Pizza Today - December 2020 - 32

clean hard surfaces. Today's flooring
* Full Remodel. Some ambitious
trends include polished concrete,
operators used the dine-in closure
luxury vinyl tiles and quarry tiles. A
to overhaul their front of house comfew things to remember: the flooring pletely. Many did so to emphasize
selection should be able to withstand carryout operations. Remodels are a
the demands of a high-traffic dining
huge undertaking. Be sure to know
area and fit your overall concept
what you are getting into and know
brand.
when it's too extensive or complex to
* Furniture. If there are salt and
go DIY. With permit issues, supply
sugar packets under table legs, it's
ordering and scheduling, hire a good
past time to attend to your furnicontractor.
ture. With years of wear and tear,
Whatever type of project you
restaurant furniture needs constant
undertake, do the research and set a
review. Is the upholstery in dire need budget. Your time and that of your
of replacement? Can furniture be
staff is a commodity. Know when to
reconfigured for better dining room
outsource. Follow your local authoriflow? Flexible seating has become
ties on requirements and permits
more valuable with the uncertainty
needed to undertake a project. n
of varying dining capacity restrictions. Communal tables have been
all the rage for the past several years.
DENISE GREER is Executive Editor at
But during and after COVID-19,
versatility is the key. How can tables Pizza Today.
be put together, pulled apart or
removed?

IN THE AIR
HVAC is now playing a critical role in
the fight to limit the spread of
COVID-19. Several pizzeria owners
who were surveyed in our Pizza Industry
Special Report indicated they repaired or
replaced the HVAC system. It's a system
that often gets overlooked until it breaks.
Now is the time to review your maintenance schedule and the effectiveness of
your HVAC system.
Many states have offered HVAC
strategies in their safe dining guidelines.
The State of Minnesota outlines several HVAC-specific practices, including:
" continuously maximize fresh air into the
workplace, and eliminate air recirculation;
maintain relative humidity levels of RH
40-60 percent; keep systems running
longer hours (24/7 if possible) to enhance
the ability to filter contaminants out of
the air; add a flush cycle to the controls
of the HVAC system, and run HVAC
systems for two hours before and after occupancy, check and rebalance the HVAC
system to provide negative air pressure
whenever possible; supplement ventilation
system with the use of portable HEPA
filter units whenever possible; minimize
air flow from blowing across people; and
consult an HVAC professional or the
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
(ASHRAE) to ensure proper ventilation
is provided, and ventilation systems are
properly maintained. "
ASHRAE has also provided businesses
with guidelines for mitigating COVID-19
risks. " Key elements of a strategy to limit
the spread of the COVID-19 virus are
to perform needed heating, ventilating
and air conditioning (HVAC) system
maintenance, including filter changes,
and to run HVAC equipment, prior to
re-occupancy, " said ASHRAE Epidemic
Task Force chair, ASHRAE Environmental
Health Committee voting member and
2013-14 ASHRAE Presidential Member
Bill Bahnfleth in a release.

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Pizza Today - December 2020

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