Can an exhaust system be fire safe if it not fully cleaned?

Can an exhaust system still be fire safe even if not cleaned according to NFPA 96?

  • YES

    Votes: 9 24.3%

  • NO

    Votes: 16 43.2%

  • To difficult to generalize an answer

    Votes: 12 32.4%
  • Total voters
    37
cgibson said:
Sometimes the access doors are there, but they simply do not ever get opened and cleaned.
Out of sight out of mind.
Or maybe "inaccessible" since the access door is above a ceiling tile????:eek:
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those sneaky access panels......I'll tell you what;)
 
Fire safe exhaust systems

I can’t believe that there would be any discussion on this! If it is not considered a fire hazard why are Fire Codes in the US and Canada legislating that cleaners become certified? This is to insure that the ducts and all equipment be cleaned to .05mm or damn close to bare metal.
If a fire should get passed the suppression system and get into the ducts the fire load has increased to the point were total loss of the building is probable.
Remember the fire triangle, Fuel is one property of fire; remove it and you eliminate the problem. As an AHJ I work very closely with both cleaners and the suppression industry to insure that the appropriate NFPA 96 standards are met. I would encourage you to clean to the standards outlined it may save you from explaining in court as to why these standards were not met. Keep up the good work all of you are doing.

Stan Sauve
Fire Inspector 1
City Of Calgary
stan.sauve@calgary.ca
 
Stan is right and here is some proof. These are pictures of a fire in a lateral that started 30 ft from the hood. It seems that a spark travelled through the spark arrestor filters all the way around two corners in a lateral duct and landed on a pile of soot that the cleaning company was missing. In all fairness, it looked like they were doing a decent job on the rest of the system, but just happened to miss this one spot and whatever had gotten in to the system since the last cleaning went up as well. All this because they were too lazy to open one extra access door. It was a fluke but this is proof that if an exhaust system is not fully cleaned, it is not fire safe.
 
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The buildup in those systems is mostly soot and ash mixed with grease, a deadly combination. No powder was blown. This company was actually doing a good job on the 30' of ductwork leading away from the hood. A lot of companies beleive in what is called a "fire break" and usually clean a 10 or 15' area away from the hood and call it fire safe. I have even had guys from other companies tell me that they are not there to clean the system, they are there to make sure they don't have a fire. Well this blows that theory out of the water.
 
I personally feel that we should hire little people to climb up inside these systems. This would be a darn sight better career than being a bowling ball at some college bar. They should be paid at least $20.00 per hour with benefits, supplied with uniforms and health insurance. Think of all the positive publicity that will generate. If they are legal aliens that's even better.
 
I thought Josh used Rent a Midget on ocassion.. I know Chris and Matt sure were trying to recruit the midget stripper at the circus we went to...not sure the wanted her for KEC but to each his own...them lil suckers scare the piss outa me.....I would say use lit squirrels but I know those are out, the grease bullet did not do so well so now Mentos and Diet Coke are the way....I love this place I am always current on state of the art cleaning methods!!!
 
Rent-a-Midgets are wonderful. They are a Trump Exhaust service. Trump Exhaust is leading this industry when it comes to innovation.
 
According to the installation of Captive Aire Vent Hoods they suggest and or require duct to be at least 16 guage steel and welded solid.. The MSF ( State Fire Marshal requires us to use fire wrap on the duct.. As Nfpa 96 reads when contaminated with grease laden vapors , so that would mean it needs to be cleaned everyday... And I would also say that 99 % of the time a faulty appliance causes the fire not the vent hood...
 
Matt have you read the new NFPA as Rog pointed out to me the other day they removed the Bare Metal part I thinks is says something about the AHJ
11.6.1- Upon inspection, if the exhaust system is found to be contaminated with deposits from grease laden vapors, the contaminated portions of the exhaust system :eek: shall be cleaned by a properly trained,qualified, and certified company or person (s) acceptable to the Authority Having Jurisdiction thats pretty broad if you ask me I mean the wording "contaminated portions of the exhaust system" come on, seems like in the new version of the code they took a few steps back wards. I though "BARE METAL" was pretty straight forward and safe. :rolleyes: dh


mbryan said:
Can a system be considered fire safe even if it is not cleaned per NFPA 96 (i.e. ENTIRE exhaust system cleaned to BARE METAL)?

11.4.1 Upon inspection, if found to be contaminated with deposits from grease-laden vapors, the entire exhaust system shall be cleaned by a properly trained, qualified, and certified company or person(s) acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction in accordance with Section 11.3

11.4.2 Hoods, grease, removal devices, fans, ducts and other appurtenances shall be cleaned to bare metal prior to surfaces becoming heavily contaminated with grease or oily sludge.


This is the 2001 edition but I think the 2004 says pretty much the same thing.
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Mobilwash said:
Matt have you read the new NFPA as Rog pointed out to me the other day they removed the Bare Metal part I thinks is says something about the AHJ
11.6.1- Upon inspection, if the exhaust system is found to be contaminated with deposits from grease laden vapors, the contaminated portions of the exhaust system :eek: shall be cleaned by a properly trained,qualified, and certified company or person (s) acceptable to the Authority Having Jurisdiction thats pretty broad if you ask me I mean the wording "contaminated portions of the exhaust system" come on, seems like in the new version of the code they took a few steps back wards. I though "BARE METAL" was pretty straight forward and safe. :rolleyes: dh
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Disturbing, isn't it?
 
I've been doing pretty well, I can't complain. I share your feelings, about wanting to meet with the people who watered down NFPA 96. I just ignore that section of the code, I clean the ENTIRE system to BARE NAKED METAL! That is the ONLY way to keep your clients safe, IMO.
 
Holy crap, do you guys ever stay on point?
Anyway, tell me exactly what "fire safe " means.
 
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