Range Hoods

Range Hoods are a necessary part to any kitchen. Properly installed range hoods will vent hot air and cooking odors outside as well as help keep kitchen surfaces free of grease. The trickiest part of installing a range hood is determining how to run the ventilation ducts. Depending on the location of your range, you will need to decide if it is easier to vent through an outside wall or up through the roof. Use this tutorial if you determine that using a range hood to vent through an outside wall is the best route. Choosing the proper range hood is simple. The CFM rating for your hood (cubic feet per minute, or the amount of air that a fan is capable of moving in a minute) should be approximately equal to twice the square footage of your kitchen. For example, if your kitchen area is 150 square feet, the CFM of your range hood should be 300. The dimensions of the cabinet above your stove will most likely determine the width of your hood. However, if this is not a determining factor, try to get a kitchen range hood that extends approximately 3 inches beyond each side of your cook-top and 6 inches beyond each side if you have an island cook-top.

Stainless steel range hoods should be washed regularly with a clean cloth, warm water and mild soap or dish detergent. Clean in the direction of the polish lines. Rinse well with clear water and wipe dry immediately. You may wish to apply light oil designed for furniture polishing to maintain its bright finish. Wiping regularly with mild soap/detergent and warm water should protect painted hood surfaces. Be cautious about using "New and Improved" cleaning agents. Range hoods are installed over hot cooking equipment, and most chemicals found in cleaning agents react with heat to loosen paint.

It depends on the frequency and type of cooking that is performed. Normally, every three (3) to six (6) months is recommended for replacing the charcoal filters. Some range hood charcoal filters are designed with an indicator mechanism that will change color as a signal to replace the filter.

Kitchen range hoods should be ducted to the outside of the home. While non-ducted filters trap some of the grease and odors from normal cooking, the humidity, smoke and heat will all be re-circulated back into the home. If non-ducted filters are not regularly replaced, eventually the grease and odor catching effect will no longer protect your home from impurities. High BTU gas cooking equipment should always be ducted to the outside of the home. If this is impossible, high performance convertible hoods and filters are available in some models. Contact the Technical Support Group.

For conventional electric and gas ranges or cook-tops, we offer a complete line of kitchen ventilation hoods that can fit your cooking needs with features you desire. For high output gas ranges or cook-tops, we recommend the minimum rate of 10 CFM of ventilation per 1,000 BTU.

For maximum performance keep the duct straight and short. Use the shortest route with the fewest turns possible. 45° turns are better than 90° turns. Be sure to use an external roof or wall cap. If in doubt, consult a qualified designer/installer knowledgeable in kitchen ventilation or contact the Technical Support Group.

Most common range hood installations require a space of 18" - 24" between the bottom of the range hoods and the top of the cook-top. This provides the best capture area for cooking impurities. For high-capacity ventilators, the distance from the cooking surface to the bottom of the hood should be 24" - 30" unless otherwise noted for a specific hood or range. In some cases where a custom wood hood is used, local building codes may require 36". Make sure to check with your local building codes when installing a wood hood.

The term convertible refers to a hood that can be installed in different ducting modes. Typically a convertible hood can accommodate: 7" round ducted, 3 ¼" X 10" vertical or horizontal ducted and non-ducted applications available at installation.