Closed due to odor

A small complaint from neighbors due to cooking odors can grow to an unmanageable problem.

Odor is something highly subjective and complaints from the neighbors due to cooking odors are never good for business. In a worst case scenario, the landlord or authorities become involved inevitably forcing the restaurant to close.

All this for something as simple as odor.

However, odors are a difficult field due to the lack of good benchmarks or instruments for detecting or measuring them. This means that authorities are often forced to make assessments based on a subjective perception of smell. A certain smell may be allowed to occur, but it is always on a case-by-case basis depending on the intensity, duration, frequency, time of day and other factors. If the authorities consider the smell unacceptable they may demand action.

Odor problems do not disappear by themselves if the source and conditions remain unchanged. Actions are required and ozone treatment can be used for odor reduction, eliminating or at least limiting the problem.

A bureaucratic term may be “interference” or “nuisance”, but we are essentially talking about a bad odor. Firstly, the complaints are addressed to the property owner and/or restaurant owner (they usually have a shared responsibility). If the complaints are ignored, the next instance is usually the authorities.

Therefore, it is important to take a number of factors into account already during the design phase:

• Are there residents in the vicinity of the restaurant?
• Where is the exhaust air discharged from the kitchen?
• Type of cooking?

Do not hesitate to ask for our assistance!