Home Chimney sweeping Restaurants and commercial kitchens
Important information for restaurants and commercial kitchens
What do the authorities and the regulations say about kitchen extract ducts, cleaning and fire safety inspection?
Introduction
Grease burns
Grease is flammable. If it catches fire, very high temperatures build up inside the extract duct — which can lead to serious fires. That is why every commercial kitchen and restaurant is required by law to have its kitchen extract duct cleaned at regular intervals.
Depending on the system, the cleaning can be done in different ways. Most often the sweep flushes the ducts, fans and units with hot water and a grease-dissolving agent, so that the flammable grease is removed.
The Civil Protection Act
As a fire-prevention measure, a municipality is responsible for ensuring that fixed combustion installations — other than those designed to burn gas only — and their flues are cleaned (swept). The same applies to kitchen extract ducts in restaurants, commercial kitchens and comparable premises.
The municipality may allow a property owner to carry out the sweeping of their own property, or to have someone else do it. Such permission may only be given if the sweeping can be done in a way that is satisfactory from a fire safety point of view.
Intervals and inspection
How often should you clean and inspect?
Cleaning
The municipality decides the intervals, which are regulated in the Civil Protection Ordinance. The statutory interval for fire safety inspection is every other year, and sweeping or cleaning takes place 1–3 times a year depending on the type of business. The intervals are set by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, MSB.
Kitchens that only reheat food or keep it warm do not need to be cleaned. They must, however, be inspected according to the fire safety inspection rules.
Fire safety inspection
Under the statutory rules for restaurants, commercial kitchens and comparable premises, the extract air ducts must be inspected from the room where food is cooked or heated.
The inspection also covers any components fitted to the duct, such as fans, grease separators and dampers. Roof covering and other associated parts of the building — such as penetrations through floors — as well as roof safety equipment are also covered.
The municipality is responsible for making sure an authorised chimney sweep carries out sweeping, cleaning or fire safety inspection at the set interval. The person doing the work therefore has a legal right of access, and the right to receive the necessary information and documents.
Changes to the business
Planning to change your business?
Always contact the master chimney sweep when your business changes — your installation may have been adapted and approved for the previous tenant’s type of business.
If the extract duct is rebuilt, a building notification and a so-called new-installation inspection will very likely be required under the Planning and Building Act, if the change is significant. We are happy to help with advice and any other questions.
Property owners should report changes that may affect the sweeping or inspection intervals for an installation. Report them directly to whoever carries out sweeping or fire safety inspection on the municipality’s behalf. A change of business or of the installation are examples of such changes.
New to running a restaurant?
If you are planning to take over an existing restaurant, you are always welcome to contact us to find out which rules apply.
If you have already taken over a business, you need to notify us of the change of ownership. We want good relationships with our customers, and a good start is having correct details in our register. We very likely have information on what kind of business is suitable and what the installation is approved for.
Notify a change of ownerWho pays for the extract duct?
The property owner is always responsible for fire safety in the property (Civil Protection Act, chapter 2, section 2). If the tenant — the restaurant — does not pay for the cleaning or otherwise fails to meet its obligations, we turn to the property owner.