How Do Range Hoods Work?

Purpose

• Kitchens are full of odors, heat and moisture due to cooking activities. If you have a gas range, you also have combustion byproducts from using the range. The purpose of a range hood is to remove them from the area surrounding the stove. The hood makes the kitchen feel and smell better while you are cooking. It also improves the safety of the kitchen by removing the contaminants from the air.

Components

• The hood or canopy is the visible exterior body of the unit. This component is what helps capture the emissions as they rise up from the stove. A fan or blower system draws the air and emissions into the range hood and through the ducts that lead outdoors. The range hood system also includes filters and ductwork that are not visible from the kitchen itself.

Function

• When the range hood is turned on, the blower system pulls the gases, smoke, grease, smoke and odors away from the stovetop. While these items naturally rise, the fan pulls them out faster to keep the area well-ventilated as you cook. Once in the system, the air passes through the filters to trap the grease. The system then directs the emissions out of the kitchen through the ductwork in the walls or ceilings. No-vent hoods send the air through filters and then recycle it back into the kitchen, but many of the contaminants are still left in the air. Downdraft units are often attached right to the range and capture and push the air down through ducts that run under the floor.

Tips

• Proper sizing and installation is key for the range hood to work effectively. A low, wide range hood is able to better capture the emissions from the range as you cook. A straight path for the ductwork that leads to the outdoors works best for ventilation purposes. Minimize the turns in the ducts for the best flow. To keep the range hood functioning properly, you need to perform some regular cleaning and maintenance. Review the instructions for the hood to determine exactly how you are supposed to clean the area and when filters need to be replaced.