How does one go about getting the stove/oven vent flume (exhaust pipe)
cleaned? Would that be the chore of a chimney sweep? When is cleaning
indicated - regularly on schedule or when a problem is noticed? What
price can one expect to pay to get a "home" cook stove vent flume
cleaned of years' worth of cooking fumes/grease/etc. ? Heck, about how
much does it cost to clean a restaurant's cooking exhaust flume?

I've never researched how to get grease cleaned from cooking exhaust
systems before, so this is my starting point - to ask here on RFC for
folks' personal experiences with this aspect of home (and restaurant)
maintenance. TIA.

Sky

--

Ultra Ultimate Kitchen Rule - Use the Timer!
Ultimate Kitchen Rule -- Cook's Choice!!

"Sky" > wrote in message
...
> How does one go about getting the stove/oven vent flume (exhaust pipe)
> cleaned? Would that be the chore of a chimney sweep? When is cleaning
> indicated - regularly on schedule or when a problem is noticed? What
> price can one expect to pay to get a "home" cook stove vent flume cleaned
> of years' worth of cooking fumes/grease/etc. ? Heck, about how much does
> it cost to clean a restaurant's cooking exhaust flume?
>
> I've never researched how to get grease cleaned from cooking exhaust
> systems before, so this is my starting point - to ask here on RFC for
> folks' personal experiences with this aspect of home (and restaurant)
> maintenance. TIA.
>
> Sky
>

I would check the maintenance guide that came with your vent first.

If you want a cleaning service, just search for "Hood Cleaners".

At the restaurant we cleaned the filters and dumped the traps every day. The
hood where cleaned every 2-3 months.

Robert

"Sky" > wrote in message
...
> How does one go about getting the stove/oven vent flume (exhaust pipe)
> cleaned? Would that be the chore of a chimney sweep? When is cleaning
> indicated - regularly on schedule or when a problem is noticed? What
> price can one expect to pay to get a "home" cook stove vent flume cleaned
> of years' worth of cooking fumes/grease/etc. ? Heck, about how much does
> it cost to clean a restaurant's cooking exhaust flume?
>
> I've never researched how to get grease cleaned from cooking exhaust
> systems before, so this is my starting point - to ask here on RFC for
> folks' personal experiences with this aspect of home (and restaurant)
> maintenance. TIA.
>
> Sky
>

I would check the maintenance guide that came with your vent first.

If you want a cleaning service, just search for "Hood Cleaners".

At the restaurant we cleaned the filters and dumped the traps every day. The
hood where cleaned every 2-3 months.

Robert

Sky wrote:
>
>How does one go about getting the stove/oven vent flume (exhaust pipe)
>cleaned? Would that be the chore of a chimney sweep? When is cleaning
>indicated - regularly on schedule or when a problem is noticed? What
>price can one expect to pay to get a "home" cook stove vent flume
>cleaned of years' worth of cooking fumes/grease/etc. ? Heck, about how
>much does it cost to clean a restaurant's cooking exhaust flume?
>
>I've never researched how to get grease cleaned from cooking exhaust
>systems before, so this is my starting point - to ask here on RFC for
>folks' personal experiences with this aspect of home (and restaurant)
>maintenance. TIA.

You don't mean the stove exhaust vent (those should never need
cleaning). I think you mean the exhaust/hood fan vent, not really a
part of the stove unless yours is a down draft style. It's difficult
to say without knowing more information... there are so many kinds and
so many ways to install those things. Some exhaust to the outdoors,
others have a filter of sorts and exhaust indoors, while others
contain an ozone generator that zaps smoke/grease particles. I need
to know more. Post a picture or a link to the model you have...
probably the best place to get info is from the unit's manufacturer...
there may be maintenence info at their website, probably in the
owner's manual, or phone their customer service and pray you don't get
a moron. My stove exhaust is a hood above that contains a fan and
vents to the outdoors... it also has two stainless steel baffle things
that collect grease to minimize build up in the vent flue, those go
into the dishwasher periodically. I examine the inside of the flue
occasionally by peering up into it with a flashlight (makes me feel
like a gyn) and it doesn't appear to need cleaning, but if it did I
can go up in my attic and remove that piece of plenum, take it
outdoors and hit it with my new power washer. Good luck.

