Tag: range hood

Considerations When Choosing a New Range Hood

Having the right range hood provides more than just avoiding setting off the smoke alarm in your kitchen. A good range hood provides vital ventilation for your kitchen, to avoid steam and food particles damaging your cabinetry and preventing cooking smells from permeating into other areas of your home. With such a vital role, it is essential that you choose the right model for your kitchen, so here we’ll explore considerations to help you make your purchase decision.

Assess the Exhaust System

When choosing a new range hood, you’ll find that there are several options for exhaust systems. As the name suggests, ducted or vented systems use ducts to channel the air away and out of your home. This means that you shouldn’t vent into an interior space inside your home, such as an adjacent room or attic. Ducted models require mounting the hood to an exterior wall for shorter and more efficient ducting. If you need to take the ducting further, it will make the installation and potential future maintenance more complicated and expensive.

Duct-free or non vented systems filter, clean and return the air to your kitchen. These systems are typically less efficient compared to a ducted system, and they require regular filter replacement and cleaning, so you’ll need to be prepared for maintenance tasks.

Your Kitchen Layout

The kitchen layout is a primary consideration for choosing a new range hood. You’ll need to know the space you’re working with and whether the hood should be wall mounted, incorporated into the cabinetry, suspended from the ceiling or made part of an overhead canopy. A general rule of thumb is to mount the hood 24-30 inches higher than the cooktop, but you should always check the manufacturer recommendations.

Calculate Your Fan Power

The size of space will dictate the power requirements of the exhaust hood fan. You need sufficient power to clear the air and prevent strong cooking odors lingering. The calculation to determine your fan power requirements is based on the volume of your room, so multiply the length, width and ceiling height of your kitchen. Ideally, choose a range hood with the capacity to clean or replace the air in your kitchen volume eight times every hour.  The exhaust fan will be labeled with the CFM rating, which is cubic feet per minute. So, if your exhaust fan has a 1,000 CFM rating, it can remove the air from a 10ftx10ftx10ft kitchen in one minute. Multiply this figure by 60, and you will determine how much air can be moved in an hour.

Consider Noise

While you may think that the most powerful range hood is the best option, if it sounds like a jet engine in your kitchen, you’re not likely to use it very often. Home appliance experts suggest choosing a model that draws air towards the perimeter or edges of the hood, rather than over a large area. This makes the hood more efficient and also reduces the noise level. If possible, test the hood in the showroom to check how noisy it will be in your kitchen.

Choose the Right Style

Range hoods are available in a fantastic variety of styles, so it is relatively simple to choose one to suit your kitchen decor. It is worth thinking about whether a material is easy to clean or will need special maintenance, whether it is more costly than a simpler model and whether it complements the general architectural style of your kitchen and home. The right style of range hood can seamlessly blend into your kitchen or make a bold statement, but you’ll need to decide which look you prefer.

If you’re thinking about a new range hood, you can explore your options with this online range hood collection or for further help contact a home appliance expert.

Is Your Kitchen Complete Without a Range Hood

Range hoods are an essential form of ventilation for any residential kitchen. Whether you choose a range hood or opt for a downdraft ventilation system, your kitchen is complete without this vital equipment. So, here we will explore range hoods to help you determine the benefits of investing in a good one.

The Advantages of a Range Hood

There are a number of reasons why it is beneficial to include a range hood in your kitchen design.

  • A Shield For Your Cabinetry: During cooking smoke, odors, humidity, and heat along with ultrafine food particles can contribute to the discoloration and damage to your cabinetry. If an accident occurs and you have a fire on your cooktop, a good range hood providing proper ventilation will act as a metal barrier to prevent the fire from spreading to your cabinetry.
  • Provides Additional Light: Even if you’ve planned the lighting in your kitchen entirely, your cooktop can still benefit from the additional light. Many models of range hood provide extra lighting to illuminate your cooking area.
  • Cools Your Kitchen: If you’re cooking several dishes, it is very easy for your kitchen to start feeling swelteringly hot. A well-vented range hood can expel the excess heat out of your kitchen, so you can concentrate on preparing a great dish without getting hot under the collar.
  • Cleans Your Air: When vented properly, a range hood can collect any dirty, smelly cooking greases from your air and expel it outdoors. This should prevent a greasy film from accumulating on your kitchen surfaces.
  • Completes Your Kitchen Aesthetic: An attractive and impressive range hood can also provide a massive visual impact for your kitchen design. It is not only a functional appliance, but you can also use it as a statement piece to tie together all your design elements. For example, if you have chosen stainless steel appliances, a polished stainless steel range hood can allow these features to be showcased.

