Is there a hood in the kitchen or not?

Ventilation in the kitchen

It’s no secret that kitchen ventilation is important for any home. To effectively remove exhaust gases and provide fresh air, in addition to existing communications, residents add an exhaust hood. We note right away that an incorrectly installed device will not create the expected effect, rather it will worsen the operation of the existing natural ventilation. In our article, we will find out why ventilation is needed in the kitchen, and also get acquainted with the varieties of such systems.

Do you need her in the kitchen?

If you do not like unpleasant odors in the apartment and try to get rid of them as soon as possible, if you are tired of washing the corrosive layer of fat from furniture and appliances, you definitely need a hood. And it is especially useful in studio apartments or in kitchens where there are no doors so that polluted air does not leave the limits of one room.

But if you are not ready to spend time and energy on caring for the hood, think ten times before buying it. Indeed, without proper care, this device will turn not only into an extra object, but also into source of dangerous microbes that easily multiply on the fat accumulated in the hood.

By the way, in small kitchens you can easily do without a hood. There is not so much space in such a kitchen, which means that the problem with air polluted after cooking is solved simply by opening the window. You also won’t need a range hood if you don’t cook much on the stove in the house.

Advice. Tired of plaque on furniture, but do not want to buy a hood? In this case, you can save yourself from fat in the air by simply closing pots and pans with lids.

If there are small children in the house, most likely, the hood will stop turning on soon after purchase due to the loud, frightening noise of the fan. A silent hood will help to avoid this, so think about it when buying.

Kitchen hood

A kitchen hood and ventilation are not the same thing, as many people think. The exhaust device is a housing inside which there is a filter, a fan and an engine that drives these elements. The fan creates air draft, and with the help of filters, particles of fat, soot, foreign odors are captured. Thus, the kitchen is supplied with purified air, and grease and soot do not settle on furniture and appliances. The ventilation system is a design that creates optimal air exchange in the kitchen.

The placement of the hood should be planned during renovations in the kitchen and when choosing furniture. Many people prefer to abandon it, because they believe that a kitchen without a hood looks more aesthetically pleasing, especially if the room is small.

Exhaust devices in the kitchen can be arranged in two ways:

• with pipelines leading air outside the building or into the ventilation shaft;
• without air ducts, with forced air supply inside the hood, its cleaning and return to the room.

In the first case, the principle of operation of the hood is to supply fresh air from outside, and in the second case, this advantage is absent. The principle of how hoods work in the kitchen of the second type is to circulate the same air around the room. However, fresh air hoods are sometimes difficult to install for a number of reasons:

• there is no possibility to pull air ducts, especially in a studio apartment;
• installation can ruin the design interior;
• professional skills are required, because without experience it is difficult to carry out such work.

Compared with this species, circulating hoods for the kitchen are convenient for the universality of accommodation and the absence of the need for complex installation work.

How much and whether a hood is needed in the kitchen?

Almost every modern kitchen has a range hood located directly above the watered. It can be of different designs, different shapes and sizes. There are even hoods that are mounted directly inside a cabinet with opening doors, but such a cabinet does not have a bottom, since it is a hood.

But how useful can a range hood be for a kitchen where you cook meals exclusively for your family?? Is it really impossible to do without it, and is it so badly needed that about 90 percent of the entire population is trying to install this miracle of technology in their home? This question can only be answered with certainty if you study the question in detail. Fortunately. Experienced experts have answered this question.

Do I need a hood in the kitchen. all the pros and cons

To begin with, it is worth deciding what it is. The hood is a system that includes a housing, motor, fan and filters. The engine puts it into operation, the fan is necessary to create air draft, and the filters trap grease, soot, odors. To capture soot and odors, carbon filters were created, grease. grease traps.

The exhaust hood has pipelines and brings air through them to the street or to the ventilation pit. The circulation room does not have air ducts, and the air is cleaned through filters, where the air is forced by a fan. The air circulates in the hood, is cleaned and re-supplied into the room.

Each type of hood has its advantages and disadvantages.

Is it worth installing a hood?

