Ventless cooking is growing quickly in popularity. One big reason is cost; commercial hood systems can double or triple your capital expenditure and have an ongoing impact on operating costs, cleaning, and maintenance. Ventless cooking also gives a wider range of options for installation locations, including locations where ventilation is not feasible, and therefore cooking was not feasible– until now!

All Ovention models are UL-certified for ventless operation, including several stacked configurations, meaning Underwriters Laboratories has tested and verified the ovens meet or surpass the stringent grease-laden emissions limits set forth in the EPA 202 test standard.

How does a catalyst work?

The air recirculation and catalyst technology used to convert grease and VOCs into harmless CO2 and H2O has been widely used in the industry and is familiar to most inspectors. Consider a catalyst as nothing more than a chemical machine. It takes apart molecules that are fed to it and puts the atoms back together in a different arrangement to form new molecules.

To be approved for ventless installation and operation, there are two standards that your local authority will consult as it relates to the oven’s installation.

EPA 202 Requirements

The EPA 202 standard limits emissions to no more than 5.0 mg/m3 of grease-laden air. During the EPA 202 test, the oven is placed under a large hood which is designed to capture and measure the grease-laden air escaping from the oven. The standard EPA 202 test uses pepperoni pizza as the food product because it’s a “worst case” or most demanding example, emitting the most grease per hour due to its short cook time. If a system passes with pepperoni pizza, it should do even better with anything else. ALL Ovention ovens passed well below the 5.0 mg/m3 limit.

IMC Requirements

The International Mechanical Code requires the use of either a Type I (with fire suppression) or Type II (exhaust only) hood above commercial cooking appliances. A Type I hood is typically required for appliances that have not passed the EPA 202 test. A Type II hood is typically required if the building’s HVAC system isn’t sufficient to handle the heat load within the space. The addition of an Ovention oven may or may not push the heat load in the space to a limit of concern to the inspector. To help with explaining the heat load of the oven, the table below lists the estimated HVAC load per Ovention oven model type:

Filing for Ventless Installation

When you decide to go ventless, you’ll need to file the suitable paperwork with your health department or building department, depending on the agency that has jurisdiction in your area. You’ll need copies of the UL ventless certification letter as well as documentation of your HVAC analysis of capacity and load. Ovention’s ventless certification documentation can be downloaded from our library. You’ll also need to provide how the appliance will be used, intended menu, etc. Your local agency may require additional documentation. You should find out directly from the local agency what documents will be needed.

Our team is experienced with this process, let us know how we can help!