When you are cooking, there’s always going to be smoke, steam, smells and grease as part of the process. These don’t have to stick around though and you can make them go away by installing kitchen ventilation. Here’s what you need to know.

Why is Kitchen Ventilation Necessary?

Kitchen ventilation is necessary in order to eliminate the steam, smoke, and other contaminants that are produced as part of the cooking process or when carrying out standard tasks such as washing the dishes.  Kitchen ventilation also helps to reduce the smells that are associated with cooking, so that your home doesn’t smell like your dinner for hours afterwards!

Rangehoods

Rangehoods are the most common type of ventilation found in kitchens. The rangehood is generally located directly above the stovetop and they come in fixed, retractable, or canopy options.   The fixed rangehood is the most common type that you see and they generally come with large filters to help remove contaminants from the air.  Retractable rangehoods are great if you don’t like the look of a rangehood in the kitchen or you don’t have room for a traditional rangehood but they are generally not as powerful as other types.  A canopy rangehood is the most powerful of all so they are the most effective at ventilating your kitchen but they are the most expensive option.

Rangehoods can be either ducted or recirculating.  If it is possible, ducted is the best option as the contaminants and moisture in the air will be vented to the outside of the home, and will not sit in the roof space.  Recirculating rangehoods will filter the air before returning it to the kitchen. They do this through metal or carbon filters that need to be regularly cleaned or replaced.

Exhaust Fans

If you don’t have a rangehood in your kitchen or you need an additional ventilation feature (that can be used when you’re not cooking for example), you can choose to install an exhaust fan. An exhaust fan will either vent the air to inside the roof space, or it will vent the air to the outside via a duct.  A ducted system is always preferable where your kitchen and budget will allow.

Open the Window

Of course, no matter what ventilation options you have installed in your kitchen, you should always open the window as much as you can!  Nothing is as good as fresh, clean air entering the kitchen, and opening the window while you are cooking can actually help to move the dirty air out of your kitchen faster, especially if you’ve got the rangehood or exhaust fan on at the same time!