# Commercial Kitchen: Dry, Moist or Wet Environment?



## Jim Nations (Dec 3, 2018)

I am having a debate with a GC as to whether all or certain parts of a large commercial kitchen is classified as Dry, Moist or Wet. 

The facility is enclosed and all interior. 

Cooking area: There are floor trough drains in the cooking areas and water hoses so floors can be washed down. Dry, Moist or Wet?

Wash line: Installing large Hobart Fleet dishwasher and conveyor. Steam is vented, some water will splash onto floor. Dry, Moist or Wet?

Food Prep Room: 50 deg F. Floors mopped. Dry, Moist or Wet?

Walk-in Freezers 28 to -10 deg F. Dry, Moist or Wet?

Walk-in Refrigerators 38-33 deg F. Dry, Moist or Wet?

GC is arguing all these environments are moist or wet. I think they are dry.

I am unable to find a definition of the terms, or how this is determined.

Any help is greatly appreciated!


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

Forget your opinion, or your boss's. Don't EVER get tied up in such debates. The politics is all wrong. The worst possible outcome is that you're right and your superiors are wrong. It's happened to me time and again -- and they ALWAYS hate the experience. There is absolutely NO REWARD for protecting their interests, BTW. They would ALWAYS rather lose their shirt than lose an argument.

The entire zone will be held to the standard of the Food Inspector// Health Inspector. He's the AHJ. 

Typically this means that the zone has to be wash-down worthy -- whether or not it gets to total treatment every day.

In a commercial milk processor, the troops spend twice as much time breaking the lines down and sterilizing them as they ever do running milk. (!)

And, after the national scandals, the standards for food prep keep going straight UP.

Chipolte.

Romaine lettuce.

Rat burger.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

telsa said:


> In a commercial milk processor, the troops spend twice as much time breaking the lines down and sterilizing them as they ever do running milk. (!)


You come up with some really off the wall stuff sometimes. Do you make it up as you go?


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## catsparky1 (Sep 24, 2013)

We do lots and lots and lots of kitchens . For us it is wet . When a freezer breaks things get wet fast . Hoods get steam cleaned and quite a bit of water is used in that process . When walls get dirty they pressure wash them . Staff must wash hands and in doing so splash water all over like 4 year olds in a kiddy pool . Hoses are one of the first things bought for a kitchen . I can go on and on . 

I do not care what they are you are the books say . IT IS WET . Trust me on this WET .


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

Cormmecal kitchen ?? that is wet location for sure no question asked. 

expect a lot of water and washdown often and prepared for stainless steel stuff that about the only item it can hold up with strong soap. 

Dont be surprised with food inspectors they are really picky .,, worst than electrical inspectors are. ( trust us on that part ) 


so couple of guys posted the correct answer … *WET* location .,, end of discussion.


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## Mulder (Sep 11, 2010)

frenchelectrican said:


> Cormmecal kitchen ?? that is wet location for sure no question asked.
> 
> expect a lot of water and washdown often and prepared for stainless steel stuff that about the only item it can hold up with strong soap.
> 
> ...


So all receptacles would require in-use (bubble) covers and be the weather resistant type?


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

Mulder said:


> So all receptacles would require in-use (bubble) covers and be the weather resistant type?


If it is gasketed it may be not too bad but the specs will varies a little depending on the location of the device will be used.


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## Mulder (Sep 11, 2010)

frenchelectrican said:


> If it is gasketed it may be not too bad but the specs will varies a little depending on the location of the device will be used.


If it is a wet location, 406.9(B) requires in-use covers and weather resistant receptacles.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Floor drains and hoses = washdown area = wet location = wire it like a wet location.


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