Advantages and disadvantages of ductless hoods
Advantages of recirculation hoods:
KITCHEN ISLAND COOKER HOODS | WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS?
- A ventilation duct can compromise the kitchen design, leaving more space. This is important for relatively small rooms;
- Small weight makes delivery and installation easier;
- There is no need to control the ventilation duct, low power consumption;
- The recirculation hood can also be installed in other rooms;
- There is no need to create conditions for fresh air intake. It is easier to maintain an optimal microclimate in the room.
Recirculation devices received this name. the hood only conventionally. The air only passes through the cleaning element, and this entails some disadvantages:
- In a kitchen with a gas stove, there must be a constant exchange of air. Failure to do so will reduce the oxygen in the air to critical levels, making the use of a recirculation hood pointless.
- Rules of installation of gas stoves require continuous flow ventilation. This is due to the need to replace a significant volume of air in the event of a gas leak. The filter of the device is not designed to remove substances produced by cooking gas.
- Extractor hoods without extractor hoods are not designed for cleaning the air from harmful microorganisms. over, the filter running after its expiration date leads to an increase in their number.
Operating principle of a recirculation hood
In general, the operation of air recirculation is as follows: the outdoor air stream passes through the supply duct into the room and is then drawn back into the exhaust system after some time. Part of it returns to the outside and the other part goes into the mixing chamber.
There, the air mass mixes with the new air portion, cooling or heating it (depending on the mode). Then exits to a duct heater and returns to the room through the ducts. The main purpose of recirculation is to reduce the load on appliances: air conditioners, heaters and others.
In order to keep the air clean when recirculating, the following rules must be adhered to:
- The amount of air blown in from the outside must contain at least 10% of the capacity of the appliance;
- in the air entering the room, allowed no more than 30% of harmful elements of the total content.
The most simple principle of operation of recirculation models, similar to that of a gas mask. It is based on the ability of the activated carbon to absorb gases, harmful particles, dust and other contaminants from the air stream entering through it.
The air mass discharged by the fan first passes through the fat-absorbing filter to suck the air out. On it grease particles, dirt, carbon monoxide fumes are absorbed. The mass is then filtered through a filter of powdered activated carbon. Specific odors are already settling here. Then the filtered air flow through the grille in the front returns to the kitchen.
Model Rating
Nowadays, the market offers a large variety of kitchen hoods from well-known manufacturers, which guarantee their quality. One of the most popular companies-manufacturers of kitchen hoods today are:
- Hotpoint ARISTON, whose products have proven their quality and reliability;
- GATA brand, which hoods are known for their flawless operation and durability;
- BOSH is a well-known German company, which has a wide range of extractor hoods and has a positive reputation on the market for a long time;
- The company VENTOLUX, which is famous for using the latest technology in the manufacture of its products;
- ELEKTROLUX, whose cooker hoods stand for variety, individuality, beauty and quality.
Hoods of these world manufacturers for several years in a row take the first places in all sorts of ratings, both in the expanses of the CIS and abroad.
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Care of the unit
The cooker hood is an indispensable aid for every housewife in the kitchen. Because it absorbs all odors and impurities of harmful gas at the time of cooking.
The appliance will last a long time if it is regularly taken care of: cleaning or replacing the filter elements, as well as all other removable parts.
The operation is not complicated, but it can be a real challenge if fat deposits have accumulated over the years. In this regard, every hostess should know how to clean the product in any case.
Complete cleaning involves taking care of the body, the grid and all the parts inside the appliance. Before you start cleaning, you should read the instructions in case the manufacturers left any important recommendations for the care of the model. Unplug from the mains.
Then it is necessary to carry out a number of preparatory procedures:
- Remove the hood cover and take out the filter element;
- Disconnect the supply pipe to the ventilation duct, if the unit has a duct;
- Check the body of the product for contamination.
After removing the component parts of the product, they should be washed in a cleaning agent. But with the cleaning of the grid, you may have to try different ways and means of cleaning.
Many methods have been found to get rid of grease accumulations on the hood, gas stove and other equipment.
Folk remedies for cleaning grease and limescale:
- Soda. When treating with a soda solution, you need to pour water into a large container, add 3-5 tablespoons of baking soda, stir and boil in this solution soiled product for 20-25 minutes. Wash the metal filter and the grid in the same way. If they are not included in the container, you can boil them from different sides. Then take out, dry and assemble in reverse order.
- Dishwashing liquid. Clean only small dirt, to be used as follows: Place the filter element in the solution for a few minutes, then wipe until completely clean, rinse with boiling water and dry.
