Category Archives: Resources

DIY & How-To's, Resources, Reviews

Exhaust Fan Grease Containment, Do You Really Need It? Answer: Yes

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Example of a exhaust fan grease catcher that isn't maintained.
Example of a exhaust fan grease catcher that isn’t maintained.

Simply put most restaurant owners forget about the roof top equipment until it causes a problem. Sometimes those problems are simple like a broken or loose exhaust fan drive belt.  However sometimes those problems can cost a bunch of money like a HVAC system compressor or a new roof.

That’s right I said a new roof.   Or at least some serious cleaning and repairs due to the  grease that has overflowed the grease drip pan on your exhaust fan.   The standard drip pan is not that big and it does not have any media to absorb grease. The result is often an overflowing pan that is leaking onto the roof, I see it ALL the time.

Example of a good hydrophobic grease catcher.
Example of a good hydrophobic grease catcher.

The answer is to invest in a roof top grease containment system. There are several choices but the good choices include a system with hydrophobic grease absorbing media.   Hydrophobic means that the media does not absorb water, so when it rains the media does not get waterlogged. However the media is designed to absorb grease and hold onto it even when it rains.   The result is that the grease from the exhaust fan is contained and allowed to run onto the roof causing damage.

There is a second part to the answer that can not be overlooked. A routine trip to the roof to inspect and replace the hydrophobic media.  Even though the media can hold more grease than the standard grease pan it still has a limit to its capability.  If you don’t maintain the system it will fail.

So spend a few bucks now and a few minutes every few months and save your roof and your wallet.  If you don’t want to take the time to climb your roof every couple of months and do the inspection yourself, or if you don’t know what you’re looking for, give Western Equipment Sales in Kennewick, WA a call.  They will give you a quick estimate, and send someone out to look at it for you, and if needed, provide some great suggestions on ways to take preventative steps against roof damage and proper grease containment.

WES-ContractingIf you are in the Columbia Basin Area of Washington State and are interested in a grease catching system or inspection estimate, Call 1-866-585-6978 and press 3 for general contracting.  Monday – Friday 7am – 4pm PST.

Here are some examples of other grease catchers that are either home made, or custom fitted that don’t necessarily work properly.

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DIY & How-To's, Resources, Reviews

Learn about the Foodservice Industry with Vollrath University

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Being fairly new to the restaurant and food service industry myself, I have quickly found that the best way to learn is to self-educate.  There are not very many resources out there aside of good old fashioned catalog reading and product self-educating.  Where does one start on their food service education journey? 

catalogsvollrath catalogWhile browsing through my wall of catalogs, I stumbled upon the Vollrath catalog.  Vollrath has built a brand reputable for having the highest quality goods and equipment in the industry.  But they don’t just offer great products, they have shown they care about the knowledge level of industry professionals by creating VollrathUniversity, a online educational website geared to teach both professionals and newbies like myself the ways of the industry.  Do they get to plug their equipment?  Of course.  But is that such a bad thing when their products are widely used across the world in commercial kitchens?

Vollrath University

What Vollrath has done is taken something like education and used it as a very effective marketing vessel.  I didn’t major in marketing, but I’m sure there is a term for this type of marketing, and it definitely is effective.  So effective that I’m writing about it to share with you all.

We have decided to unofficially endorse this education method for those who are curious about the food service industry and would like to learn more about it.  We will be posting their educational content periodically on our site (Citing our sources of course) to help you find the content.  Like what you found there?  Let us know if this blog was helpful for your search in restaurant industry education.

In the huge sea of restaurant equipment, parts, and small wares, you can learn and educate yourself into a competent member of the food service industry.

Restaurant Parts, Equipment, and Smallwares.
Restaurant Parts, Equipment, and Smallwares.

For over 12,000 restaurant equipment parts, visit us online at http://www.westernequipmentsales.com.

Find Model Numbers, Resources

How to Locate The Make Model and Serial Number of your Restaurant Equipment

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Finding part numbers can be a pain in the butt. Have you been wondering where to look for your make, or model number for your equipment? Look no further. The below table will provide you with everything you need to find that crucial piece of information necessary to find replacement parts.

