How to Prepare Your Commercial Kitchen for the Summer
Warm weather and much-needed holidays mean increased footfall into your business, and more pressure on your commercial kitchen to deliver. But this is also a great opportunity to review your kitchen’s performance: identifying the areas that are aiding productivity and the areas that are causing costly repairs or delays.
With temperatures peaking, one key area to address is your refrigeration and ventilation equipment. If these aren’t functioning effectively you risk the chance of supplies spoiling as well as creating an uncomfortable environment for your staff and customers. This article pulls together how you can prevent these issues and keep your kitchen cooking through the summer.
Commercial kitchen heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)
HVAC consists of independent units that are essential to maintaining your kitchen’s temperature, air quality and energy emissions. When installed and maintained correctly, they work together to create a safe working environment and an effective cooling solution. HVAC includes:
Free-Flowing Ventilation
This is an important part of your kitchen and involves several units such as exhaust hoods, exhaust fans and makeup air units. These all need to be in peak performance in order to:
- Remove heat and steam created within a kitchen
- Remove lingering cooking odours
- Maintain a clean and healthy airflow
- Keep other kitchen equipment working at maximum efficiency
Cool Air Conditioning
Summers can provide sweltering temperatures, with intense humidity and very little breeze – not a particularly nice environment to dine in. By checking your air conditioning unit before the heat rises, you’ll:
- Ensure it’s working efficiently
- Keep staff and customers cool
- Create a nicer dining experience
- Reduce the chances of equipment breakdowns
- Avoid unpleasant smells or noises from faulty units
Install Reliable Catering Equipment
The above points are only relevant if the catering equipment you’ve purchased is of the highest standard, installed correctly and maintained regularly. We understand that every kitchen has its own budget and priorities but investing in superior HVAC equipment is essential for long-term performance. Avoid cheaper options, or if you shop second-hand, make sure the supplier is reputable and the piece of equipment is still working effectively. This will save you money and avoid potential kitchen downtime in the future.
If you’re unsure which option is right for you, our expert team at INOX Equip can help you source the best commercial catering equipment.
Catering Equipment Maintenance
Most commercial kitchen equipment will push themselves during the summer months; either overworking to stay cool or working harder to keep up with the rush. By implementing a regular cleaning and maintenance plan on your equipment you can clear any dirt or grease build-up that might be slowing it down. You’ll also be able to spot any potential issues, allowing you to fix them before your peak season and avoid any expensive, emergency breakdowns.
Commercial Kitchen Redesign
As your commercial kitchen picks up pace, you’ll quickly spot whether its flow and equipment are sufficient for your staff, your customers and your business. By identifying any pain points, you can look at useful solutions with small changes or a new kitchen layout.
Although it may seem costly, addressing issues now provides a great opportunity to invest in your business by implementing a more productive design and more energy-efficient equipment. As well as saving you money on repetitive repairs and rising energy bills.
Our kitchen design services provide more information on how we can help upgrade your kitchen.
Helping your Kitchen Handle The Heat
By acting now, you’ll be putting steps in place to keep your kitchen cool, operating efficiently, and safely for your staff and customers. It’ll also prepare you for the future by implementing maintenance reviews for your equipment or making improvements to its design. For support with making these changes, please get in touch with one of our team.
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