Pictures promised in a previous thread

I had a good look at the McDonalds mentioned in a previous thread entitiled " some advice please". These are pictures, from my expidition. By the way the guy who is doing the work that I was supposed to meat was a no show, so other than these pictures it was a waisted trip.
I am not sure If I can attach more than one picture to a post so this may end up being several post strung together.

the last access panel for about 65 ft. to the fan 10 X 12 panel

pic # 2

looking down the hallway beyond the last pictured access notice the electrical conduit blocking acess into the ceiling

pic # 3

outside of the back door, the grease duct is the one that is slightly lower than the other one

pic #4

no one will claim this access panel, or tell me what I am suppose to do with it

pic # 5

the fan, it does have an access, but needs one in the duct to clean the front side of the blades, notice the white duct leaving the fan, this was an after thought by the building owner and also has no access.

the last one

this may have been the hard way to post these pictures but I didn't have time to try to figure it out otherwise sorry.
A wide shot of the exit duct, atleast accees panels can be easily installed here.

I take no responsibility for any grammatical errors, I was tired, slightly ticked off, and in a hurry.

Those access panels that bolt in, I have had the bolts break off, the soft threads fail, and the panel will leak grease. I use silicone sealer from the parts house as a sealer. No one makes a sealer that will withstand the 3,000 degrees produced by a fire. So you will have a fire in motion when the silicone fails and the grease runs out of the duct. The picture showing the access panel no one will claim is produced by Duct Mate. Make sure the wing nuts are metal, not plastic. the label should give the temp rating. The listed panel has a rating of at least 1,000 degrees, has metal wing nuts, a label that tell us the temp rating and the temp rating. If the wing nuts are plastic, the gasket wiil be rubber,& the unit is not rated for exhaust system service.

Douglas Hicks
General Fire Equipment Co of Eastertn Oregon, inc

Nice pictures-I would put in some access doors and look at the system. I see no reason why you can't. NFPA 4-3.4.1 states "openings large enough to permit thorough cleaning shall provide at 12 ft. intervals". Doors will be on the top or side of the duct & at turns. I would place as many doors as needed to service the unit.

David

What I am trying to get done is to have the contractor open up some space so access can be installed, I was supposed to meet him but he didn't show, the system has some access already, but the new construction has blocked many of them, others have lights mounted under them or is simply blocked by pipes.
What is your thought about working with access mounted over a light?

The pictures that you have taken I see no problem that can't be worked out. I would buy a DeWalt Nibbler to cut the doors, easy and quick.

I would work above a light or move the door location.

David

David please go back and look at picture #2, how would you get into that part of the ceiling, or clean that part of the duct, any spot one would need to come up through the ceiling is blocked by electical conduit, and it is that way for about 65 ft. Am I missing something?
Even though it may look roomy it actually is only about a foot of space above the conduit. As I see it, unless someone moves the conduit no access panel will be installed in that part of the duct. Sure it can be worked out, but not by just installing access panels, some major work needs to be done in order to install the panels and no one is willing to pay for anything like that at this point.
If this was just an access installation problem I would never have posted, I have been doing those for years.

Hood

I take back what I said, this would not be worth it unless she is willing to pay the price. Other wise what an animal you have here or and all night job. Charge her and put the doors yourself, alot of them . Don't worry she makes more money in one month than most of us can imagine.

RUN FORREST RUN

ED

Bryan,
I did a job simular to this a few year ago. I was time consuming and labor intensive. We split it up over 3 nights due to the time constraint of getting in and being done and cleaned up for the morning crew to come in. Corporate had taken a store back from a owner / operator. Needless to say everything was neglected. We made money on this job. I gave them a time and materials bid. We installed several cleanout ports. The final price was about 80% of my worst case price. Remember you are in this business to make money, not to just swap dollars.
My advice is:
Give the bid. Document everything. Do your job. Document with an After Service Report. Give Owner Bid and Contract for continued service, they will probably put you off. Most likely this is a one time deal. Keep everything in a file. CYA

The outcome will be valuable experience and you will be a better contractor for it, nomatter which way things work out.

Keep us posted on the details.

Michael T

thanks

I know, I know. I would run, but as I have stated in the past. I am the guy corporate McDonalds calls when they have a problem. In fact we just cleaned up after a fire in a store where the other cleaning co. had not been in to clean in almost a year, and no one had bothered to keep track. The manager said "well they are supposed come every three months". money, money, money. We charge premium prices to begin with and sometimes the managers go with the Cheaper Co. Especially the owner Operators. We got to the store that had a fire in three hrs from the phone call, and it was a hour and half drive, the other co. as of the time I left the store last night had not returned the phone call. Here's the kicker, the manager hesitated when I mention that I would get him on a quarterly schedule. I think he is still going to let the other co. continue doing it. That’s ok I haven't billed him yet for the emergency cleaning.
Anyway as for the store with the access prob. I will make money on it, it just makes me mad that I have to go through this in the first place. I guess I could be an ass, I could probably get the place shut down with out to much difficulty. If I get the right person to come and take a look at it. I could probably shut down every restaurant in the mall. I have no desire to do that, but if I can't get them to move on I guess it becomes my obligation.