Size

What size range hood should I choose?

INDOOR: Indoor Island hoods are recommended to be 1 size larger than your cooktop size (overlapping the cooktop by 3 to 6 inches on each side). For example, if your cooktop size is 30”, the ideal size would be a 36” or 42” hood.

OUTDOOR: Hoods used for grilling outdoors are recommended to be 2 sizes larger than the cooking surface (overlapping the cooktop by 6 to 12 inches on each side). For example, if your cooktop is 30”, the ideal size would be a 42” – 54” hood.

How tall does my chimney need to be?

INDOOR: For indoor hoods, it depends on the height of your ceiling. Most of our unaltered hoods accommodate 8-9’ ceilings. If your ceiling is taller, an extension can be added to your hood for up to 12’. For shorter ceilings, we offer custom cuts to get the perfect fit. Check the minimum chimney height on a hood to see the lowest it can be trimmed down.

If your hood can’t be vented through the ceiling (if you live in an apartment or condo), you may want to consider a ventless or ductless hood. This type of hood filters the air with a charcoal filter and recirculates it instead of redirecting the air to the outside.

OUTDOOR: It depends on the height of your outdoor structure. Most of our unaltered hoods accommodate 8-9’ structures. If your structure is taller, an extension can be added to your hood for up to 12’. For shorter clearances, we offer custom cuts to get the perfect fit. Note: If you are using your hood outdoors, it must be sheltered in some way.

How high should my hood be mounted?

INDOOR: If cooking indoors, we recommend allowing 28-36” between the bottom of hood and your cooking surface. Less than 28” from the cooktop will be too hot, and more than 36” from the cooktop will start to decrease the efficiency of your hood. Adjust your hood anywhere within the 28-36” range to bring it to the desired eye level. The average height is 32” above the cooking surface.

OUTDOOR: We suggest you mount your outdoor hood no closer than 36” from your cooking surface. Outdoor grilling radiates intense heat, so the distance from the cooking surface should be farther than recommended for indoor cooking to prevent damage to the hood. The average outdoor mounting height is 36-40” above the cooking surface.

Ducting

What is the difference between ducted and ductless hoods?

Ducted hoods vent outside of the home through the ceiling. Ductless hoods are not vented outside. Instead, the air from cooking is pulled into the hood, removing grease and odors through a charcoal filter. The cleaned air is then re-circulated back into the home.

Which is better, ducted or ductless?

You must have a ducted hood in your home if you require a professional level hood with a high CFM.

Generally, if you have the option to duct to the outside of your home, ducted is the ideal way to go. Ductless hoods are a great alternative in other circumstances, such as if you live in an apartment or condo without access through the ceiling directly above your stove. While duct-free filters trap grease and odors from normal cooking, the humidity and heat will be re-circulated back into the home. Ductless charcoal filters must be replaced regularly (after 150 hours of cooking, or every 3-6 months) to continue to protect your home from impurities. We have several convertible hoods which conveniently can be installed as ductless or ducted, depending on your needs.

Filters

What are the different types of filters used?

All of our hoods come with either a stainless steel baffle filter or an aluminum mesh filter. Both are dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.

If your hood will use ductless venting, you’ll need a charcoal filter in addition to either a stainless steel or an aluminum filter. This charcoal filter will cleanse the air in your home of grease and odors from cooking.

CFM

What is CFM?

CFM stands for cubic feet per minute of exhausting air flow. The CFM of your hood indicates the max power available when the hood is running at full speed.

What determines the CFM needed?

The CFM you need will depend on several factors:

• the type and output of your cooktop
• your cooking style
• the size of the hood
• the length and configuration of your ductwork

Every situation is different, but it’s always better to have too much CFM than not enough. With a higher CFM, a greater amount of air is exhausted, which means it is cleaned faster.

How do I calculate the CFM requirements for my range top?

ELECTRIC: If you have an electric range top, the CFM is estimated according to the size of the stove. You’ll need 100 CFM per ever 10” width. For example, if your stove is 36” wide, you’ll need 360cfm.

If you have an electric deep fat fryer, you will need to treat it as a gas stove top.

INDOOR: A generally accepted “rule-of-thumb” for gas range tops is to divide the total BTUs by 100. For example, if your gas range top has a total of 30,000btu available, it will require a 300 cfm or higher rated hood.

What is considered a Professional level CFM?

A hood with a CFM of 900 or higher is considered high output, or a Professional level hood.

How do I know if I need a Professional level hood?

You’ll need to consider a hood with a higher CFM if you:

• frequently do a lot of frying or wok style cooking
• grill on your range top (indoors or outdoors)
• cook ethnic, asian, spicy, or fishy foods
• mount your hood outdoors
• have a range top with a very high BTU
• have an extra long run of ducting (especially with 90 degree bends)
• position your hood especially high over the range top (over 36”)
• want to keep the noise level down by choosing an extra powerful hood but running it at a lower setting

Sones

What is a sone and how is it measured?

A sone is a recognized unit of loudness, and describes the sound output of your hood. The lower the sone value, the quieter the hood. One sone is approximately the equivalent of a quiet refrigerator. Sone levels are the lowest when your hood is set to the lowest speed, and increase incrementally with each speed.