Choosing a Range Hood

The choice of range hood largely depends on your budget, personal tastes and the manufacturer requirements for your cooktop or range. Generally, the greater investment in a range hood you make, the better quality and more functionality While there are cheaper hoods, better models have built-in ventilation to help regulate temperature and clean the air. This an essential feature for any keen cooks.

Most range hood models are rated by CFM or cubic feet per minute. This defines the amount of air that will be circulated per minute. The higher the rating, the greater the ventilation provided. Just be wary of models that have a rating of more than 400 CFM as you will need an additional “make up air unit.”

How Should I Use My Range Hood?

Once you’ve chosen and installed a range hood, you need to know the best way to use it for optimum results. Many people assume that they should just switch a range hood on if it starts to get steamy inside the kitchen, but this approach does not provide the best results. A better idea is to switch on the range hood fan at least a few minutes before you begin cooking. You should run the fan while you’re cooking and leave it running for 10 to 15 minutes after you’ve finished. This will remove any unwanted heat or humidity. As the heat inside your kitchen and around the stovetop increases, you should turn up the fan power. It is best to err on the side of caution and use a higher fan speed than you think. This removes the risk of filling up your kitchen with heat and grease that can result from too low a fan speed.

If you’re considering a range hood, you can explore your options with this range hood collection or speak to a home appliance expert for a more specialized service.

 

5 Types Of Range Hoods For Your Kitchen

Cooking appliances like ranges and cooktops allow you to craft exciting meals for friends and family, but along the way help contribute to some of the worst messes in your kitchen. When you cook, you’re constantly creating smoke and steam, while also letting grease and other substances fill the air surrounding your cooking space. To combat these airborne pollutants, you’ll definitely want to invest in a powerful range hood.

Range hoods promote proper ventilation around your cooking space, removing steam, smoke, grease and more from the air to make your kitchen comfortable and clean. Finding the right range hood for your home can be tough, especially if you don’t know about the different types of range hoods available on today’s market. To help you get informed, we’ve compiled some useful information on the five common types of range hoods for your kitchen.

1. Under Cabinet Range Hoods

Under cabinet range hoods are found in many homes, and are probably the most common type of hood available. These hoods are installed under the kitchen cabinets above your cooktop or cooking range, offering an attractive design that’s adapted to your cabinetry.

Under cabinet hoods are manufactured in two standard varieties — ducted and ductless. A ducted under cabinet hood features a duct that transports smoke and airborne pollutants outside, while ductless hoods simply filter and recirculate dirty air. A ducted under cabinet range hood is a great choice because the duct system can typically be hidden within your cabinets, offering peak style to your home. That said, ductless hoods are often just as effective. These units come in a wide range of styles, sizes and designs, allowing you to select the perfect choice for your home.

2. Wall Mount Range Hoods

If there are no kitchen cabinets in the area above your cooking space, you may want to invest in a wall mount range hood.

Wall mount range hoods are installed directly in your wall and are aligned with your kitchen’s pre-existing duct system for ventilation. These hoods are sometimes called wall-mounted chimneys, as their design is similar in shape to a traditional chimney. Compared to under cabinet hoods, wall mount hoods are typically wider on the bottom, offering more coverage of your cooking space.

3. Island Hoods 

You can rely on an island hood to provide suitable ventilation for a cooktop or cooking range that is not installed alongside a wall.