Now there is a lot of controversy on the topic of whether a kitchen hood is needed or not. Users and popular bloggers are divided into two camps. some supporters of traditional cuisine, in which you need to hang a hood over the hob at all costs, and there are ardent opponents who are also adherents of kitchen design without a hood. Some users in their own reviews insist that the hood is a real relic of the past, and also that such a device takes up a lot of space and should not be installed in a small kitchen (especially in Khrushchev).

The rest of the users in their reviews write that it is required to install an exhaust system not only as an aesthetic element for the interior of the room, but also as a functional attribute, without which you cannot do without in the kitchen, especially if the hostess spends a lot of time for Cooking.

Cooker hoods and devices

Ventilation and range hood are not the same as many people mistakenly believe. The exhaust device is a housing inside which there is a filter, an electric motor and a fan that drives such elements. Fan air will generate thrust, and begins capturing by filters soot particles, grease and high foreign flavors.

Thus, the kitchen will be supplied with purified air, and soot and grease will not settle on furniture and appliances. The ventilation system is a design that will create excellent air exchange in the kitchen. Installation of the hood should be planned at the stage of repair in the kitchen and when choosing furniture. Most people prefer to refuse it, because they believe that a kitchen space without a hood looks more aesthetically pleasing, and even more so if the room is too small in area.

Advantages and disadvantages of the hood in the kitchen with an electric stove

While some people consider the range hood an integral part of the kitchen utensils along with the stove, refrigerator and sink, others believe that in the age of electrical technology it has lost its relevance. To find out whether a hood is needed in the kitchen with an electric stove or you can do without it, you should figure out what this device is used for, what functions it performs.

It is generally accepted that the hood is best compatible with a traditional gas stove. When cooking, a burning smell appears on it, which is difficult to remove with ordinary ventilation. Therefore, a special device that absorbs all the unpleasantly smelling air will be here more than ever.

Electric and induction stoves do not have such a drawback: when using them, carbon monoxide is not emitted, which is why some people believe that there is no need to extract. Nevertheless, during cooking, almost all processes occur in the same way. both on old and new stoves. Both the smell of grease and other strong odors spread well from both types of devices.

The hood is able to get rid of any unpleasant odors that spoil the mood and appetite. This is especially important for families who are used to spending a lot of time in the kitchen eating breakfast, lunch and dinner together. Air purification is necessary in any room and it does not depend on the type of stove. Therefore, even in a kitchen with an electric stove, it is desirable to install a hood, although not necessarily.

By drawing in air, this device captures soot, grease, and dirt thanks to special filters. grease traps. In addition, in the presence of a gas stove, it also removes excess gas that did not burn out during operation. All this allows not only to purify the air, but also to maintain a safe environment in the apartment, as well as protect surrounding objects from fatty deposits.

After all, if the smallest droplets of fat are not sucked up by the hood, they will eventually settle on the nearest surfaces.

However, despite such a large number of positive qualities of the device, not all people install it in their kitchen. Sometimes it is due to the fact that they do not know why you need a hood over the stove. To understand whether a particular apartment owner needs it, it is worth considering all the pros and cons.

About this rather unremarkable interior detail on some Internet forums there are long disputes. Some users claim that you can do without a hood in the kitchen, while others say that it is needed like air. But this is not a question where it is necessary to take sides. Here everyone decides for himself.

There are really a lot of advantages in installing a hood. Here are some of them:

• This device removes pungent odors from the kitchen quickly, preventing them from spreading to other areas of the apartment. This feature is especially relevant in small apartments or studios, where no spaces are fenced off by walls and the kitchen is one with the room.
• Thanks to special filters, it is able to save furniture, floors, windows and walls from drops of grease and soot. If there is no hood, they settle on the surrounding surfaces.
• Since this is a ventilating device, it can increase the flow of air into the apartment with insufficient air exchange from the natural ventilation of the house. This will always maintain a healthy climate in the house.
• During cooking, a lot of moisture is released, which humidifies the air. There is no such problem with the hood. it absorbs excess water from the atmosphere.
• For lovers of ergonomics, this device is also convenient: you cannot hang an additional cabinet directly above the electric stove, and it is quite possible to place it above the hood.
• When using a gas stove, the hood also saves the owners from combustion products. However, you need to use it correctly. do not turn it on simultaneously with gas.
• As a rule, light bulbs are built into this device, which are convenient to turn on to illuminate the stove. Otherwise, to achieve such an effect, they would have to mock them separately, and this is much more difficult for many people.

