Any product designed to contain grease or oil around an exhaust application at the termination of the roof must be closed, rainproof, structurally sound for the service for which it is applied and will not sustain combustion. Any product that is installed on a roof around an exhaust fan must be listed with Underwriters Laboratories Inc. for compliance with all its codes and regulations. It must also carry the UL Listed service mark as proof of its compliance. Underwriters Laboratories regularly inspects rooftops to ensure that the product you originally purchased is consistently maintained, as well as to ensure that the product performs proper containment of grease and fire prevention. The G2® Grease Guard® is Listed by Underwriters Laboratories for the rooftop grease/oil collection/containment category file# MH26101, project# 98NK9697.

The G2® Grease Guard® helps you comply with 40 CFR 122.26 [1997] when used as a Best Management Practice (BMP) in your Storm water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). Storm water permits require that all potential sources for storm water runoff (such as rooftops) must be identified in the SWPPP and that BMP's must be used to control the pollution that results from this runoff. The G2® Grease Guard® filters can be identified as a BMP for capturing and eliminating oily run-off from your facility's rooftop ventilation systems.

Grease and oil can dissolve asphalt on built up roofs. It can cause wrinkling, swelling and blistering of modified bitumen membranes. Grease and oil also affect EPDM Hypalon and PVC. Even the gaskets on metal roofs can be attacked. Proper use of a G2® Grease Guard® unit will aid in protecting your roof.

Although this may sound reasonable, typical absorbents are quickly damaged by the effects of ultraviolet rays. The stones on a built-up roof prevent absorbents from lying flat against the surface and effectively blocking the leak. There is no barrier to prevent the grease and oil from passing through to the roof. Lightweight materials do not stay in place and are not designed to allow the rooftop to breathe properly. Furthermore, these applications may cause a fire hazard, as they do not meet the new NFPA 96 standards.

These applications provide temporary assistance, but require a lot of maintenance and are not NFPA 96 code compliant. Pickle buckets only contain grease that drips through the hose. Potential leaks from seams are not contained. Furthermore, when the bucket fills with rainwater, oil floats to the surface and overflows onto the roof, defeating the purpose of the unit. Accumulated rainwater also causes trays and sandboxes to fail. In addition, the weight of the sand or rocks can exceed the roof specs, and these applications require constant replacement. It is also hazardous to transport sand onto the roof and remove the soiled sand. The G2® Grease Guard® is designed to channel away water and absorb and retain the oil.

In order to be NFPA 96 compliant, a grease containment unit must be "rainproof." Although steel catch boxes capture grease that leaks from the spout, the box also collects rainwater. Once the box fills with water and grease, it overflows onto the roof, which causes a fire hazard.

Typical installations do not require drilling into the roofing membrane. The unit is designed in such a way that a tight-fitting filter and the weight of the unit are all that are required to hold it in place. Steeply pitched roofs may require the use of elevation brackets that level the G2® Grease Guard®.

Typical applications do not require additional mounting hardware. There may be some applications (such as near an airport or an extremely large Grease Guard® unit) that require further reinforcement, but the low profile units are typically not subjected to high wind forces. Facilitec does manufacture a wind bar to be used in such applications.

After proper installation, you need to set a regular schedule for inspecting, maintaining and replacing the G2® Grease Guard® filters. Facilitec Central offers a regularly scheduled maintenance program to inspect, rotate and replace filters as needed. However, when the unit is being self-maintained it should be checked the first week after installation, one month after installation and three months after installation. If the unit is catching grease from a vent where the Ieakage is fairly consistent over time, following this format will give you a pretty good idea of how to establish an ongoing maintenance schedule. Often there are other rooftop maintenance inspections, such as an HVAC inspection, that must be done regularly, and the G2® Grease Guard® inspection can become part of this routine.

Depending upon the leakage pattern of your particular exhaust fan there may be one section that is more saturated than others. The G2® Grease Guard® has a modular design so the filters come in sections. Therefore, you may choose to rotate sections and switch a "fresher" filter with one that is nearing saturation. Once the unit is fully saturated, oily residue may be washed away with the rain, so it is important to inspect the unit on a regular basis to prevent any hazards.

Yes, although we have found that stock sizes can typically be used. A custom unit might be required if there are obstructions on the roof that interfere with the framework. If there are obstructions, remember that the Grease Guard® frame should be roughly centered over the leak area and does not need to be perfectly centered around the vent or curb. Since the filter is cut to size, it can be cut around the obstruction as long as the obstruction is within the open part of the framework. Facilitec has built custom Grease Guard® units as small as 12" x 12" and as large as 30' x 30' -- whatever is required for your specific application.