These hoods are similar in design to wall mount hoods, but do not have to be installed alongside a wall. An island hood features a vent that connects to a duct in your ceiling, pulling dirty air up and out of your cooking space. These hoods tend to be more expensive than their counterparts, but that cost generally comes with added style. Island hoods often feature sleek, contemporary designs that make them an ideal choice for an elegant, refined kitchen.

4. Cabinet Insert Hoods

For greater customization, you may want to consider investing in a cabinet insert hood.

These units, sometimes referred to as power packs, are designed for installation within an existing cabinet or range hood. Cabinet inserts feature blowers as well as speed controls and lights, but do not feature the complete ventilation system that comes with other types of hoods. An insert hood is best used as the base for a custom designed range hood, providing the core features you need while allowing you to design a ventilation system to match your kitchen’s layout.

5. Downdraft Range Hoods

Most range hoods are designed to pull fumes up towards the ceiling, but downdraft range hoods work in the opposite direction, pulling air in a downward direction out of your cooking space.

These hoods are installed behind your cooktop and reverse the direction of rising air by pulling it down and pushing it out through ducts beneath the floor. Downdraft hoods are good additions to kitchens with drop-in cooktops, and are typically used when the cooktop is built-in to an island. If your kitchen has the proper ducting system, a downdraft range hood can be a suitable addition to the space, offering the ventilation capabilities you need in a unique, eye-catching design.

Powerful Range Hoods For Your Kitchen Ventilation Needs

Your kitchen should be a comfortable and clean location, and a powerful range hood is sure to help make that a reality. Choosing the right range hood can be a challenge, but with some basic information on the common types of range hoods, you’ll be in the perfect position to find the right unit for your home.

You can start your search for the perfect appliance with this online collection of range hoods. For extra assistance, be sure to contact a home appliance expert.

The Benefits Of A Range Hood

The kitchens of the past were simple utilitarian spaces designed solely for cooking. But the modern kitchen is a more diverse living space, intended for food storage and preparation as well as entertaining friends, family, and loved ones. While today’s homes are filled with a selection of advanced and innovative kitchen appliances, many homeowners ignore the importance of investing in a powerful range hood.

Range hoods are installed above your cooking range, and provide added ventilation for the cooking space. This may not seem necessary, but there are actually many benefits of a range hood. When combined, these benefits help provide both cleanliness and comfort to your home, bringing 21st-century amenities to your kitchen.

Promote Kitchen Cleanliness

The primary purpose of a range hood is to ventilate your kitchen, removing airborne grease, smoke, steam, and other debris from your cooking space. With the push of a button, your hood will begin to filter these pollutants from the area above your cooking range, reducing the potential for bacteria growth in your kitchen while also improving indoor air quality. Using a range hood will ultimately help make your kitchen clean, healthy living space.

Remove Excess Kitchen Heat

Range hoods are designed to provide added ventilation to your kitchen, and a benefit of a hood’s ventilation functions is the removal of excess heat.

When a range hood removes smoke and steam from your kitchen, it also removes heat from the space. The hood’s fan blower will suck up steam, smoke, and hot air from your kitchen, pushing it out of your home through a duct or recirculating it into the space with a slight cooling effect. While a range hood will not cool your kitchen as well as an air conditioner will, using a hood can help transform a steamy or hot kitchen into a more comfortable cooking space.

Extra Light In Your Kitchen

The kitchen is a hub of activity in your home, whether that be cooking, cleaning, or entertaining guests. A range hood will help you keep this space clean, but it can also provide extra light in your kitchen.

Most of today’s range hoods feature built-in lights to illuminate your cooking space, providing an added convenience feature that pleases many homeowners. These lights are a particular benefit when you’re cleaning your cooktop or other nearby cooking areas, with the extra illumination helping you find hidden gunk, grime, and grease. This added convenience helps you add the ideal amount of light to your kitchen for almost any situation, bringing additional comfort to the room.

Added Style For Luxurious Atmosphere

The range hoods of the past were bulky, loud, and unattractive appliances. But today’s range hoods are almost the exact opposite, exuding style and flair while promoting cleanliness in your kitchen.

