Mall restaurant tenants are unlike any other tenant because they cook, and therefore generate grease. As a result, their operations are controlled by outside agencies such as health inspectors and fire marshals. Each restaurant tenant's grease and smoke are vented away from the cooking area via rooftop exhaust fans. This grease collects and pools in the fans and then leaks onto the roof. Grease not only deteriorates the roofing system, voiding the warranty, it also poses a significant fire hazard.
Compounding this problem is the fact that most foodservice tenant leases do not specifically address this issue from either a design or responsibility standpoint. "That's the landlord's problem!" is the most common response received from mall restaurant owners when we inquire about the problem of rooftop grease.
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