- Acetic acid. This tool is used when you want to clean the product from old stagnant dirt. To do this, wipe all greasy places with a rag soaked in acid and after 10 minutes, clean the dissolved grease. Rinse the parts with water and dry them.
The following safety precautions must be observed: rubber gloves on the hood.
How to install the hood in the kitchen
How to properly install the hood over the gas stove, so that it works with maximum performance? The main point when installing the device is to determine at what height to hang the hood relative to the cooking surface. If it is installed too high, its operation will be ineffective. This means that all odors and fumes will be in the room. If it is too low, it will interfere with the stove hob. The optimum height for the hood above a gas hob is 75 cm towards the underside of the hob.
Another point that affects the efficiency of the cooker hood is its position in relation to the ventilation opening. The appliance should be located as close as possible to the ventilation ductwork so as not to use too many bends or pieces of ventilation pipe, which would increase the noise and performance of the hood. After connecting the hood to the ventilation duct, care must be taken to ensure that it is completely covered. Special grilles or valves are used for this purpose.
A wall mounted hood with a modern perimeter extraction system ensures better and quicker ventilation
Useful tip! The diameter of the ductwork must be slightly larger than the outlet of the hood. This considerably reduces the load on the motor of the appliance and enables it to work more efficiently and with lower noise levels.
How to hang a stove hood above a gas hob
Hood mounting depends on the type of appliance. Flat-panel hoods are mounted to the bottom of a hanging cabinet or directly to the wall with special hooks, which should hold it securely at the mounting points. Hoods with a corner strip are built into a suspended cabinet, in which a hole is made in advance for the duct of the required diameter. Dome models are fixed to the wall.
After installing the filtering device, the duct channel is attached to its outlet, which is also fixed with hooks. As an air duct can be used corrugated or PVC pipe with a smooth wall or a rigid metal or plastic box.
Flexible corrugated pipe is the most budget-friendly option. However, it requires constant maintenance for the entire period of operation. convenient in operation is a metal box. But its installation requires considerable expense. The best option is considered PVC pipe. It does not require much maintenance and is easy to install. However, it must be installed strictly above the hood. These recommendations make it easier to understand how to make a kitchen extraction hood.
Suspended hood. the most popular and inexpensive, it is mounted directly above the stove
Features of the kitchen microclimate: Why correct ventilation is important?
You need to worry about proper ventilation for this room, because:
- food is cooked here, the smell from which can “eat” into the interior (especially in the textiles. curtains, towels) and spread throughout the apartment if it is not quickly removed;
- Kitchen is often used as a “smoker”, and tobacco smoke must be quickly diverted;
- Because of the increased temperature (when cooking) and humidity on the windows in the winter, condensation forms more quickly;
- Mould can develop due to the high humidity and heat in stagnant air on the windows, in the corners of the walls, in the cupboards with dishes (if they are wet) and with the food.
Also in the kitchen is almost always located ventilation holes. The ventilation shaft is designed to evacuate “used” air from the apartment. and therefore its operation must not be disturbed.
How to test the vent hole to see if it is still working?
Very often the ventilation of the entire apartment is seriously impaired precisely because of the total (for the riser) shaft. if it is clogged, or if the draft in it is broken for other reasons. In this case, the air extraction system will not work properly.
Ventilation shaft ledge with a hole covered with a grid
So you first need to check that the ventilation duct is working properly.
To check it tear off a thin strip of soft paper (toilet paper will do). Then open a window in any room, open the doors between that room and the kitchen, and bring the paper strip to the vent.
If the strip will be visibly attracted to the vent, everything is fine: the system works. If it will not attract at all, or attract weakly. exhaust shaft either does not work at all (does not create traction), or works, but poorly. In this case, you need to contact the HMO (or an organization engaged in maintenance of ventilation in your home), to solve the problem. the duct will need to be cleaned or repaired.
Important nuance: If you have a kitchen hood, which is connected to the vent chute directly, and the hole in the shaft completely overlaps its outlet. this is also a problem. In this case the air will be evacuated only when the hood is working.
In order not to disturb the operation of the system, the outlet of the kitchen hood must be connected through the element, which has a grid below the hole for the duct, with a check valve. In this case, the air will escape naturally through this grille when the hood is not working. When the hood is turned on, it removes air from the room and the non-return valve prevents it from flowing back in.
How to choose a ductless cooker hood?
Fresh air, order and cleanliness in the kitchen can make cooking an exciting and enjoyable task. The cooker hood is an important part of the comfort of the kitchen, because it is able to clean the air from greasy steam and the abundance of odors that arise during cooking, as well as to prevent them from spreading throughout the apartment. It is better to choose the type of hood in advance, because the possibility of connection to the ventilation system is not always. A ductless cooker hood is the optimal solution for such a situation.
