Maybe it is because the kitchen lacks make up air. Make up air is the air needed to replace the air being pulled out of your restaurant kitchen by your exhaust fan. Without it your fan motor is overworked and you have poor kitchen air conditions.

ideal kitchen exhaust system setup

The system above has an exhaust fan pulling the air out of the kitchen at the same time the cooler is replacing it with fresh air. This set up not only allows air to be pulled out by the exhaust fan but actually helps PUSH the air out. The two fans (the cooler fan and exhaust fan) work together to produce the best condition for the kitchen air and the least strain on fan motors, keeping costly repairs to a minimum.

inefficient kitchen exhaust system setup

This second set up works but is inefficient. There is no air being pushed in to the kitchen, it is only drawn in by the fan, which makes your fan work twice as hard, and will not cool your kitchen the way it should.

wrong kitchen exhaust system setup

This third setup will is almost useless. No make up air being drawn in to the kitchen at all, and the fan working very hard to get any hot air out of the kitchen at all.

In order to have a cooler kitchen, you must have the same amount of air being pushed in by a swamp cooler as you have being pulled out by your exhaust fan. Once your restaurant kitchen set up this way, you will notice a much nicer environment to work in, and your chefs and kitchen staff will be much happier and more productive.

If you are Los Angeles area restaurant and are having problems with your restaurant kitchen being too hot or smoky, give Bryan Exhaust Fan Repair a call at 213-915-HOOD (4663) or visit them on the web at www.bryanexhaust.com.