Restaurant: the units in the dining room have grease stuck to the fins – can they still be cleaned?
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We have a small restaurant in Colentina, 40 seats, open kitchen. Three 18,000 BTU wall units in the dining room, 4 years old. The filters are sticky and yellow within a week, and the fins have a layer of grease with dust. A technician said 'they can't be cleaned anymore, they need replacing'. Really?
What is really happening
Cooking aerosols are fine liquid grease; they pass the filter, condense on the cold fins and catch dust like flypaper. The layer reduces airflow and heat transfer far faster than dry dust – hence higher consumption and poor cooling – and grease feeds bacteria, so smell too. Cleaning works because the alkaline solution saponifies the grease and the jet then carries it into the cover; what does not work are 'universal' sprays and plain water. For 18,000 BTU in a commercial setting the price is set by quote, after inspection.
- Filters retain some airborne particles.
- The coil transfers heat; during cooling it can collect condensate.
- The blower moves air.
- The pan collects condensate for drainage.
- A typical evaporator fouls enough to double its pressure drop in about 7.5 years, reducing airflow by 5–7% and raising fan power by 1–10%. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory / , 2002]
- Replacing a dirty, clogged filter with a clean one can lower an air conditioner's energy consumption by 5–15% (US DOE). [US Department of Energy – Energy Saver, 2024]
- ASHRAE 62.1 requires visual inspection of cooling coils for cleanliness and microbial growth at least once a year and cleaning whenever fouling or microbial growth is observed. [ASHRAE, 2016]
- European standard EN 15780 defines cleanliness classes (low, medium, high) for ventilation systems and requires periodic inspections, at least annually. [CEN / BSI, 2011]
What we do on site
- We come on your day off or before opening – three 18,000 BTU units with grease means about 4 hours.
- Each unit: double cover sealed to the wall, hose to the bucket, foil on tables and floor.
- Alkaline degreasing solution, 10–15 minutes' contact, adjustable pressure wash; we repeat until the bucket water runs clear – with grease, two or three cycles.
- Roller turned by hand and washed blade by blade; pan and hose flushed until clear.
- Sanitising; filters washed with degreaser; outdoor units washed in place.
- Temperature test on each; we leave a sheet with the date and photos – useful for the health inspection too. Price by quote, after inspection.
What you can do yourself
- Filters: weekly, with hot water and dish soap (it degreases).
- Check the kitchen hood – if it does not extract enough, the units pay for it.
- Set 24–25 °C; below 22 °C they condense more and catch more grease.
What NOT to do
- Do not accept 'they need replacing' without first seeing a degreaser clean.
- Do not run greasy filters through the dishwasher – they stay sticky and warp.
Prevention
Restaurant with an open kitchen: full clean every 3 months in season, filters weekly – the only rhythm at which units never reach 'cannot be cleaned'.
When to call us
For a commercial quote: 0764 012 943 or WhatsApp with photos of the units; Monday–Saturday 08:00–20:00.
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Sources (6)
- www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/805122
- www.energy.gov/energysaver/maintaining-your-air-conditioner
- www.ashrae.org/file%20library/technical%20resources/standards%20and%20guidelines/standards
- knowledge.bsigroup.com/products/ventilation-for-buildings-ductwork-cleanliness-of-ventilat
- www.facilitatemagazine.com/good-practice-legal/explainer/2013/04/04/bs-en-15780-ventilatio
- pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3378845/
The information on this page is educational and based on cited sources; it does not replace medical advice. We do not do repairs, installation or refrigerant circuit work.