You have picked a great pro range, an integrated or professional refrigerator, a quiet dishwasher, but you are missing one important item.
The range hood has always been an important product because it evacuates grease, smoke and heat from your kitchen.
Until the middle 1990s, it was a piece of metal with knobs. Now it can be the design statement in your kitchen.
We will answer some of the frequently asked questions and show you a few interesting ideas to incorporate in your kitchen.
How High Should I Hang The Hood?
This really varies upon the manufacturer. Miele says 26"-30". Best has in its specs 24 inch in some of their models (see below). The consensus for most is 30-36 over a cooking surface.
First, I would check with the builder and inspector for any code issues. If you do not want to clang your head on the hood, raise the hood a bit over the minimum. You do not want it so high that smoke dissipates before reaching the blower.
How Much CFM Do I Need?
The HVI (Home Ventilation Institute) says 100 CFM per linear foot which equals about 250 CFM for an average 30" range. This must be a really old measurement, because the average power burner is now 17,000 BTU versus 12,000 15 years ago. This Capital has almost twice the power of those ranges.
The amount of CFM depends on what you plan to cook and how powerful your range will be. Most hoods are about 500 CFM, which is suitable for most types of cooking.
Other Considerations
We explain the different blower types: inside, outside and in-line in our Ventilation Buyers Guide. I like inside blowers for service plus you do not have a large blower on the outside of your house.
Ducting runs are important as well. Straight and short is the most efficient. For people living in Massachusetts, you need to be concerned with Make-Up Air. You need return air for any blower over 400 CFM. It's easy to plan, but hard to retrofit.
Decorative Hoods
First, there are now tons of hoods available. We have probably 60 or so here.
They can be unusual. The Best Sopressa line will qualify for unusual.
Most popular are the chimney styles AKA European hoods or triangular hoods. Popular brands are Zephyr, Best, Miele, Faber and our Yale Brand.
However, if you want something unique like these wood hoods buy just a powerpack (packaged motor, filter, lights and controls) and a stainless liner and place it inside whatever decorative shell you want. It will be unique to you and your kitchen.
Key Takeaways
First, plan the ventilation properly. Hang it appropriately, size the motor and duct efficiently. The first order of ventilation is exhausting grease and heat outside your house.
After that, there are some great ways to distinguish your kitchen from the rest simply by customizing your hood with a powerpack or a few different unusual styles.
Recommended Reads
- What is Make-Up Air?
- Makeover Mondays (every Monday we talk about different kitchen elements)
Additional Resources
Get the Yale Ventilation Buyers Guide with specs, features and how-tos to avoid common mistakes. Over 80,000 people have read a Yale Guide.
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Pricing on this blog is for reference only and may include time sensitive rebates. We make every attempt to provide accurate pricing at time of publishing. Please call the stores for most accurate price.
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