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One of the most important pieces of equipment in your kitchen is the range hood. A range hood removes smoke, steam, and harmful chemicals from the air in your kitchen when you cook on the stove, keeping the air in your home clean and safe. For this reason, it’s important to choose the right one—here’s what to consider when choosing a range hood.
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Size
Range hoods come in different sizes to go with differently sized stovetops. Generally, your range hood should be at least as large as your stovetop, if not a few inches larger. Your range hood should also match the shape of your stove well and should be mounted high enough above its surface.
Ventilation Strength
A range hood’s job is to ventilate your kitchen, so an important factor to consider is how powerful you need your range hood to be. The power of a range hood is measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM). When choosing your range hood, you’ll need to determine how many CFM your range hood should have. The number of CFM your range hood needs will differ based on several factors, including the type of stove you have, the size of your stovetop, and the size of your kitchen.
Ducted vs. Non-Ducted
Range hoods come in both ducted and non-ducted varieties. A ducted range hood ventilates the air in your kitchen through your ducts and out of your house. A non-ducted range hood, on the other hand, sucks up the air, filtering out the pollution and recirculating clean air back into your home. Because the pollution, including grease, is then stored and gathered within the range hood and its filter, a non-ducted range hood will need to be cleaned and have its filter replaced every few months.
Kitchen Layout
Your choice of range hood should also be heavily impacted by the layout of your kitchen. If your kitchen is located along one of the edges of your house, you’ll likely be able to install a range hood that filters directly to the outdoors. If your stove is not located along an outer wall, you may need to purchase a non-ducted range hood instead. Of course, you’ll also need to consider the amount of space that a range hood takes up to ensure you have enough space to install it.
Range hoods are a necessity in the home, so if you need a new one, be sure that you know what to consider when choosing a range hood. Each consideration is important in its own right, and following this guide will help you select the right range hood for your kitchen.