Several reasons why a cooker hood is a must-have kitchen appliance:
- Instead of simply filtering the air in the kitchen, the hood collects and removes all vapors. This is especially important when using a gas stove. к. The concentration of carbon dioxide and other contaminants in the exhaust system is much higher than normal.
- Soot and greasy steam can change the look of your kitchen for the worse over time by settling on walls and ceiling. Installing a cooker hood prevents this problem.
- Modern extraction is not difficult to match with any decor and can be integrated perfectly into any interior design, making it more stylish.
The necessary air exchange in the kitchen can be achieved by turning on the cooker hood every few hours. You can also do this when you are not cooking.
A conventional kitchen hood is a fan that sucks in air and blows it into the ductwork. Air duct. connected to the ventilation shaft of the house (less often. directly to the street).
A ductless extractor hood cannot be connected to a duct. In fact, it is not an extractor, but a filtering device, that is an air cleaner. The air in this case is not removed from the kitchen, but recirculated in one room, so such devices are called recirculation.
In the case is installed a two-stage filtration system (more about it. below). After passing through 2 filters, the purified air is not blown out through the vent hole but is blown back into the kitchen. It enters the room through the holes that can be located on the sides, at the top or at the front end of the case.
Some models have a box protruding upward over the housing, on which the openings are located. In this case, the outgoing air will fall into the upper part of the room, where it will not interfere with anything (nothing will blow away from the table or shelves).
Otherwise, recirculation models have the same design as conventional hoods. They can have lighting, speed control. Models can also differ in placement:
hinged. This device is mounted on the wall above the stove.
Built-in. In this case, the product is “hidden” in the cabinet, which hangs over the stove.
Stand-alone. Not wall-mounted, but ceiling-mounted. Particularly useful if the stove is not against the wall.
Corner. Can be installed in the corner of the room.
Pros and cons: is it worth choosing?
Construction of this type have the following advantages:
The possibility to apply the hood in places where it is impossible to connect to the duct or make the outlet to the street;
Comparative cheapness: The recirculation models are less expensive than conventional hoods (with duct) and do not need to spend money for additional parts (ducting and cabinets to hide it, brackets);
The size of these models is usually smaller than conventional hoods;
ost of connection: it is not necessary to install a duct, so it is easier and faster to install them, and it takes less space (about installation. separately below);
For prolonged operation of such a hood does not require an influx of air, as it is not removed from the room (a normal hood removes air, and therefore. must be his inflow, which in the cold season can be problematic).
The last advantage is controversial, it can be attributed to the disadvantages: the air flow into the room (for human breathing) is still required even in winter. In addition, the constant recirculation of air (which contains moisture particles) will increase the humidity in the room.
As a result, if you only “push” air through the recirculation hood and do not let fresh air in, the room will be stuffy. over time. mold can appear.
In addition, these devices have other disadvantages:
Frequent change of filters, which are expensive and can not be cleaned (more about the filters. below) ;
a small selection of models: recirculation hoods are several times fewer on the market than conventional ones;
higher noise: in order to “push” the air through the carbon filter, you need a more powerful (and therefore noisier) motor;
If the filters are of poor quality, not only odors but also grease particles can remain in the room (and since the air is blown out under pressure, grease can be deposited all over the kitchen, on the furniture, floor and walls);
Not perfect efficiency: even a newly installed filter will not completely clean the air from odors if they are very strong.
When it is a good idea to use?
Such a device is best used in cases where it is not possible to remove contaminated air into the sump:
The vent hole is too far away from where the hood is installed;
The operation of natural ventilation is impaired, so that the air (and smells) removed by the hood can reach the neighbors (such a problem is not uncommon in older houses);
there is no ventilation shaft in the house at all (or there is no hole in the desired room);
A large exhaust hood or duct does not fit into the kitchen design.
The following conclusion can be drawn: if a conventional model (with duct) is not possible, then recirculation cooker hoods are the right choice. Conventional extraction is much more efficient and easier to use than recirculation.
As an option, if there is no way to put a conventional hood. you can install a model with recirculation, and to improve ventilation in the room to use:
A wall inlet valve or unit (to allow fresh air in);
In the exhaust fan (in the wall, blowing directly into the street, or in the vent chute), and it is recommended to put it as close as possible to the hood, turn on simultaneously with the.
Circular (ceiling-mounted) exhaust hood without extractor hood
This solution is also suitable for those who have already installed a ductless hood, but are disappointed in its effectiveness.
Description of filters and maintenance rules
Recirculation hoods have two filters:
Grease trap. The standard filter for any hood is a metal mesh, through which the air passes first. Designed to trap large particles. Must be cleaned periodically. Less common (usually the cheapest models) are anti-fat filters made of other materials.
