• Welcome to The Building Code Forum

    Your premier resource for building code knowledge.

    This forum remains free to the public thanks to the generous support of our Sawhorse Members and Corporate Sponsors. Their contributions help keep this community thriving and accessible.

    Want enhanced access to expert discussions and exclusive features? Learn more about the benefits here.

    Ready to upgrade? Log in and upgrade now.

Difference Between Domestic & Commercial Kitchen

& * &

According to the `21 IMC, Section 917, ...each type of Residential or
Commerical appliance must be listed & labeled for their intended
application...........If installing a Residential appliance, that appliance
must be listed & labeled as a Residential appliance.........If installing
a Commercial appliance, that appliance must be listed & labeled
as a Commercial appliance.

& * &
 
APPLIANCE TYPE.

High-heat appliance. Any appliance in which the products of combustion at the point of entrance to the flue under normal operating conditions have a temperature greater than 2,000ºF (1093ºC).

Low-heat appliance (residential appliance). Any appliance in which the products of combustion at the point of entrance to the flue under normal operating conditions have a temperature of 1,000ºF (538ºC) or less.

Medium-heat appliance. Any appliance in which the products of combustion at the point of entrance to the flue under normal operating conditions have a temperature of more than 1,000ºF (538ºC), but not greater than 2,000ºF (1093ºC).

507.1.2 Domestic cooking appliances used for commercial purposes.
Domestic cooking appliances utilized for commercial purposes shall be provided with Type I or Type II hoods as required for the type of appliances and processes in accordance with Sections 507.2 and 507.3. Domestic cooking appliances utilized for domestic cooking shall comply with Section 505.
 
jar546 said:
What is the difference in the IMC between Domestic Kitchen Exhaust and Commercial Kitchen Exhaust?
Click to expand...
The use classification of the space the kitchen is located within. I.e. domestic would be "R" use classifications, and commercial would be any others.
 
jar546 said:
So what if you bought a GE residential electric stove and installed it in the breakroom of a commercial office building?
Click to expand...
A break room is not a commercial kitchen. “Commercial“ implies enterprise centered around food.
 
IMC definition of "Commercial cooking appliances: appliances used in a commercial food service establishment for heating or cooking food. For the purposes of this definition, a commercial food service establishment is where food is prepared for sale or is prepared on a scale that is by volume or frequency not representative of domestic household cooking."

A stove listed for residential use can be used in a commercial kitchen, but a stove listed for commercial use only can't be installed in a residential kitchen. Any commercial occupancy with a listed commercial stove would require a type I commercial hood. The BTU output is usually 3-4 times higher than a residential range and they have less safeties than a listed residential range, including often requiring 6" clearance to combustible.

An employee break room with a residential range is not a commercial kitchen, but a daycare (not in-home) with a residential range has a commercial kitchen. Its part of their business operation.
 
I thought we were talking exhaust...? But the listing of the appliance would be key here....If they only allow it in residential uses, NG in the breakroom....If they allow it in "similar to" residential use, might be OK...
 
steveray said:
But the listing of the appliance would be key here
Click to expand...
917.2 Domestic appliances.
Cooking appliances installed within dwelling units and within areas where domestic cooking operations occur shall be listed and labeled as household type appliances for domestic use.

IMHO a cooking appliance installed in a break room probably would not come close to the amount of use the same appliance would have in a residential occupancy.
The problem is who and how is the "volume and frequency determined".

COMMERCIAL COOKING APPLIANCES. Appliances used in a commercial food service establishment for heating or cooking food. For the purpose of this definition, a commercial food service establishment is where food is prepared for sale or is prepared on a scale that is by volume and frequency not representative of domestic household cooking.

This tells me that they must vent to the outside and a recirculating hood would not be allowed. However, it also recognizes that domestic cooking appliance may be installed and are allowed in other than a "R" occupancy.

