Why does my kitchen exhaust system fan squeak when I turn on the switch?
Why does my kitchen exhaust system fan squeak when I turn on the switch?
Trouble shooting kitchen exhaust system fan makeing a squeaking noise in commercial kitchens:
- A worn and cracked belt will slip on the pulleys causing a squeaking sound when the fan switch is flipped.
- A loose or out of align belt will slip on the pulleys causing a squeaking sound when the fan switch is flipped.
Fan belts should be changed on a regular basis. Hydro-Clean recommends checking the fan belt at least every 6 months or at each cleaning (which ever comes first). Hot air and grease laden air causes the rubber to become brittle and dry rot. When this happens, the belts slip on the pulleys increaseing the heat to which the belt is exposed. If you run a 24 hour operation we recommend that the grease fan belt be check at least quarterly.
Hydro-Clean recommends changing fan belts at each cleaning. The reason we recommend this is that steam, water, soap (chemical), and grease from cleaning the fan can contaminate the belt causing it to slip after cleaning. If the belt is already hardened by the heat and grease from the cooking operations there is a very good possibility the belt will break within the next week or two. Always wait until after the kitchen exhaust system fan is completely cleaned before installing a new belt. This will prevent contamination of the new belt from the fan cleaning operations.
