Access doors, or access panels, are a vital component of the restaurant hood and duct exhaust system. They provide access to the entire system so that hood and duct cleaners can perform a thorough cleaning. When access doors are installed at proper intervals and have changes in the duct direction, even the hidden areas become accessible. Without them, or not enough of them, parts of the hood and duct system cannot be cleaned. Dangerous grease will continue to build up; this grease build-up obstructs air flow and puts undue strain on the rooftop exhaust fan. Worse, grease accumulation provides fuel in the event of a fire. Access doors installed in the proper duct locations are a necessity, not just an option.

That is why the NFPA created a standard for all commercial cooking operations to follow. According to the NFPA 96 Standard, “Openings shall be provided at the sides or at the top of the duct, whichever is more accessible, and at a change of direction.” It also states, “Openings large enough to permit thorough cleaning shall be provided at 3.7 m (12 ft) intervals.” Access doors allow the KEC personnel to reach all areas of the kitchen exhaust duct systems, so the grease and other contaminants are removed right down to the bare metal. In this video, you will see an Omni Containment Systems Access Armor Duct Access Door being installed by Power King. You will see firsthand how adding this access panel revealed a particular spot that was not able to be reached and the build-up that occurred.

When selecting duct access doors, an important component to consider is ease of opening.  Kitchen exhaust cleaners often open access doors that require unscrewing wing nuts or other small parts. This could potentially cause small parts to slip out and fall down the ducts, making it inoperable. That is why the Omni line of access doors are entirely toolless. Our patented “Cam Lock” design require no wing nuts to juggle. Our Access Armor™ duct access doors can be easily opened and closed by hand. They also are designed in an octagon shape to eliminate sharp edges that could possibly injure personnel. It also provided an eight-corner contact points instead of four which increases the rigidity of the door.

Omni Access Doors drastically exceeds the 1800-degree NFPA 96 Standard fire rating with a 2300-degree fire rating. They are built tough and made of hi-grade 316 stainless steel instead of galvanized steel. Omni manufactures five different sizes to meet the needs of commercial businesses: 9” x 12”, 12” x 15”, 15” x 18”, 23” x 23”, and 9” x 36”. The 9” x 36” was specially designed for easier access for grease scrapers and other cleaning tools. This broad range of sizes is meant to make cleaning the ducts of commercial cooking operations easier and faster. Our full line of Access Armor duct access doors is approved by the UL.

Due to valuable feedback from our kitchen exhaust cleaning partners, Omni Containment Systems researched new gaskets. We are eager to announce that Omni Containment Systems has implemented these new gaskets on the line, making our line of access even more durable! The Omni Access Armor has become the go-to access door solution for hood cleaning companies across the nation. Like the Grease Gutter and the Super Hinge before it, the Access Armor is the best option of its kind in the industry.