Range Hoods

Range hoods are essential parts of efficient, safe kitchens. Properly installed, range hoods will vent hot air and cooking odors outside, as well as help keep kitchen surfaces free of grease.

Choosing a range hoods is easy. The CFM (cubic feet per minute) rating for a hood, which is the amount of air that a fan can move in a minute, should be about equal to twice the square footage of your kitchen. So, for a kitchen area that is 200 square feet, the CFM of the range hood should be 400.

Ideally, range hoods should extend 3 inches beyond each side of the cook top or 6 inches beyond each side if the cook top is in an island. This may not be possible if kitchen cabinets do not allow room.

Smaller range hoods tend to be noisier. Consider buying a slightly oversized one with a higher CFM rating and running it at half speed. A big fan running slower is quieter than a small fan running faster even though both are moving the same amount of air.

An important part of installing range hoods is to determine how the ventilation duct will run. A vent duct may vent through an outside wall or go up through the roof, depending on the location of the range. Professional installation of range hoods is recommended.

By Jennifer Lynn-Jennings