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In an effort to safeguard more electrical installations, the National Electric Code (NEC) has been expanding the requirements for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI) since 1971. Initially, GFCI protection was only required for temporary wiring at construction sites and in dwelling unit bathrooms. However, in recent years code requirements have been expanded to include many other areas such as commercial occupancies, fountains and swimming pools, and more. Keep reading to learn more about GFCI protection and the requirements for a commercial kitchen from Fast Fix LLC . What is GFCI Protection?  Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters, or GFCI, is the only protection device designed to protect people against electric shock from an electrical system. The NEC defines it as "a device intended for the protection of personnel that functions to de-energize a circuit or portion thereof within an established period of time when a current to ground exceeds some predetermined value that...

Over time, restaurant equipment starts to require some big fixes and maintenance costs. There's a point where you could be throwing more money into a piece of equipment than it's actually worth. The decision to replace your restaurant equipment comes down to age, price and condition. Keep reading to learn more about repairs vs replacement from your favorite Missouri restaurant equipment repair company . Equipment Replacement Considerations When deciding whether to repair or replace a piece of restaurant equipment, your first consideration should be safety, for you, your employees and even customers. You don't want to have a piece of equipment on your line that is no longer safe to operate or that could start a fire in your kitchen. You need to be particularly careful when it comes to ovens, as an improperly working gas flue poses a fire hazard. Fryers also pose a hazard if the tubes transferring oil to the heat element begin to crack and leak.  The next thing ...

When running a restaurant, one of the utmost concerns is sanitation. In order to keep guests coming back, you need to have a clean restaurant that practices food safety and produces quality food. Today's blog from Fast Fix LLC focuses on the importance of sanitation by offer several actionable tips. These tips are important for preventing foodborne illnesses in the food service industry. 1. Proper Personal Hygiene for Employees.  One of the most common causes of foodborne illness is bacteria spread by people handling food. Every action in food service could easily impact food safety from purchasing and storing to preparing and serving. Anyone handling food should practice proper personal hygiene. This includes washing their hands frequently and at key times during food handling. Covering any cuts with a proper bandage is also critical for food safety. 2. Proper Cleaning & Sanitizing of All Food Contact Surfaces and Utensils.  Anything that comes in contact wit...

Many professional kitchens contain a salamander broiler. This piece of equipment is used for grilling and toasting, melting cheese and the browning of grain dishes. Unlike a traditional broiler, a salamander broiler has belts and grates that are constantly exposed to foods. Therefore, it's very important that this piece of equipment remain clean and well-maintained. Keep reading to learn how to properly clean and maintain this piece of commercial kitchen equipment. Cleaning Your Salamander Broiler  The main issues with not properly caring for your salamander broiler are the sanitation and health risks. Not only does this put your restaurant at risk of a health code violation, but you're also risking the safety of your customers. In addition, the equipment can smoke excessively if it's not kept clean of food remnants. Below are some tips for cleaning your salamander broiler: Be sure to cool the salamander broiler completely before attempting to clean it. This piece ...

When a piece of restaurant equipment fails to function properly, what's the first thing you do. In many cases, people just reach for the phone to call a professional restaurant equipment repair company in Missouri , such as Fast Fix LLC . However, that's not always the best idea. To save yourself and the technician some frustration, follow these do's and don'ts for making a service call. DO  follow a checklist to ensure you've done everything you can. Many service technicians have checklists that the equipment operator can use. Ask your service technician for one the next time you see them. By answering the questions on the checklist before scheduling a service call, operators not only avoid unnecessary calls, but can provide valuable info that the tech can leverage before arriving on-site. DON'T make a service call unless you've checked to make sure the equipment is properly plugged in (and the indicator light is on). There's nothing worse than th...

During the holiday season, family and friends gather together in celebration. With all the hustle and bustle that goes on in December, many people choose to dine out and avoid the mess at home. How are you going to get those people in your door this holiday season? Fast Fix LLC has a few tips on how you can promote your restaurant for the holidays. 1. Book Holiday Parties.  This is the time of year for parties and many people don't have a space of their own large enough to host everyone at once. Those people are seeking out places, such as your restaurant, to host their event. If your restaurant has a private room, that's an even bigger plus for people to host their parties at your establishment. Make sure to spread the word that you're available for hosting holiday parties. 2. Emphasize Your Catering Services.  While many people can agree they don't want to prepare a large meal, not everyone wants to celebrate the holidays in public. Many people would rath...

