McDonalds anyone?

[david]

Ive just recieved an invite to quote a Mcdonalds location for exhaust cleaning,drive thru and patios.Does anybody out there have experience with these types of systems? I am especially interested in the correct method to reclaim the water/grease that will come down the flue. As unlike regular size canopies that we are accustomed, to these hoods are located at Apprx. 4-6 feet off the ground We normally drape on all three sides and fashion the plastic into a funnel that leads to a large garbage container.Does this type of hood require a different set up?
Also any tips on dealing with McDonalds (techniques,protocol etc.) would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks David

 

[Michael T]

McDonalds

David, We do several McD's. Most of them have 3 or 4 hoods. I will try and post a few pics of our plastic setup. The first setup is a dual grill . We always have the wet/dry vac standing by. I dont know if this is any different than what you are doing now.


Michael T / Centex Pressure Washing Service

 

[Michael T]

Lets see If this works.

Plastic setup on Dual Grill hood.

 

[Michael T]

McDonalds

Here is a setup for a single fryer hood.


Michael T / Centex Pressure Washing Service

 

[David Saulque]

We clean a few of the McDonalds-& they are a pain. We have cut a 55 drum in half and drill for a rope pull. We use wood lath strips and claps to contain the water into the drum.

Good luck

David

 

[johnny]

Hi David,

......drill for a rope pull. We use wood lath strips and claps to contain the water into the drum.

Can you expand on this info, please.

Thanks,

John

 

[David Saulque]

If you cut the 55 gallon drum into two section, you would still have to pull the filled half drum to a drain or mop sink. The ropes just give you a way to pull the drum caddie(wheels).

We have started to use 4 foot lath strips and clamps to apply the plastic to the hood. You would take a 4 foot wood strip & plastic sheeting along the edge/filter frame and backwall so that the wash is funneled into the drums. We have used tape for years and we were talked into this process this month. Seems to work fine.

David

 

[johnny]

Thanks, David

 

[david]

Thanks for the help David. The wood strips are a good idea and I will try that ! with this method do you find any drips/leaks?......On other hoods I shim the plastic into the thin space where the hood meets the wall using cardboard folded over top of a putty knife.When i remove the knife the cardbaord remains in place..soon it will get wet then expand , strenghthing the bond and providing a drip free seal I am a new user to this board and am finding it very helpful david

 

[Michael T]

mickie d"s

Johnny and David, We use McDonalds lobby cans. Some of them have grab handle holes near the top so you can easly move them. And we tuck the plastic into the seam on the back of the hood. If you look at the pic you can see. David , using the lathe, where do you attach it? On most McDonalds hoods there is a space between the back of the hood and where the filters rest. Doesnt the water excape from there.

Michael T / Centex Pressure Washing Service

 

[david]

Re: mickie d"s

Originally posted by Michael T
Johnny and David, We use McDonalds lobby cans. Some of them have grab handle holes near the top so you can easly move them. And we tuck the plastic into the seam on the back of the hood. If you look at the pic you can see. David , using the lathe, where do you attach it? On most McDonalds hoods there is a space between the back of the hood and where the filters rest. Doesnt the water excape from there.

Michael T / Centex Pressure Washing Service

Micheal.......Thank you for your info very enlightening...we will keep the wet vac close by as well...after seeing your photos the "hesistation factor" has been sent packing...glad you took the time to put them in...... Thanks again


david

 

[anthonie]

Mc Donald's

Interesting enough we were asked to quote on 5 McD's in our town last Friday. These type of hoods require special attention as it can be very difficult to capture the waste water. The stores in our area allow for easy removal of the equipment. We attach the plastic to the back of the metal back splash using heat resistant metal duct tape. You must first hand clean the area where you attach the tape to remove the light grease build up. This system works great because you have no leakage whatsoever. We always keep the wet vac handy but it rarely ever gets used anymore.
In this business you have to be very resourceful as to containing the water runoff. There are so many "interesting" situations to challenge your resourcefulness. A new contractor in our area lost an entire chain of Denny's by having a water "breach" on his first store he cleaned. Keeping the water cleanup to a minimun is definetly important!

 

[david]

Anthonie
Thankx for the reply .....I ll try the heat resistant duct tape on one of my more accomadating accounts first and if it works as well ads it sounds then we may have just becme more'resourceful'.....Do you mind if I ask what your quotes were for the Mc ds.? I dont know what city that you are .....I am in Toronto Canada and I would quote a single fan straight duct 24 ft hood at apprx $330 canadian about 250us$

 

[Douglas Hicks]

We do 5 McDonalds. We move the appliances out of the way and run the plastic down to the floor. Using 6 inch spring clamps, we roll the plastic on the floor to make a dam. Vacuum the water out of the dam. This works on some other hoods also.
The reason is that the hoods are so close to the floor that we are constantly getting big Berthas when we use trash cans.

Douglas Hicks
General Fire Equipment Co of Eastern Oregon, Inc

 

[aquapro]

Great information guys.

We lost the McDonalds account to another bidder, but was really not too worried about it. After we properly scraped all the systems to bare metal and got things back in shape we lost the contract. Just a note to see what you guys think about this, but the guys bid this McDs at $300.00 complete. I about fell over. Sorry, but too much work for that. Now, how claose are these guys to ya'll, if you don't mind me asking?

Jay Moller
AquaPro Powerwashing
www.aquaprocleaning.com

 

[johnny]

Hi Jay,


How badly do you want the McD account? You will need to figure your costs of doing business per hour to the penny. Labor, material, insurance, adverts, chemicals. fuels, etc. That will be you break even point, where you neither loose nor make money. Add to that figure what profit you want to make to continue growing. That will be your hourly "shoot for figure." You have probably run into a larger co. that can come in and do McDs in 2.5 hours and do up to 5 per night. If you keep your overhead down and efficiency up- you can clean their clock and still make a profit. Too many small companies think that everybody has the same costs of doing business- they can beat you on volume buying and they know their expenses to the half cent. There is no "right" figure! It is how much you need to make and then some. Good luck!

 

[david]

Johnny
Your right on the money with that advice!
David

 

[ron]

this maybe a stupid question because i know nothing about hood cleaning but why dont the mfg. of hoods or mickey D's have built in ways of cleaning these? You know make it easier.
in 20 years at a place like that I would think they are getting done over 200 times.
im suprised its not set up to recycle the grease right to the french fry fryer. A grease loop. yummie

 

[johnny]

Great question Ron.
The manufacturer and even worse the architect on a building project give little or no thought to cleaning these systems. They sometimes install - water wash systems- "self cleaning hood systems" but as anyone who has ever cleaned one of these will tell you, they rarely live up to expectations and are devils for us to clean. The ducts are installed in such a way to make them invisible to all but the roaches, with 90 degree turns everywhich way. Once these systems leave the manufacturer they wash their hands. It's not my job, they say! The fan blade surfaces are not completely visible for cleaning. What's even funnier is most cleaning is done at night. The hood cleaner is located on the bottom of the food chain in the process. There really aren't enough restaurants that burn down due to grease buildup to force a change in the manufacturing so realistically we must be doing OK.

 

[Flue Steam]

"this maybe a stupid question"

No question asked is ever a stupid question!




"m suprised its not set up to recycle the grease right to the french fry fryer. A grease loop. yummie"

Well actually it is recycled, they make soap and make-up from rendered animal fat and restaurant grease, Don't tell the ladies they might loose thier cookies. I've heard that Max Factor is one of the biggest purchasers of this stuff.