How to install a kitchen hood- 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Installing a Kitchen Hood.
Installing a kitchen hood can seem complicated, but it doesn’t have to be!
In today’s day and age, it seems like all kitchens have a hood installed. However, there are many things that can go wrong when installing a kitchen hood. If you want to avoid the 10 biggest mistakes people make when installing a kitchen hood, follow these instructions!
1. Not Understanding the Structure of Your Kitchen
2. Choosing an Incorrect Hood
3. Not Having Enough Space
4. Installing the Hood In the Wrong Place
5. Forgetting to Install Sealing Materials
6. Using ‘Hood Clips’ Instead of Properly Installed Fittings
7. Over-Installing or Under-Installing the Ceiling Panels
8. Forgetting to Change the Exhaust Piping System
9. Installing a Soot Filter on the Exhaust Side of a Filter Hood Unit (Filter Hood) in Non-Soot Sensitive Locations
10. Forgetting to Check for Airflow Restrictions at Other.
A Brief History of the Kitchen Hood
The kitchen hood is a ventilation system that exhausts cooking odors and smoke from the kitchen. The kitchen hood was originally called an olfactator in the sixteenth century, with its primary function being to expel foul smells. In 1680, the first-ever kitchen hood was created by John Roettiers.
The modern day kitchen hood is not just a simple piece of machinery that removes smoke and cooking odors; it’s more complex than that. The modern day kitchen hood has many different features including filters, heat exchangers, and air circulation systems to keep your food fresh and your home safe.
In 1783, Boulton & Watt patented the first rotating fan which was used as part of the ventilation system for kitchens. This was one of the major inventions that led to the creation of today’s modern day kitchen hood.
How does a kitchen hood work?
A kitchen hood is a device that vents the fumes from cooking, dishwashing, and other sources. It can be located in your kitchen or in the utility room. Most of the time, it is installed on the ceiling to catch fumes and then blow them out. In today’s day and age, there are many different types of hoods available for you to choose from including a wall mounted hood and a surface mounted hood.
1. Not Understanding the Structure of Your Kitchen
2. Choosing an Incorrect Hood
3. Not Having Enough Space
4. Installing the Hood In the Wrong Place
5. Forgetting to Install Sealing Materials
6. Using ‘Hood Clips’ Instead of Properly Installed Fittings
7. Over-Installing or Under-Installing the Ceiling Panels
8. Forgetting to Change the Exhaust Piping System
9. Installing a Soot Filter on the Exhaust Side of a Filter Hood Unit (Filter Hood) in Non-Soot Sensitive Locations
10 .Forgetting to Check for Airflow Restrictions at Other
Types of Hoods and Where to Install Them
There are two types of hoods: a filter hood and an exhaust hood. Filter hoods collect the soot from your cooking, while exhaust hoods extract it. You can install a filter hood on the top of your range, oven, or cooktop. However, if you want to increase the efficiency of your kitchen’s ventilation system by 50 percent or more, you should install an exhaust hood.
In general, you can place a filter hood on the left side of your stove and an exhaust hood on the right side. It is best to place them in opposite corners of your kitchen because this will allow them to work together most efficiently. Installing a filter hood on the top left-hand corner of your cooktop and an exhaust one on the bottom right would be fine as well.
If you want to get maximum air flow through your kitchen, you must test whether there are any airflow restrictions at other points in your home before installing either type of kitchen hood. For example, if there is a doorway that prevents air from flowing into or out of another room, then it might not be possible for either type of kitchen fan to provide adequate ventilation in that specific area.
Tips for Installing a Kitchen Hood
If you have seen one kitchen with a hood, you have seen them all. To make sure your kitchen will be the only one with a hood, follow these tips!
1. Understand Your Structure
2. Choose an Incorrect Hood
3. Install in the Wrong Place
4. Use ‘Hood Clips’ Instead of Properly Installed Fittings
5. Install Sealing Materials
6. Change Exhaust Piping System
7. Make Sure to Check for Airflow Restrictions at Other Places
Types of hoods and where to install them
Hoods fall into two categories: those that heat, and those that keep the air clean. There are a few different types of hoods, but there are many to choose from. Here are the most popular types of hoods:
1. Filter Hood
2. Chimney Hood
3. Hood Unit
4. Heat Exchanger Hood
5. Direct-Vent or Draft-Vent Hood
6. Laminar Flow Hood
7. Ventilation Fan Hood
8. Wall Mounted Fan Hood
9. Roof Top Unit
Kitchen Hood Installation
It is important to know that there are many different types of kitchen venting systems. Your choice of venting system should be based on the layout of your kitchen, type of cooking equipment being used, and the design aesthetic of your kitchen. Let’s take a look at some of these factors so you can see which one will work best for you.
-Direct vent: A direct vent is the most common style and requires an outside wall or window and an exhaust pipe leading to the outside.
-Recirculating: A recirculating system vents gases back into the kitchen rather than outside. This is more common in homes with no exterior walls or windows, homes with interior walls that run parallel to an exterior wall, and homes where gas cooking appliances are prohibited by law.
It is also a good option if cooking odors must be contained within a small space such as an apartment unit.
-Combination: A combination system consists of both venting inside and through an air duct outside. The air is filtered before returning indoors and vents through the roof or side wall of your house.
Where to Install the Kitchens Hood
There are a few places to install the kitchen hood:
* Outside of the kitchen. This is the most common installation, but not always the best choice. * Outside of your home. This can work for homes with no working exhaust system, but it can be expensive and impractical.
* Inside your home. Installing a kitchen hood inside your home can be more aesthetically pleasing if you don’t want to see all of the ducting and vents on the outside of your house. It also won’t pose any problems for guests who might want to open a window in your home during warmer months.
How to Install a Straight-Through Kitchen Hood
Straight-Through Kitchen Hoods are the most popular type of kitchen hood. Straight-through hoods have a straight duct that draws air in through the front, filters it, and pushes it out the back. These are great for people with limited space because they take up less space than recirculating systems. Straight-through hoods are also cheaper and easier to install than other types of venting systems.
To install a straight-through kitchen hood, you will need:
* A template for a hole cut into your ceiling or wall
* Sheet metal screws
* Electric drill
* Sheet metal snips
* HVAC tape
* 2×4 wood studs (this can be found at your local home improvement store)
* Drywall or paneling to cover the hole left by the template
Conclusion
A kitchen venting system is an important part of any modern kitchen. Vents come in 3 basic configurations: straight-through, recirculating and ductless. The type of vent you choose depends on your specific needs, but the most common are straight-through and recirculating.
Straight-through vents are the most common type and are installed over your stove or cooktop. Recirculating vents are designed for larger kitchens or those with many cooking appliances. You can also install ductless exhaust hoods for a more modern look.
Regardless of what type of vent you have, it’s important to correctly install a hood so it functions properly and doesn’t cause a fire hazard.
Make sure to install the hood above the stove or cooktop, within arm’s reach of the stovetop or cooktop.
If you need professional help installing a kitchen hood, contact an appliance professional in your area today.
With so many different types of kitchen hoods, it is easy to make mistakes when installing one. Follow these 10 tips and avoid common mistakes when installing a kitchen hood.
Image Source: Den Garden
Read More: Re-Inspired Kitchen