How To Identify Which Rooftop Grease Containment System You Need
The world of rooftop grease problems is common but very seldom thought of. It’s an “out of sight, out of mind” issue that typically goes unnoticed and thus untreated. The issues stemming from a problem that has not been properly remedied can be very costly and quite annoying. The grease itself can cause unwanted roof damage while at the same time causing slip and fall issues with maintenance workers on the roof and EPA violations. Here are 2 easy ways to identify the correct rooftop grease containment system for your exhaust fans.
Identify the leak point or points.
Most exhaust fans are equipped with a condensation drain which is the most common place to discover grease exiting the fan and dripping onto a roof. However, grease in a liquid state will find the path of least resistance and may come out of failed seals, cracks, or other unseen areas. If you determine that grease is coming from points other than the condensation drain, then a DRIPLOC rooftop 360 or “catch-all” type system would be a good place to start. These are a very good way to control grease as they surround the fan base on all sides.
The downside to these systems is that they sit on the roof and can hide potential issues. You will also find the cost of this system and the replacement filters to be higher than a standard rack style system.
These systems can be overkill for many grease issues. If grease appears to only be leaking from the condensation drain, you will likely be adequately protected by a Driploc rack system.
Identify the volume of grease.
When installing a “rack style” grease containment system, you will need to determine the size of the system based on the volume of grease produced by the fan combined with the frequency of filter replacement. One good way to determine this is the type of food being cooked such as burgers or fries for example. Burgers will tend to produce much higher rates of liquid grease than fried foods.
Secondly, simply perform a roof inspection to determine the amount of grease that is currently on the roof. An average grease issue would be contained to a small radius around the fan base. Of course, there are many other factors that can change the variable of the inspection such as a recent cleaning of the area or an overflowing or outdated system that has been neglected.
These variables should be considered when doing the inspection. When in doubt, we will always recommend a larger system simply to ensure that you are covered for the worst case scenario. To give some perspective, our Low Volume system is great for minor grease issues over fryer exhaust fans while our most popular 7” rack system is a great solution for most burger joints.
We recommend that the filters in your grease containment systems be changed on a quarterly basis, or during the regular hood cleaning service. This could be monthly, quarterly or semi-annually depending on the type and volume of grease produced by your cooking operation.