Carbon filter (absorption, anti-smell). Clean the air more gently to remove particles and odors. It cannot be cleaned, only replaced with a new one.
The anti-fat filter must be cleaned when it becomes dirty. Periodically it is desirable to look at its condition, and if necessary. remove and wash.
Since the charcoal filter can not be seen, it is replaced:
If the work of the hood deteriorated (it became worse “pulling” air, worse cleaning, more noise).
Some models (more expensive) have a sensor that indicates when the filter is dirty and needs to be replaced.
The timing of replacing the charcoal filter is always individual, and depends on the following factors:
the quality of the filter element itself (cheaper models will clog faster than higher quality ones);
Depending on what food is cooked and how often: if you cook borscht and fry meat every other day, then the filter will clog quickly.
On average, the life of a set of charcoal filters ranges from 2-3 weeks (when cooking “heavy” food frequently) to 3-4 months (with less frequent use and cooking not too greasy and flavorful dishes).
By cost: 1 charcoal filter can cost from about 250 to 700 (medium range). It’s not hard to calculate that if you change it once a month and buy the cheapest version, it will cost you an extra 3,000 per year.
2-in-1 ducted hoods with recirculation mode
Now on the market you can find 3 types of models:
Conventional ducted hoods that remove air from the kitchen.
Recirculation hoods that purify the air and blow it back into the kitchen.
Ducted models that have recirculation mode. They can be used both as a normal hood (which will remove air) and as a recirculation hood.
The difference between a divert hood and a recirculation model
The third option has appeared relatively recently, and the range of such devices is not very wide. Connecting a duct is only necessary for air extraction. that is, if you plan to use the hood only in recirculation mode, it is not necessary to mount a duct.
Models of this type are not particularly popular, and in fact. are of little use for the following reasons:
They are more expensive than products with a single function;
Recirculation mode is less effective than conventional extraction, so it is unlikely to be used in practice.
Operating principle
With the help of a reliable multi-stage filter system this appliance cleans the air from various kitchen pollutants: odors, grease, cinders. In its essence, the unit does not extract air from the room, but is a filter. Recirculation hood consists of the housing, the motor itself and the fans, of which there are always two. They are located on the inside of the filters or in between. The working capacity depends on the power of the electric motor. When installing such a system it is necessary to provide for the nearest 220 volt socket. The internal parts of the hood are made of materials that do not oxidize.
Recirculation hoods for kitchens are used in the following cases
- the hob is located very far from the ventilation hole and it is not possible to dismantle the pipes;
- the vent cannot be used directly due to its deterioration;
- Unfortunate, too high position of the ventilation opening.
Since the device has a whole complex of protective filters, the hood is also called a filtering hood. It has two levels of protection. The first level of coarse cleaning is a special acrylic cleaners. Their main component is an acrylic filter. This can also include models with paper or fleece disposable cassettes. Disadvantages of acrylic and paper filters are that they are designed for single use. Their service life does not exceed six months.Also to the first level of purifiers can include filters made of metal (aluminum, stainless steel). They are more cost-effective because they do not require replacement. Washing them thoroughly with hot water and soap once a month is sufficient. It is better to choose those hoods that have at least 5 layers of metal mesh. A smaller number will be inefficient. The second level is characterized by a hood with charcoal filters. Charcoal is a well-known eco-friendly natural absorbent.
Unfortunately, the carbon cassettes are also disposable.
Electric hoods differ in the type of housing.
- Horizontal. Their geometry lies in the parallelism of the cooking surface.
- Vertical. The filtering surface is located perpendicular to the stove, which takes up a lot of space. For these systems, you need to have a very large kitchen.
- Sloping. As the name implies, they are placed at an angle to the stove. They have many advantages because they work efficiently and quietly and save a lot of space.
- Telescopic (cassette). A type of built-in hood that slides out if necessary, increasing the suction surface. After cooking is finished, it can be pushed in.
In terms of installation they can be.
- Suspended. Mounted on the wall and usually contains a hinged extra panel to increase the useful filtration area.
- Built-in. Mounted inside the kitchen unit. Very compact but with low efficiency.
- Island. Useful for those plates that are not close to the wall, but at a distance.
According to the material of which the body is made, there is also a difference.
- Metal (stainless steel, aluminum). They are usually made in the high-tech style. When using them, you can emphasize the modern interior style.
- Enamel. Such devices are easy to clean and care for. The most inexpensive members of the hood family.
- Tempered glass. Very beautiful models that require gentle care. They are easy to break, which makes some inconvenience in using this technique.
