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January 24, 2023 4 min read
Kitchens need proper ventilation and airflow outlets as they generate a lot of smoke and dangerous air particles that should not be inhaled. The easiest way to do this is to open windows and doors to encourage cross ventilation, but that is usually ineffective.
Most contractors recommend installing a ducted range hood or an exhaust fan to help maintain good kitchen air quality. If you are having trouble telling one from the other, you are reading the right article.
This article is a full review of both ventilation systems. We have detailed their features, the advantages and disadvantages of installing each system, and a comparison of the two. After reading this, you should be able to discern which is better: a ducted range hood or an exhaust fan.
Let's dive in.
Ducted range hoods are kitchen ventilators with suction fans that extract pollutants such as smoke, vapors, and foul air and expel them outdoors via pipes or connected ducts.
They are easily identified by their big hoods mounted on the wall or suspended from the ceiling. If you go to your local restaurant or drive-by and observe smoke or hot vapor spewing out from a chimney-like top, you are most likely looking at the exterior vent of a ducted range hood unit.
Ducted range hoods are usually designed to be wall-mounted, under-cabinet, or ceiling-mounted over the cooking area. They consist of the following five major components:
There are pros and cons to installing a ducted range hood system in your kitchen.
Exhaust fans, often known as ventilation fans, are low-cost kitchen appliances deliberately designed to improve air quality. They are expected to force air outside the kitchen rather than allowing it to remain within. They are simple to use and remove pollutants such as damp air, dust, stink, and floating oil droplets before they escape into the kitchen air.
Exhaust fans are vital indoor tools designed for kitchen use and can be window or wall-mounted. They are usually encased in a safety finger-guard grill to prevent damage to the fan blades. They have the following parts:
The table below illustrates the differences between systems and areas where one trumps the other.
|
Ducted Range Hoods |
Exhaust Fans |
Cost |
Expensive as it requires extensive ductwork. |
Very cost-effective as no ductwork is needed. |
Effectiveness |
Extremely effective at removing large volumes of smoke and air irritants. |
Ineffective at the removal of large volumes of kitchen pollutants. |
Installation |
A complex installation process requires the expertise of an HVAC contractor. |
Simple installation with average expertise needed. |
Noise |
It runs quietly and intermittently, leading to low noise levels. |
Fans can get quite noisy, and it runs constantly. |
Portability |
Not easily movable once installed and will require extensive work to move to another part of the kitchen. |
Very portable and can easily be moved to different parts of the kitchen. |
Durability |
Built to last for decades with proper maintenance. |
Designed not to last a significant amount of time. |
It is essential to have a ventilation system in any kitchen. Despite their flaws, both systems are excellent for maintaining and improving air quality in your kitchen. Compare and contrast them and pick the best one that meets your needs.
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DUCTED VS DUCTLESS RANGE HOODS: PROS, CONS, AND COMPARISONS