Do You Need A Range Hood

Range Hoods improve indoor air quality and streamline your cooking experience. They also help you avoid inhaling harmful fumes.

If you don't own your house your local authority or landlord may require that you install a range hood before you move in.

In some states, it’s actually a legal requirement to have a range hood in a property. Thankfully, you can buy range hoods online or at any hardware store.

Before buying one, make sure you have enough space to run ductwork outside. If you're unsure about what kind of range hood you need, read on.

Ductless Range Hoods

Ductless range hoods are great for apartments because they don't require any ductwork. They're also great for condos because they don't take up much space.

Finally, they're great for people who want to save money by not having to pay for expensive ducting.

Ductless range hoods are a versatile option and can be placed over a kitchen island, on the wall or be customized to your needs.

Vented/Ducted

Vented hoods ventilate kitchens well, and prevent cooking smells from spreading throughout the house. Cooking fumes are vented out the back of the hood, and fresh air is brought in to replace them.

Hoods need to be installed properly to ensure that they work as intended. Kitchen ranges should always be located near an exterior wall.

Downdraft

Downdrafts are sometimes installed on stoves. They are quite inefficient and not usually a popular choice.

Pop-ups are more effective than downdrafts because they have a high-efficiency rate and they stay out of the way when not needed.

When cooking is finished, you push a button and they disappear. Downdrafts are quiet, efficient and popular venting options.

They are most commonly used in kitchens and bathrooms. Updrafts are more common in commercial settings, but both types of venting systems remove odors and smoke from the kitchen.

Gas/Electric Stoves

What if you use a gas or electric stove? It's still a good idea to have a hood. A kitchen fan may be strong enough to push away hot air and smoke but a hood is better.

You need a range hood that can vent heavy cooking fumes outside your house. Your range hood needs to be 900 CFM or more.

An electric stove produces less heat than a gas stove, but it still heats up your kitchen. So it’s a good idea to buy a range hood that is 600 CFM or more.

Induction

Induction cooktops are the most efficient type of cooktop. You should go with at least 600 CFM over your induction cooktop if you want the highest efficiency possible. A higher CFM means less energy consumption and therefore lower utility bills

BBQ Grill

A range hood is often needed when using a barbecue grill. Cooking for long periods of time such as when you have friends over for a BBQ requires adequate ventilation.

Buy a 1200+ CFM range hood if you want to cook for hours without having to worry about the smell.

Inserts

Hood inserts are great for keeping your custom hood clean and free of grease and grime.

A hood insert helps improve your air quality and vent cooking exhaust outside your home. You can conceal your range hood if you prefer a minimalist look.

Hood Features

A range hood should be automatically shut off if it senses excessive heat. The filter needs to be changed regularly and many hoods will have an indicator light that alerts you as to when it's time to change it.

Lights should be used to illuminate the cooking area. Energy Star range hoods are available for both residential and commercial use. They can even be controlled remotely via Wi-Fi.

Which One?

Range hoods have evolved significantly over the last few decades. Today, you can find understated models that let your decor do most of the talking.

Or go bold and choose a wall-mounted or under-cabinet model that makes a statement and serves as a focal point in the kitchen. Choose a style that fits your personality!

You should know your cooking style before buying a range hood. This will help you choose the right range hood.

You should measure the width of the range top before purchase. Make sure it matches the size of the range top. A ventilator hood should be 36 inches wide.

This ensures that you have an overhang of 3 inches around the sides of the range top.

Range hoods should be placed close enough to the range that it doesn't get in the way of the user but also covers as much space as possible to prevent grease and fumes from escaping.

A range hood should never extend past the edge of the range to avoid any potential fires.

Do You Really Need Them?

Range hoods suck up smoke and fumes from your kitchen while you cook which is vital because ovens also produce dangerous chemicals which can cause serious health problems.

What sort of chemicals? Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that can kill you if you breathe too much and Nitrogen dioxide is another toxic chemical that can damage your lungs.

In addition, Ultrafine and fine particles can penetrate deep into your lungs and cause serious respiratory issues.

Alternatives To Range Hoods

What if a proper range hood isn't a viable option? Do not fear, as long as using one isn't a legal requirement in your state there are some alternatives available.

Portable HEPA filters help you to get rid of bad odors. You can use them in rooms without windows.

Fans are great tools to use while cooking. You should turn on your fans if you're making anything smelly or burning hot. A fan helps reduce the smell and smoke as well as give you a cool breeze.

A splatter screen is a device that fits on top of a frying pan to catch grease drips. They cost about 10 dollars, making them a must-have at this price point.

You can really reduce gunk on your kitchen cabinets by never letting it drip out in the first place. Reducing the need for a proper hood.

Cleaning! Grease spots on the wall and cabinet are inevitable. But if you don't have a hood you need to be extra vigilant with cleaning.

Clean them off regularly using a dishwashing liquid and use a damp cloth to wipe away the grease and grime.

A kitchen should always be painted using satin or semi-gloss paint. You want to avoid any kind of high sheen paint because it makes cleaning the walls harder. Try to keep things clutter-free when painting your kitchen.

Conclusion

So, there you have it. Hoods are certainly beneficial and most people will choose to have them as an additional feature to their stove, however, it's possible to do without one and the answer is very much down to personal choice. Happy cooking!