The scent of food being cooked can be one of the best appetizers in the world.
However, even the best smells can also become overwhelming when cooking fumes are
not properly ventilated. A kitchen range hood can help to circulate air while
cooking and keep kitchen odors smelling pleasant.
What air from cooking ranges can do
Fumes from the kitchen are one of the major contributors to indoor air pollution.
Smoke, moisture, grease and heat from your kitchen can reach all corners of your
home unless you channel it out as fast as possible. Kitchens without adequate ventilation
will produce a buildup of all the fumes, steam and smoke emitted during cooking.
Standard gas cooking ranges emit nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. These gases
are harmful for human health. Smoke is made up of carbon particles and sulfuric
acid. Besides irritating the human respiratory system, these irritants are poisonous
for plants too. Steam acts as a carrier for the other contaminants present in air
and odors have an acidic quality that can cause fabric to fade.
An efficient kitchen ventilation hood that fits your cooking needs and the capacity
of your range can help minimize the amount of these indoor air pollutants
found in your home.
Terms to become familiar with
Before you go out shopping for a kitchen ventilation hood,
you may want to familiarize yourself with a few technical terms.
CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute):
CFM is a unit of measurement that indicates the performance of a ventilation hood.
This measurement tells you the amount of air that can be removed in a single minute.
High CFMs mean more efficiency.
BTU (British Thermal Unit):
BTU is the unit that is used to denote the heat emitted by a cooking range.
Downdrafts:
This term refers to the kind of air circulation performed by the ventilation hood.
Downdraft hoods pull air down into ducts installed for the purpose and channel it
outside the house.
Duct:
Ducts or ducting are the terms used to refer to the pipes attached to the ventilation
hood to collect air from the kitchen and carry it outside.
Canopy:
The portion of the ventilation hood that is visible after installation is referred
to as the canopy. The canopy may also be referred to as the ‘shell.’
Liner Insert:
A specially designed ventilation hood that fits inside an existing enclosure.
Holding Capacity:
The interior space of the canopy of a ventilation hood is its holding capacity.
This capacity should be proportional to the power of the cooking range.
Mounting Height:
The ideal height at which a ventilation hood should be mounted is given as its mounting
height. Installing the ventilation hood at a lower or higher level could affect
its performance adversely.
Overlap:
This term is used to indicate that the size of the ventilation hood exceeds the
size of the cooking range. For better performance, a certain amount of overlap is
recommended. In the case of island hoods, overlap is mandatory.
Projection:
The depth of a range hood is referred to as its projection. The projection should
ideally extend to the front edge of the cooking range.
Roof Jack:
A roof jack is an external venting accessory that is placed on the roof. The roof
jack is connected to the ducting of the ventilation hood and it ensures that air
is vented outside the home.
Sone:
Sone is a measure of noise level. A comparison of sone ratings of different models
will tell you which model is quieter.
Vented:
If ventilation hoods are classified as vented, it refers to the presence of venting
that exhausts air outside the house. Non-vented hoods circulate the air through
charcoal or other filters fitted in the house and then let out purified air for
recirculation.
Selecting the right hood for your kitchen
The heat generated when a cooking range is used will reduce
the effectiveness of your air conditioning if it is not channeled outside. In fact,
estimates say that a heat from a four burner range can nullify the cooling effect
of a one-ton air conditioner.
Therefore, it is essential that you have an appropriate ventilation hood installed.
You need to zero in on the ideal size, type and required blower specifications.
Hood Type
Your cooking range could be a standard electric type, a standard gas type or a professional
style one. The type of cook-top will determine whether you need a wall mount hood,
an under cabinet hood, an island hood or a liner insert.
Under Cabinet Hood
Under cabinet hoods are the most common type of hoods used in most kitchens. Installation
of under cabinet hoods involves fixing up of electrical fittings and ventilation
ducting.
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Wall Mount/Roof Mount Ventilation Hoods
This type of hood is used in kitchens that do not have a cabinet to spare for a ventilation hood. Wall/roof
mount hoods are placed directly over the cook-top. The collected air is exhausted
outside through the blowers in the hood. This collection of air will be optimal
only if the size of the hood is appropriate in relation to the size of your cook-top.
To determine the appropriate size of canopy, take into account the holding capacity,
the projection and the overlap measurements. Installation of these hoods is best
done by a professional. Remember, ventilation hoods do not pull air, they collect
air.
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While under-cabinet hoods are appropriate for standard cooking equipment, wall-mount
hoods are advisable for professional style cooking equipment and barbeque grills.
Island Ventilation Hood
Island ventilation hoods are needed when your kitchen range is built into an island. Sleek looking island hoods can make a style statement of their own. Setting up of ventilation ducting and a chimney are an integral part of installing an island ventilation hood.
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Liner Inserts
Liner inserts are used mostly in designer kitchens for giving the kitchen a clean, uncluttered look. Custom built cabinets are used for installation of liner insert ventilation hoods. Liner inserts are expensive but they help in giving your kitchen a sleek look.