Manufacturer Where to Find it:
Alto Shaam Front panel or on back by cord
Amana Inside cavity or side panel or back left hand side
APW Toasters Bottom of front control panel
APW Counter Top Back by cord
APW Wells Bottom
Wyott Back or side panels
Wyott Electric Units Where cord comes out
Wyott Gas Units Under front panel
Anets Inside of front door
AJ Antunes Side panel or by power cord
Baker’s Aid Inside control panel left side
Bakers Pride Front burner cover or front panel
Bakers Pride Deck Oven Front face of control panel
Bakers Pride Char Broiler Under the grease panel
Bakers Pride Counter Top In rear by plug
Bally Door frame
Berkel Front by on/off switch
Beverage Air Inside box, upper left corner
Blickman Front of control panel
Blodgett Above selector switch, above door or on burner cover
Blodgett Deck Oven Inside burner compartment
Blodgett Conveyor Oven Under conveyor or rear of control box
Blodgett Convection Oven Top of control panel under ledge
Bloomfield Back panel or front control panel under brew basket
Bunn Behind funnel, front panel under brew basket
Bunn Urns On back
Bunn Pourover On back bottom right side
Carter Hoffmann Bottom of back- left side
Cecilware On the back by the power source
Champion By the control panel on the side
Cleveland Front door or left side panel
Cleveland Convection Front between cabinets and the top
Cleveland Kettles Back of control box
Cleveland Skillets Inside front panel
Comstock-Castle Front door or burner panel, front panel in firebox
Connolly Roll-A-Grill Back panel
Cres Cor Front of heating unit or back upper right hand corner
Crystal Tips Inside front cover left or right side
CTX Below left conveyor
Dean Back of front door
Delfield On the coil in the condensing unit
Dito Dean Back side or front panel
Duke Front panel
Duke Steamer On front of body of well
Duke Ovens Bottom pull-out of unit on front panel
Eagle/Metal Masters Back by cord
Ember Glo Back of unit on plate
Everpure On filter cartridge
Follett On right side panel or front panel
Frymaster Back of front door
Garland Range Behind front kick panel right hand side
Garland Convection Oven Behind combustion chamber panel
Garland Half Size Convection Inside control panel
Globe Front by on/off switch
Groen Front door or back panel
Groen Kettle On control panel box on back of kettle
Hamilton Beach Bottom back side housing when plug comes out
Hatco Front panel
Hatco Boosters Front bottom base of unit
Hatco Toasters Front by switches
Hatco Warmers By toggle or infinite switch
Henny Penny Fryers Back of front door
Henny Penny Warmers Right hand side panel
Holman Side panel
Hoshizaki Behind front panel by compressor
In-Sink-Erator Motor or control panel
International Cold Storage Door jam hinge side
Imperial Fryer Inside front door
Imperial Range Inside kick plate
Jackson Upper right side
Jet Spray Under drip tray or behind side air filter
Keating Fryers Back side or front door
Keating Grills Front panel or grease drawer
Kolpak Door frame
Lang Ovens Above control panel behind screen to left
Lincoln Left panel behind conveyor on back side of control panel
Magikitchn Front panel, left side cover
Manitowoc Back panel or behind front panel left side
Market Forge Door frame of cabinet
Marshall Air By power switch or supply
McCall Inside box left hand wall towards top
Middleby Marshall Under middle conveyor door
Montague Left side bottom under kick plate
Nieco Control panel, right hand side
Norlake Door frame, top of door
Nu-Vu Side panel of control side top or bottom
Perlick Left inside top corner
Pitco Back of front door
Prince Castle Control panel
Ram Right hand side near top front panel
Rational Side of oven on plate
Randell Under condensing unit or door frame or interior walls
Remcor Right side panel
Robot Coupe Front plate
Salvajor Motor or control panel
Sani-Serv Back panel or under drip tray
Savory Back panel, by power cord, some inside by motor
Merco Outside by switch
Scotsman Control panel or left side on back
Seco Bottom cover
Silver King Inside door panel or inside or wall
South Bend 1300 Series Under kick panel, left
South Bend 300 Series Under kick panel, side
South Bend R-Series Back right hand, lower
South Bend G-Series Remove control panel, inside
South Bend X-Series On top of unit
Star Electric Units Back by cord or bottom
Star Gas Units Behind cover for pilots or burners
Taylor Front or back panel
Toastmaster Front or back panel
Traulsen Inside right top back corner
True Manufacturing Inside box, left cabinet wall
U.S. Range Behind kick plate or on right side of unit
Univex Back panel
Victory Inside box, left wall upper
Vollrath Door frame
Vulcan Range Behind kick plate
Vulcan Oven Top behind door latch
Vulcan Fryers Behind door
Waring Bottom
Waste King Motor
Wells By control knob of unit
Winston Right hand side, bottom toward front panel
Wolf Under kick plate, left side
World Dryer Front panel