A range hood is usually vented to the outside and remove grease, steam, and cooking odors from the kitchen. Some hoods do not have outside vents and rely on replaceable charcoal filters to clean
credit: rory.ramsden@btopenworld.com smoke and odors from the air. They are available in different sizes and strengths, as well as noise levels. It may seem like bigger is better, but in the case of an exhaust hood, that is not necessarily so. Hoods are available in many sizes, but typically an up-draft range hood should provide 100 cfm of ventilation for wall-mounted hoods and 150 cfm for island hoods. They should always have a ducted passage to the outside that is fitted with a damper to prevent infiltration.

Range hoods are generally constructed to be 4 inches wider than your stove/cooking range. For example, a 36 inch stove would usually be complemented with a 40 inch range hood. They are often rated for sound and sound levels are measured in sones, which is different than dB ratings that vary exponentially. One sone is the sound of a new refrigerator cycling on. Range hoods are a necessity for keeping good indoor air quality in the home, especially since some indoor pollutants can be measured at concentrations 50 times higher than outdoors. Hoods of all types protect the home’s occupants from poisonous gases, such as carbon monoxide, smoke and grease build-up, which can cause fires.

Stylish kitchen hoods are all the rage in the new and higher functioning kitchen. Sitting above a cooktop, hoods work to ventilate and redistribute the hot, often pungent air emitting from any number of cooking concoctions. They are often a code requirement, and should be placed directly over your cook top; they are not needed for wall ovens, which generally have their own vent systems. Other equipment in the kitchen such as washer dryer combo machines also need venting. Range hoods usually match the color of your oven and most range hoods have a fan and lighting inside.

Ductwork should preferably be vented outside. If this is not possible, however, then it is possible to install a ductless system which provides a satisfactory solution. Ductless range hoods do not replace dirty air with fresh air. Rather, they filter the air above your stovetop. Ducts should never be vented into an attic or chimney.

Ductwork, or an exhaust duct, is a bit more complicated and costly to install, but the benefit is healthy, fresh air after each use. Ductless
credit: -mrsraggle- range hoods are range hoods that filter the air inside the home and release it back into the home. The air passes through a filter in the range hood, filtering out pollutants that cause odor to develop in the kitchen. Ductless kitchen range hoods use these filters in combination with vent fans to remove odors from the air. Ductless systems are usually the second choice when considering a system to remove fumes and particles in your kitchen. If it is possible that the range hood can be vented to outside, a vented range hood is the more popular choice.

Ducted range hoods use fans to move air through ductwork to the outside; the ductwork runs through your interior walls or ceilings. Ducting usually runs through the upper cabinet and out through the roof, wall or eave. However, ductless units are common. Ductwork, or an exhaust duct, is a bit more complicated and costly to install, but the benefit is healthy, fresh air after each use.

Most range hoods utilize one of two types of fans in order to accomplish their task. Rotary fans are the traditional, bladed fans with which most consumers are familiar with, while centrifugal fans are usually shaped like barrels.

Nothing beats a range hood for venting smokes and fumes. Be sure to get one the right size: It should be at least as wide as the cooking surface it goes over and should not compromise the overall kitchen lighting design. HVI certification confirms that your product has been tested and meets specific industry standards. It also confirms that your product will perform as promised and you will receive proper ventilation to maximize your indoor air quality. If you are designing a kitchen range hood you should select the ventilator unit first. It should be designed to permit enough room for the ventilator and ductwork required to vent to the outside.