There are people who not only do not want to install a hood at home, but in general oppose this device. They believe that his popularity is just a marketing ploy, and there is no benefit from it. Well, it’s worth listening to their arguments in order to make a choice for yourself:

• The first thing you notice when you turn on the device is how noisy it is. Although there are silent models, they are usually much more expensive. Noise occurs during the operation of any ventilation devices, but it cannot be argued that it can annoy some people.
• There are many who live without an extractor hood all their lives and do not feel any inconvenience. Their main argument against it is that it is useless: despite all the declared functions, the effect of its presence is almost impaired.
• In a small room, it is easy to ventilate without additional equipment. Just open the window and the air from the street in combination with the exhaust ventilation will do the trick. Those who successfully ventilate even without a hood do not see the point in installing it.
• The owners of very small kitchens also agree with them, where installing anything other than what is already there is simply impossible. Usually the hood is a rather bulky unit. Although there are smaller models, but they, again, will have to fork out.
• Another disadvantage is that the hood is a device directly connected to the ventilation. During its operation, draft can be created from the ventilation shaft of the bathroom, which sometimes leads to problems with the operation of this system in neighboring apartments. Thus, by providing an optimal climate at home, you can spoil it for those around you.
• The exhaust filter, if not cleaned, accumulates a lot of grease and dirt, which becomes an ideal environment for the development of pathogenic bacteria and other dangerous microorganisms. This argument is the easiest to dispute: if you regularly clean the device (and this should be done), this problem will not arise. However, if there is no hood, it is not necessary to clean it at all.
• This is an additional kitchen appliance that you need to spend money on, and not everyone has it.

Many of the disadvantages given are based on the fact that people do not know about alternative exhaust technology. Therefore, to make a decision, you need to consider the entire range of variations.

There are 2 main types of hoods: flow and recirculation. They differ from each other in the way they function. The former have a traditional way of taking air out. to the street, while the latter do not take it anywhere, but filter it and return it back to the room.

Performance smoke test on kitchen hood exhaust and make up air

Flow structures are much more efficient and can handle more air exchange per unit of time. Therefore, they are suitable for those who often cook fatty foods. However, installing such systems is much more difficult: you will have to hire specialists who will connect the device to the ventilation shafts at home. In addition, you will need an anti-return valve that will not allow the exhaust air to return to the apartment.

Recirculating hoods are much more compact and do not require such complex installation. But their functionality is limited: they will not save you from an unpleasant smell, because all the air, having passed through them, returns back. Nevertheless, they are able to remove dirt and fat from the atmosphere. Because of this, the filters built into them need to be changed regularly.

For those who find it difficult to make a choice, there are combined models that can alternately operate in recirculation or exhaust air modes. Of course, they will cost a little more, and all the difficulties of installing flow hoods do not disappear, but in some cases it is worth overpaying for such a model.

In addition, these devices may differ in their design. Here are their main variations:

• Recessed. devices with a retractable bottom panel. These are expensive models with many additional features. Built into kitchen cabinets, taking up almost no space and organically fitting into the interior. They are convenient to use, they are compact, beautiful and multifunctional.
• Suspended. most often of the recirculating type, although there are also flow-through. They are a flat panel mounted on the bottom of the wall cabinet. Compact, but pumping a small volume of air. Best suited for small kitchens with low levels of air pollution.
• Island. the most powerful, able to purify the air not only in the kitchen, but throughout the apartment. Attached to the ceiling in the right place, so they are easy to install where needed.
• Dome. attached to a wall or ceiling, reminiscent of a dome. Most often they are of the flow type.

Kitchen Rangehood Ventilation Solutions

It is worth considering both what the pros and cons of having a kitchen in which the extract is not installed. Despite the assurances of some people, it is quite possible to live without it at all. After weighing all the pros and cons, you can understand whether you need a hood over the stove in this particular apartment.

