Thursday, December 24, 2009

The Importance Of Range Hoods In The Kitchen

By Sam Blandford

Range hoods are a necessity in any kitchen by helping to remove pollutants from the kitchen air and so are important for safety and comfort. If a kitchen range is set up correctly, it enhances your cooking experience by releasing any hot air or cooking odors to the outside in addition to retaining grease-free kitchen surfaces.

Their complexity varies from simple ductless systems to types with lights, timers and surfaces that are easy to clean. There are numerous styles available as well as materials such as copper or wood.

Your home's present ventilation system is a crucial aspect to take into consideration while picking your kitchen's appropriate range hood. Next would be the size, location, and the quality of the range hood that you are looking for. Some range hoods offer great charcoal filtration others have more cost efficient have fans built in to push hot air towards your ceilings.

The two main types of hoods around are the vented and non-vented (recirculating) ones. A vented hood needs a connection to an exhaust duct and outside world and so is a little more complicated to install. A non vented type - simply cleans the air and pushes it back into the kitchen. These are the simplest types but still very effective.

Slimline hood designs are available which are concealed under cabinets which slide out when in use. One more kitchen hood type could be utilized as a microwave shelf with its venting fans below.

There are also updraft and downdraft hoods. Updraft systems pull the air through a filter and then push it along ductwork and vent it to the outside. With downdraft systems, they are usually located on the stove top near the burners. They pull the air through a filter and into the ductwork.

The hood or vent should be at least as wide as the range top and if you are designing a kitchen range hood you should select the ventilator unit first. The range hood should be designed to permit enough room for the ventilator and ductwork required to vent to the outside.

Because kitchen range hoods collect grease and filter smoke from the air, the range hoods should be cleaned frequently and any exposed portions, including the blades and internal filters may be cleaned with sponges and soapy water and wiped dry. Nonetheless, on no occasion should you ever use coarse clothing or pads to clean out the hood. You could wipe the unprotected metal down with a combination of water and ammonia, if need be. You could take off the metal mesh filters and immerse them in a cleaning solution for several minutes; then sponge, rinse out, and dry it off prior to putting it back into the hood.

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