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Hood Capacity
A wall-mount or under-cabinet, standard electric multi-burner
cooking range with 20,000 BTU will require a ventilation hood rated 450 CFM. A wall-mount
or under-cabinet 40,000-60,000 BTU standard gas, multi-burner cooking range will
necessitate a 900 CFM ventilation hood. A cook-top of any style with a BTU of 90,000
would necessitate a 1350 CFM ventilation hood. An island cook-top with a 40,000-60,000
rating will need to be fitted with a 900 CFM ventilation hood. A heavy-usage island
cook-top that generates 80,000-120,000 BTU will need an 1800 CFM ventilation hood.
For a more generalized evaluation, you can select ventilation hoods based on your
kitchen size and cooking style. Quick meals cooked in small kitchens will need a
ventilation hood of 250-450 CFM. Medium sized kitchens catering to a family of two
adults and two children will need a ventilation hood that has at least 450-750 CFM
capacity. Big families, big kitchens and enthusiastic cooks should select ventilation
hoods with a 600-1200 CFM rating.
Blowers
Evaluate the blower system that your ventilation hood comes
equipped with. Some manufacturers offer the option of fitting the ventilation hood
with additional blowers to meet heavy cooking needs. Some models offer an optional
transition to top venting. Larger blowers mean larger CFM capacities, but they also
mean more noise. Most domestic ventilation hoods have blowers fitted inside the
hood canopy itself. External blowers are fitted for professional cooking ranges
to ensure more power but less noise.
Ducting
The effectiveness of your ventilation hood is directly
connected to the installed ducting. A few dos and donts followed for ducting will
ensure optimal performance of the ventilation hood.
You should never compromise upon the recommended duct size. Also, the proper
angle should be used when ducts are combined. Sharp angle turns should be avoided
and turns should be gradual. Use of flexible or corrugated ducting should be avoided.
Only galvanized metal ducts will give you good performance. Ducts must be vented
outside and never into an attic or chimney.
Filters
Make it a point to see what kind of filters your ventilation
hood is fitted with. Small hoods are usually fitted with removable screen filters.
Some of these types of filters are dishwasher-safe, making cleanup easy. Larger
ventilation hoods are fitted with baffle filters that collect grease and other particles
into a receptacle. This receptacle is to be cleaned out on a regular basis to optimize
the efficiency of the ventilation hood.
Price ranges for kitchen range ventilation hoods
A small, economy model ventilation hood can be purchased
for as little as $60-$75. The ventilation hoods in this price range come equipped
with around 160 CFM blower power. Manufacturers like Whirlpool and Broan-NU-Tone
are common in this sector.
Economy models made of sturdier material like stainless steel are available in the
$100-$125 price range. Some manufacturers like Sirius make convertible ventilation
hoods with 600 CFM blower power in this price range. Some models in this range are
also fitted with a halogen light.
The next price band of $130-$450 brings you several sturdy stainless steel models.
These ventilation hoods may be fitted with blowers with power ranging from 400 CFM-1500
CFM. Vented, non-vented and convertible – pretty much all models of hoods are available
in this category.
As you go higher up the price ladder into the $450-$900 price range, a whole new
array of features opens out in front of you. Multiple air moving speeds, a noise
level rating ranging from 1 to 9 sones; washable, dishwasher-safe filters and powerful
centrifugal blowers are some of the features you can expect in this price band.
Most ventilation hoods in this category have sleek, thin outer bodies that merge
into the existing kitchen décor effortlessly. Halogen lighting is another must-have
feature in this category. Some manufacturers like Dacor offer a choice of remote
or internal mounted units. You are even given the option to go in for two blowers
to enhance ventilation power. The biggest advantage with centrifugal blowers is
that they are easy to keep clean. Just spraying them with liquid detergent while
on low speed is sufficient. All cooking residues are liquefied and collected into
a dispenser for easy disposal.
Cross the $1000 price mark and you get to see a wonderful blend of form and function
at work. Features like electronic touch controls, multiple speed settings and powerful
but quiet blowers are common to most models in this price range. Heavy gauge construction
is used to make sturdy ventilation hoods. Most manufacturers offer customers a choice
of stainless steel finish or appliance matching colors. Most of the ventilation
hoods above $1000 cater to the high ventilation needs of professional quality home
ranges.
The $1000-$3000 price band offers customers a choice of aesthetically pleasing,
highly efficient, quiet ventilation hoods. Dramatic effects are created using combinations
of stainless steel and hand sculpted glass. Super-efficient ventilation hoods that
are also pleasing to the eyes are available in the price range of $3000-$6000. This
price band has top-of-the-line models from all top manufacturers.
Ventilation used to mean airing out a room by opening windows and doors, but has
now taken on a different meaning. Ventilation hoods provide highly efficient ventilation
that can even take the form of a style statement with the wide variety of shapes
and finishes that we have to choose from on the market today.
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