505.6 Other than Group R.
In other than Group R occupancies, where domestic cooktops, ranges, and open-top broilers are used for domestic purposes, domestic cooking exhaust systems shall be provided.
 
steveray said:
I thought we were talking exhaust...? But the listing of the appliance would be key here....If they only allow it in residential uses, NG in the breakroom....If they allow it in "similar to" residential use, might be OK...
Click to expand...
Yes, but in order to determine the type of exhaust, you have to determine if it is a commercial kitchen or not. If the appliance is listed for commercial use only, its a no brainer. Commercial kitchen, commercial exhaust system in accordance with IMC 506 and 507.
Where it can get questionable is with cooking appliances listed for residential or domestic use. IMC 507.1.2 clearly allows domestic appliances to be used in commercial kitchens, but requires a commercial exhaust system if used in a commercial kitchen. If its being used as part of a business operation such as a daycare, I consider it a commercial kitchen. If there are dedicated people cooking for others on regular or semi regular basis even if no money changes hands, its a commercial kitchen. A break room where employees are only cooking or reheating for themselves (other than maybe a once in a blue moon potluck), its a domestic kitchen. A high school life skills class would also be domestic. They're teaching kids how to cook for themselves at home. A culinary class would be commercial. they are teaching students how to cook commercially.
 
This will be fun:

■ This gas range is not required to be plugged into a GFCI(Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlet. It is recommendedthat you not plug an electric spark ignition gas range or anyother major appliance into a GFCI wall outlet as it may causethe GFCI to trip during normal cycling.■ Performance of this range will not be affected if operatedon a GFCI-protected circuit. However, occasional nuisancetripping of the GFCI breaker is possible due to the normaloperating nature of electronic gas ranges.

Can't find any actual listing info...and installation instructions are silent on domestic installed in a commercial building...
 
steveray said:
But does the "residential" listed appliance allow it in a commercial building even if the IMC does? Or does it void the listing?
Click to expand...
Ranges listed for residential use usually say something along the lines of "approved for use in residential applications" but don't limit their use to residential. Unless the instructions or listing is worded in a way that somehow prohibits use in commercial applications, its allowed. Listed commercial ranges are typically pretty clear in the instructions and usually right on the nameplate that they are to be used in commercial applications only.

Even the so called "professional grade" ranges listed for residential use will have less than half the BTU output of a true commercial range. Residential ranges have more safeties built into them, the cabinets are insulated better to keep external surface temps down, they are not on wheels, and there will be no standing pilot lights.
Of course you have to watch your small kids around your home stove, but you REALLY don't want them anywhere near a listed commercial range.
 
A low heat (residential) appliance is not a piece of equipment by definition.

EQUIPMENT. Piping, ducts, vents, control devices and other components of systems other than appliances that are permanently installed and integrated to provide control of environmental conditions for buildings. This definition shall also include other systems specifically regulated in this code.

APPLIANCE. A device or apparatus that is manufactured and designed to utilize energy and for which this code provides specific requirements.

Low-heat appliance (residential appliance). Any appliance in which the products of combustion at the point of entrance to the flue under normal operating conditions have a temperature of 1,000ºF (538ºC) or less.
 
mtlogcabin said:
A low heat (residential) appliance is not a piece of equipment by definition.

EQUIPMENT. Piping, ducts, vents, control devices and other components of systems other than appliances that are permanently installed and integrated to provide control of environmental conditions for buildings. This definition shall also include other systems specifically regulated in this code.

APPLIANCE. A device or apparatus that is manufactured and designed to utilize energy and for which this code provides specific requirements.

Low-heat appliance (residential appliance). Any appliance in which the products of combustion at the point of entrance to the flue under normal operating conditions have a temperature of 1,000ºF (538ºC) or less.
Click to expand...
And a range doesn't have a flue....
 
the low-, medium, and high-heat appliances you are talking about are categories listed in chapter 5 of the fuel gas code, dealing with what type of vent or chimney system is required. A residential furnace or water heater would be a low heat appliance. an incinerator or industrial oven used in a manufacturing process may be a medium or high heat appliance. These categories really don't have much to do with typical cooking appliances unless they are designed with a flue connection, like some deck style pizza ovens are.
 
klarenbeek said:
A high school life skills class would also be domestic. They're teaching kids how to cook for themselves at home.
Click to expand...
Given this scenario, is makeup air required? 505.4, and logic would seem to say yes, but this section really seems geared towards the dwelling unit application. I have a classroom with 3200cfm of domestic cooking exhaust and the room is already slightly negative between supply and return, with no makeup air.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top