There are several advantages to this state of affairs:

• no unnecessary mechanical noise;
• more free space, which is especially valuable in small kitchens;
• the design becomes more concise, not burdened by heavy appliances.

However, do not forget about the problems that may arise in this case. There are a few more of them:

• if the owners of the premises love and often cook fried food, then its smell will spread throughout the apartment, eating into furniture, clothes and other textile coverings;
• to ventilate, you will have to constantly open the window. this may not always be convenient, especially in winter, and can lead to drafts, colds, death of flowers on the windowsills;
• all surfaces in the kitchen will eventually become covered with a greasy film, which is not easy to get rid of, and you will have to carry out general cleaning more often;
• this will also affect the appearance of the room. the wallpaper and even the ceiling will lose their presentation, repairs will need to be done very soon;
• if a gas stove is used, then the carbon monoxide formed during operation will not go anywhere and can adversely affect human health.

Of course, the disadvantages of the lack of hoods are significantly greater than the advantages. Many people live their whole lives without it, and nothing bad happens to them. It turns out that in some cases you can safely do without this device.

Many people make a choice in favor of lack of drawing. Some of them are simply not needed, but for the other its shortcomings outweigh the benefits. Here are the cases in which you can safely do without it:

• Some people practically do not cook in the kitchen, and order all the food or only heat it up in the microwave. due to lack of time, unwillingness or inability to cook. There are those who at home almost only. For them, the kitchen is more like an extra room or dining room. Of course, in this case, there is little sense from the hood.
• A powerful ventilation system has already been installed in the room, reliably pulling out all unpleasant odors. Since the hood is also a ventilation device, in this case it will simply duplicate the functions that already exist, and it is not necessary to purchase it.
• In kitchens with an electric stove, this apparatus is much less needed than in those where a gas stove is installed. Yes, it has many other useful properties, but the electric stove does not emit carbon monoxide, so safety is ensured even without a hood.

In all these cases, you can easily do without additional ventilation systems.

What is a Recirculating Range Hood?- What is a Ductless Range Hood?

Of course, everyone decides for himself whether to install them or not, but the first thing to remember is that there are no options that are correct in all situations without exception, and you need to choose, focusing on your own rhythm of life and level of comfort.

What is fraught with the absence of a hood in the kitchen: 4 reasons

Harm to kitchen equipment is not the only problem. Details about the troubles and obvious reasons for purchasing a hood. below.

Unpleasant odors With the removal of unpleasant odors, any Gorenje, Bosch or Beko hood copes much better than the house ventilation system, natural ventilation and “catchers” of aromas. Installing the hood allows you to immediately deal with 2 aspects of the problem: aesthetic and practical. one. Firstly, the hood prevents the spread of “edible” odors throughout the home. 2. Secondly, protects against allergies. It quickly eliminates odors that can provoke an allergic reaction.

Air pollution due to high humidity air in the kitchen quickly becomes sperm and heavy. Its inhalation leads to shortness of breath and disease of the respiratory system. A productive hood with an exhaust and recirculation mode can save the situation. It can: remove dirty air outside the housing; pass it through filters and return it purified.

Maintaining cleanliness The absence of a hood in the kitchen instantly gives out a dark coating on the ceiling, walls and furniture. For comparison: in a kitchen with a hood, the headset looks like new even after several years of operation. Without an extractor hood, after a year it becomes sticky from soot and dirt.

Thanks to the hood, the time spent on cleaning the kitchen is significantly reduced. Reduces the cost of detergents. The need to purchase various sprays and gels to remove fat disappears by itself.

Comfort to air the kitchen during the cooking food in the cold season is very difficult. It is uncomfortable to be near an open window due to sub-zero temperatures. And the stove must not be left unattended for the time of ventilation.

In order not to suffer from the cold and not risk your health, you should get a hood. She will quickly cope with the renewal of the air mass in the kitchen, even with the windows completely closed.

A good hood makes life easier and significantly affects the comfort of the kitchen. The health and well-being of users depends on it. Therefore, a voluntary refusal to purchase and operate is an unjustified risk.