into the restaurant during warmer months. Regardless of what type of system you go with the intended outcome of an exhaust hood system is to remove and filter the dirty air from inside the kitchen, and replace it with clean air from outside the building. 

Lastly, your exhaust hood system will almost certainly need a fire suppression system. These days you can almost always purchase the fire suppression system built right into the exhaust hood system, and this system needs to be maintained and licensed by a professional on a yearly basis to ensure its fully operational in the case of a grease fire. And to improve overall comfort inside the kitchen and the restaurant you can integrate your restaurant’s HVAC system into the exhaust hood system to provide cleaner air to the main dining area. HoodMart provides our customers with a wide range of exhaust hood systems - from Compensating (Short Cycle) to Perforated Supply Plenum PSP - as well as all exhaust hood accessories such as no weld Grease Duct, hood filters, canopy hood lights, and curbs. If you still have questions regarding the purchase of your hood system, please feel free to contact one of our experts today by calling us at 1.800.715.1014 or by contacting us through our live chat system.