Kitchen Talk
November 7, 2008
Range Hoods

There are kitchen appliances that were once considered luxuries, not because of the price but the idea. One such thing was the Range Hood. This unit is placed directly above the Range or your cook top. There may be persons who are now wondering what’s a Range Hood? Well most persons would be more familiar with the term “Heat Extractor”.{{more}}

There are two types of this unit:

1. The first type has a suction pipe that exits directly outside of the house. Most tubes are mounted on the outside wall and others have other subtle ways of mounting the exhaust pipe. This type is more effective in getting rid of the fumes and the heat that is generated directly above the range, naturally so because it takes the heat directly to the outside. The downside is two-fold; one, if the exhaust pipe is mounted on the house exterior, around the wall area would become black, very nasty and unsightly. Roaches and mice can get into the tube from the wall side because fumes do contain some element of food scent that attract rodents and “trust me”, they would find it. You can mitigate against this by putting a mesh wire on the outside, hence reducing that possibility.

2. Depending on where your range is located, it may not be conducive to use the first type of extractor due to the difficulty of getting the piping to go outside. The second type of range hood/Heat extractor does not have the piping. Instead it has a filter, which is a simple mesh system that operates similarly. However, it does not take the heat outside. It has a suction fan that vacuums the steam/grease from over the range and recirculates the air while trapping the grease. You need to remove the filter every few months for a simple wash in the sink for maintenance. Eventhough this method does the same job, it’s not as effective as the first. Here is what is interesting! These accessories are not expensive and they are no longer a LUXURY. They are now a nescessasity.

When you decide to purchase either of the two, you will see a huge difference in and around your Kitchen Cabinets. Without this Hood, you will be working for your kitchen and not your kitchen working for you. It’s rather high maintenance to be constantly cleaning around those areas after steaming, stewing, frying etc. After a sumptuous breakfast, lunch or dinner, we do not want to be slaves to wall, tiles or even the stove top. With the Range Hood, you will not have all that laborious work after eating. With all this said, let me not make it sound as though the Range Hood is now a “Genie”, you will have to clean of course, but your work will now be cut to three quarters of what it once was since the Range Hood is 75 per cent effective in getting rid of the heat and grease from around the Range or cook top area.

Let me encourage all home owners, landlords and tenants to put this on your “To Get List’, for the Christmas Season or for the New Year. Around this time of Year is when we have family and friends over and when we have this huge amount of food preparation to do. Visit our website at www.exclusivekitchensvc.com, and view all the different types, colors shapes and styles of Range Hood.