On 11/24/2012 7:46 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
> Sky wrote:
>>
>> How does one go about getting the stove/oven vent flume (exhaust pipe)
>> cleaned? Would that be the chore of a chimney sweep? When is cleaning
>> indicated - regularly on schedule or when a problem is noticed? What
>> price can one expect to pay to get a "home" cook stove vent flume
>> cleaned of years' worth of cooking fumes/grease/etc. ? Heck, about how
>> much does it cost to clean a restaurant's cooking exhaust flume?
>>
>> I've never researched how to get grease cleaned from cooking exhaust
>> systems before, so this is my starting point - to ask here on RFC for
>> folks' personal experiences with this aspect of home (and restaurant)
>> maintenance. TIA.
>
> You don't mean the stove exhaust vent (those should never need
> cleaning). I think you mean the exhaust/hood fan vent, not really a
> part of the stove unless yours is a down draft style. It's difficult
> to say without knowing more information... there are so many kinds and
> so many ways to install those things. Some exhaust to the outdoors,
> others have a filter of sorts and exhaust indoors, while others
> contain an ozone generator that zaps smoke/grease particles. I need
> to know more. Post a picture or a link to the model you have...
> probably the best place to get info is from the unit's manufacturer...
> there may be maintenence info at their website, probably in the
> owner's manual, or phone their customer service and pray you don't get
> a moron. My stove exhaust is a hood above that contains a fan and
> vents to the outdoors... it also has two stainless steel baffle things
> that collect grease to minimize build up in the vent flue, those go
> into the dishwasher periodically. I examine the inside of the flue
> occasionally by peering up into it with a flashlight (makes me feel
> like a gyn) and it doesn't appear to need cleaning, but if it did I
> can go up in my attic and remove that piece of plenum, take it
> outdoors and hit it with my new power washer. Good luck.

Sorry, I thought I was clear as muck ;> It's the exhaust vent fan (with
lights!) that's located directly above my stove/oven. Its the "pipe"
that goes straight up from the vent-fan via a capped chimney-like
flume/pipe (~4" diameter??) that goes through the top of the roof. Akin
to a roof vent for a water heater and/or furnace - that sort of thing

Sky


--

Ultra Ultimate Kitchen Rule - Use the Timer!
Ultimate Kitchen Rule -- Cook's Choice!!

On 11/24/2012 7:47 PM, Sqwertz wrote:
> On Sat, 24 Nov 2012 17:18:16 -0600, Sky wrote:
>
>> How does one go about getting the stove/oven vent flume (exhaust pipe)
>> cleaned? Would that be the chore of a chimney sweep? When is cleaning
>> indicated - regularly on schedule or when a problem is noticed? What
>> price can one expect to pay to get a "home" cook stove vent flume
>> cleaned of years' worth of cooking fumes/grease/etc. ? Heck, about how
>> much does it cost to clean a restaurant's cooking exhaust flume?
>>
>> I've never researched how to get grease cleaned from cooking exhaust
>> systems before, so this is my starting point - to ask here on RFC for
>> folks' personal experiences with this aspect of home (and restaurant)
>> maintenance. TIA.
>
> Maybe you could burn one of those chimney sweep logs in the own.
> Throw a pork butt in at the same time so as not to waste all that good
> smoke!

LOL! Maybe you just came up with a great idea for a TV-comedy sketch
---> How 'not to cook' a pork butt in an city apartment ala-Seinfeld
style! Just think of the possibilities ;D

Scary thought though, some idiot just might think that 'idea' would work
- use a chimney-cleaning 'log' on the stove!!! yikes!

Sky, who has a few fire extinguishers around, just in case!

--

Ultra Ultimate Kitchen Rule - Use the Timer!
Ultimate Kitchen Rule -- Cook's Choice!!

