When buying a range hood, there are certain things to consider. First is noise, you don't want a range hood to be as loud as being at the airport. Further, you want a hood that ventilates well and is quiet.
The objective is to keep your home free of cooking smells that would otherwise tend to linger. And, to keep heat from the stove from damaging nearby walls.
While it may seem like a simple endeavor, purchasing the correct range hood involves taking into consideration many things. You'll want to consider these ten elements when considering buying a range hood.
1. Easy to clean filters
Reusable filters that can be easily removed for cleaning are ideal. These are most often made of aluminum and pop completely out so they can be scrubbed in the sink.
2. Lower sones number
This is the sound level at which your range hood operates. A quiet hood will range 1 to 3 sones (40 to 60 decibels)—the lower the sones, the quieter your range hood fan. If you've ever run a hood fan on high and it sounds like a jet engine, you know your sones number is extremely high.
3. Controls
Choose a range hood with a multi-speed fan or variable speed control. This puts you in control at what level you wish the fan to run. When cooking more odorous foods, a higher speed will be best. For general cooking of one or two burners, then a low speed should suffice.
4. Air Exchange
When your hood fan is operating, you want the air to exchange a minimum of 15 times per hour to circulate the air when cooking correctly.
ProTip Takeaway: Choose a range hood with a fan that operates at the lowest sones number to keep noise in the kitchen at a bare minimum.
5. Kitchen size
To determine which range hood will be best for your home, you'll need to measure to determine the correct cubic feet of your kitchen. Then look for a range hood that is made to handle your kitchen's size so it will adequately ventilate.
6. Stove's BTU
Take note of your stove's BTU output before the range hood purchase. How many BTUs your stove gives out is the baseline for choosing a range hood that will provide proper ventilation.
7. Non-Ducted or Ducted
With a clean filter, non-ducted hoods do a Ducted range hood to eliminate humidity and heat in addition to odors and grease. How many feet of ductwork does it take to go from here to vent all that to the outside.
8. CFM Rating
You'll want to look for a range hood that will provide proper ventilation. Range hoods are rated by the number of cubic feet per minute (CFM) of air they move.
9. Coverage
Make sure the range hood is positioned and large enough to cover the stove. If it doesn't hang over the sufficient stove, it will not pick up the heat and odors when cooking. Some vent hoods only cover a portion of the stove while others are designed to sit directly above the stovetop and are vented straight up into the ceiling. These are ideal for a large home.
10. Positioning
Install the range hood between 28"-36" above your cooktop to take advantage of the hood's ventilation power. If it is positioned to close, the heat will build up, and ventilation will not help. If installed properly, it will pull heat and odors ideally.
ProTip Takeaway: Measure your kitchen before the purchase of a range hood to make sure you get one that will adequately ventilate.
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