When running a commercial kitchen, there's a lot of grease involved. This poses a risk for grease fires if you're not careful. Thousands of restaurants report fires each year. The National Fire Protection Association estimates that these fires cause an average of $246 million in property damage. A major fire can ruin a business and lead to a lot of lost revenue. The majority of restaurant kitchen fires begin when flammable cooking material, such as oil and grease, ignite. Today's blog from Fast Fix LLC discusses how to handle a grease fire, as well as some prevention tips. How to Put Out a Grease Fire The most important thing to remember when a grease fire occurs in your commercial kitchen is not to use water. For small kitchen fires, start by turning off the heat source. Then attempt to remove all the oxygen that's fueling the fire. This can be accomplished by covering it with another pot or baking pan. If you are unable to cover the fire, dump baking soda on top...

As a restaurant owner, you want your kitchen equipment to last for years to come. Food service equipment is expensive, and Fast Fix LLC is here to help you keep it in tip-top shape for as long as possible. Follow these guidelines to extend the life of your commercial kitchen equipment. 1. Constantly Clean Your Equipment.  The single most important step in prolonging the life of your commercial kitchen equipment is to keep it clean. That means cleaning it daily, and sometimes multiple times per day depending on the piece of equipment and how often it is used. By avoiding the build up of grease and grime, which can cause premature malfunction. 2. Use Proper Cleaning Methods.  Not only is it important to clean your commercial kitchen equipment regularly, but it's important to clean it properly. That means using the proper cleaning supplies and chemicals that are safe for the type of equipment you are cleaning. Refer to the operating manual for guidelines to follow. U...

While restaurants can fail for many reasons, about 80% of those that fail go under because they underestimated the startup capital needed. There are always unexpected things that come up with opening a new restaurant, and it almost always costs more than what you would think. Today's blog from Fast Fix LLC offers some advice to those just starting out in the restaurant business. Below you will learn several of the common unexpected costs of opening a restaurant. 1. Design Materials.  When opening a new restaurant, you want it to have a certain look. Obtaining that look can result in a pretty large expense. While you will start with a budget, any changes to in the plans after the project is started can incur extra costs. Maybe the materials you thought you wanted don't look at great in-person and you need to upgrade to something better. Be prepared to go over budget to get your restaurant to look great! 2. Construction Surprises.  When it comes to a building project,...

Deep fried foods are a typical menu item, especially in the fast food industry. Who doesn't love some crispy french fries to accompany their burger? From mozzarella sticks to onion rings, fried foods offer some of the best side dishes you can find. Who thought to drop food in hot oil to cook it though? Who invented the first deep-fryer, and when did they become a staple in the restaurant industry? Keep reading to learn more about the history of deep-fried foods from your favorite restaurant equipment repair company in Missouri . The History of Deep Fried Foods The process of deep-frying foods is said to have come about in the 5th millennium BC. The Egyptians that invented deep-frying during this time had no idea how it would change the culinary industry. Fried cakes were one of the first foods to be fried (think donuts). Other cultures began to follow suit. For our ancestors, frying food was a quick and easy way to prepare a meal. Deep frying was also a way of preserving foo...

As a restaurant owner, you know the importance of your commercial food-service equipment. In order to continue running a successful business, you have to have equipment that works efficiently. If a certain piece of equipment breaks down, some menu items would be difficult or impossible to continue producing. Therefore, it's important to have a trusted restaurant equipment repair company's number on hand! Today's blog focuses on the values of Fast Fix LLC and how we can help you with all your Missouri and Western Illinois restaurant equipment repair needs. Honest. Reliable. Professional.  At Fast Fix LLC, we pride ourselves on three core values: honesty, reliability and professionalism. Our mission follows the "Golden Rule" of treating our customers the way we would want to be treated. Our technicians are professional in work and appearance. We keep abreast of this ever changing profession by sending our techs to schools as new equipment and technology evolv...