On Sat, 24 Nov 2012 20:24:34 -0600, Sky >
wrote:

>On 11/24/2012 7:46 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
>> Sky wrote:
>>>
>>> How does one go about getting the stove/oven vent flume (exhaust pipe)
>>> cleaned? Would that be the chore of a chimney sweep? When is cleaning
>>> indicated - regularly on schedule or when a problem is noticed? What
>>> price can one expect to pay to get a "home" cook stove vent flume
>>> cleaned of years' worth of cooking fumes/grease/etc. ? Heck, about how
>>> much does it cost to clean a restaurant's cooking exhaust flume?
>>>
>>> I've never researched how to get grease cleaned from cooking exhaust
>>> systems before, so this is my starting point - to ask here on RFC for
>>> folks' personal experiences with this aspect of home (and restaurant)
>>> maintenance. TIA.
>>
>> You don't mean the stove exhaust vent (those should never need
>> cleaning). I think you mean the exhaust/hood fan vent, not really a
>> part of the stove unless yours is a down draft style. It's difficult
>> to say without knowing more information... there are so many kinds and
>> so many ways to install those things. Some exhaust to the outdoors,
>> others have a filter of sorts and exhaust indoors, while others
>> contain an ozone generator that zaps smoke/grease particles. I need
>> to know more. Post a picture or a link to the model you have...
>> probably the best place to get info is from the unit's manufacturer...
>> there may be maintenence info at their website, probably in the
>> owner's manual, or phone their customer service and pray you don't get
>> a moron. My stove exhaust is a hood above that contains a fan and
>> vents to the outdoors... it also has two stainless steel baffle things
>> that collect grease to minimize build up in the vent flue, those go
>> into the dishwasher periodically. I examine the inside of the flue
>> occasionally by peering up into it with a flashlight (makes me feel
>> like a gyn) and it doesn't appear to need cleaning, but if it did I
>> can go up in my attic and remove that piece of plenum, take it
>> outdoors and hit it with my new power washer. Good luck.
>
>Sorry, I thought I was clear as muck ;> It's the exhaust vent fan (with
>lights!) that's located directly above my stove/oven. Its the "pipe"
>that goes straight up from the vent-fan via a capped chimney-like
>flume/pipe (~4" diameter??) that goes through the top of the roof. Akin
>to a roof vent for a water heater and/or furnace - that sort of thing

Depending on your cooking style (not a lot of high temp frying) it may
not need cleaning, but you should be able to peer into that flue pipe
with a flashlight. One way to tell if it needs cleaning is if you
begin to see little puddles of filthy grease on your stove top from
drips, could mean just your exhaust hood needs cleaning or the schmutz
is further up in the flue vent. Ther ecan b e many approaches to
cleaning th eflue vent depending on the installation and its
accessibility. I can remove my flue vent from inside my attic but I
never have. Sometimes it's no big deal to jsut remove the entire hood
so you cna reach up into the flue with a some kind of disposable mop,
one of those cheapo string mops that looks like a small version of a
sailor's deck swab will do the job... with many the swab section
unscrews and you can toss it in your washing machine. I have a couple
of the larger version I use to swab my basement floor.

Something like this would work (screws onto a mop stick), most every
stupidmarket sells such, and in several sizes... some of the smaller
mop heads are so cheap you can toss it when dirty. Slip an old panty
hose leg over the mop head to make it a smaller diameter if needed.
These kinds of cleaning chores shouldn't be difficult to figure out.
I'm sure if you hire someone to do this chore you'd pay big bucks.
Read the specs, it comes with the mop stick. If the stick is a bit
too long to manuever above your stove top clearance cut part off.
Also available are cleaning swabs that look like an over sized bottle
brush that have a flexible handle, in case your flue has twists and
turns... I have a long cleaning tool with a very fexible handle for
cleaning my clothes dryer vent pipe, it's a round brush but I'm sure
if I securely tied an old towel around it would work to swab a greasy
flue.. just be sure to tie a stout string around anything you push up
into your flue, in case anything falls off inside or you'll be looking
for a gyn. LOL Look around next your're at the hardware emporium.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_75675-1738-0...ops&facetInfo=