Today’s range hoods operate quietly and efficiently, and come a wide variety of elegant designs that provide style and class to your kitchen. A unique range hood can provide the perfect “wow” effect in any kitchen, elevating your room’s style without sacrificing functionality. Appliance brands recognize the importance of marrying style and functionality, and there a host of artfully crafted range hoods on the market today. A modern range hood’s powerful ventilation features combined with its stylish design are all but guaranteed to bring luxury to your kitchen.

Superior Range Hoods From Premium Manufacturers

The kitchen buzzes with activity at all hours of the day. It should be a comfortable place where you enjoy spending your time cooking delicious meals and gathering with loved ones, and a range hood will certainly help bring that goal to life. Thanks to a host of benefits including powerful ventilation features, additional kitchen lighting, and impeccable style, an advanced, modern range hood is the perfect addition to any home kitchen.

To begin your search for the ideal appliance, consider using this online collection of range hoods.

Must-Have Appliances For The Ultimate Outdoor Living Space

 

The modern home is filled with a vast array of convenient and technologically advanced appliances, providing an impressive level of comfort for you and your family. Though homeowners typically focus their energy on interior spaces, the contemporary living space extends to the outdoors, with its own array of appliances available to meet all of your needs.

For your home to truly shine, you should consider building your own outdoor living space. To help you get started, Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center is here with guidance on the must-have appliances for your modern outdoor living space.

Begin With An Outdoor Barbeque Grill

 A barbeque grill will allow you to create a host of delicious dishes for friends, family, and loved ones while surrounded by the comfort of the great outdoors. For many, the barbeque is the focal point of the outdoor living space. Therefore, you should begin your process by finding the ideal barbeque for your home.

Barbeque grills come in a variety of styles, though the most important factors are the fuel source and design. For a luxurious feel, consider investing in a built-in grill. These units are installed in outdoor cabinetry or in an outdoor island, creating an integrated feel across any outdoor cooking space. Meanwhile, freestanding grills allow for more flexibility, as they can be transported and setup almost anywhere.

Barbeques feature three common heat sources: charcoal, natural gas, and liquid propane. Charcoal barbeques use lit charcoal briquettes or lump charcoal as a heat source, providing the “low and slow” heat used in traditional barbequing. In contrast, natural gas grills hook up to your home’s gas line for fuel, while liquid propane grills use their own propane tanks for fuel. These designs heat up fast, and are best suited for grilled offerings like steak, chicken, and more. Consider the types of foods you enjoy cooking, as well as the available heat sources in your home, as you research appropriate options.

Promote Ventilation With An Outdoor Range Hood

The outdoor living space is an area built for comfort and relaxation. You don’t want it filled up with the smoky air created when using your barbeque grill. If you’re concerned about ventilation, or have an outdoor cooking space in close proximity to your house, you’ll definitely want to add an outdoor range hood.

Just like your kitchen’s range hood, an outdoor range hood promotes ventilation by sucking up smoke, airborne grease, and other irritants and filtering it out of your space. This is especially important if your grilling station is near your home or underneath a patio, as a hood will filter the airborne waste that could damage your home’s exterior.

Add An Outdoor Refrigerator

 Today’s outdoor living spaces bring all the convenience of your home’s interior to the exterior. For an extra level of luxury, you should add an outdoor refrigerator to your space.

Outdoor refrigerators come in built-in models that can be added to outdoor cabinets, as well as freestanding models that can be setup wherever a power source is available. These units are ideal if you enjoy having events and gatherings at your home, as they keep beverages and fresh foods ice cold for all of your guests.

While an all-purpose outdoor refrigerator is a great choice, you can also invest in specialty models like beverage centers, wine coolers, and more. Be sure to consider your specific needs before investing in an outdoor refrigerator.

 Create The Outdoor Living Space Of Your Dreams

An exceptional outdoor living space allows your home’s beauty to transcend the limitations of the indoors, bringing comfort and class to every piece of your property. Building an outdoor living space can be a challenge, but with the right appliances, you’ll be able to assemble a truly impressive array of features that add an unparalleled level of comfort to your home.

For innovative solutions to your outdoor living space needs, check out this extensive collection of outdoor living appliances.