Is exhaust fan grease bad for the rooftop? Yes!

The grease emitted from roof top kitchen exhaust fans collects and pools on top of restaurants and commercial kitchens. This pooling grease can be very destructive and even cause fire.  As the grease saturates the roof, it causes irreversible blistering, swelling, and cracking of roof materials.  The grease can also weaken the hold of the seams that bind the roofing material together. Grease on a roof top can lead to costly repairs. The bottom line is this: no matter what your roof is made of, grease will eventually damage it.

As grease deteriorates roofing materials, it can cause roof leaks and structural damage to your building.   A leak can cause rainwater and grease to flow into the roof substructure and then drip into the restaurant’s dining area. Did you know that leaks due to grease, will typically void the roof company’s warranty and leave the restaurant owner(s) with an expensive repair bill.

Pooling roof top grease can also be a huge hazard because it may catch fire!   A small spark can cause grease on a kitchen roof top to go up in flames. A small electrical short or fire anywhere in the ventilation system will quickly spread to the roof and ignite the stagnant grease. This has forced many restaurants to close. A fire can also spread to nearby businesses putting more than just your restaurant at risk!

The most effective way to prevent these costly repairs is to install and maintain a UL listed grease containment system on the roof top. These systems prevent all the issues mentioned by keeping grease off the roof. In addition to these concerns, NFPA 96 fire code requires all commercial cooking operations to install a verified grease collection system.

We offer many grease containment systems.  Click here to learn about these options!