Down Draft hood © Falmec
Did you know ? In France, the purchase criteria for a kitchen hood are aesthetics, the noise it emits when operating and finally, performance. Manufacturers of kitchen hoods compete in ingenuity, to the delight of households.
But the hood still suffers from certain misconceptions. How to choose the right hood, but also how to maintain it and use it well? Here are 5 misconceptions that you must get rid of to better understand the use of your range hood.
Misconception n ° 1: No need for a hood, just open the window when I’m cooking!
FALSE – Opening the window will not be enough to evacuate odors and vapor releases, it will only create a draft. And we are only shifting the problem!
The advantage of having a kitchen hood is to remove odors and the release of steam from its hob thanks to the suction. We do not move the problem, we treat it. The air is:
- is filtered and then rejected outside : this is referred to as an external exhaust hood;
- is filtered and then rejected inside : this is referred to as a recycling hood. In this case, the filters must be cleaned or changed more regularly.
Today, there are also hoods that not only filter the air coming from the hob, but all the air in the room. They then filter not only fats and odors, but also pollutants. They restore the ionic balance and the air, and thus significantly improve the quality of indoor air.
Misconception # 2: The best hood is the one that sucks the hardest
FALSE – Not all hoods are created equal. And above all, you have to choose the one that best suits your cuisine.
To know the most suitable power for your interior, a calculation is necessary: you have to multiply the volume of your room by 10, which gives us roughly the power required. Then, to choose between two hoods, it is necessary to compare the pulse / suction ratio of each: the closer the ratio is to 1, the more efficient the hood.
the style where the noise emitted (in dbA) will guide your choice. Note that many advances have been made in recent years on noise reduction.
Misconception n ° 3: A kitchen hood can be placed anywhere above the hob
FALSE – An efficient hood is first and foremost a good installation and then, good use.
Indeed, there is no point in installing an extractor hood with a 15 meter long exhaust pipe comprising three elbows: “that will not work “, specifies an expert at the manufacturer Falmevs. This type of hood does not require more than seven meters of duct and two elbows maximum. “Be careful to use the right duct diameters: for an 800 m3, the diameter must be at least 150 mm. “
To calculate at what height the hood should be installed, aim at the highest point of the hob and then follow the instructions to the letter from each manufacturer. As a general rule, the hood should not be placed closer than 70 cm from the hob.
Misconception n ° 4: We turn on the hood when we cook, and that’s it
FALSE – For your hood to function optimally, it is necessary to create an air cycle.
So turn on your hood with windows closed, five minutes before starting to cook, at full power, then reduce when cooking.
Finally, do not cut it right away once your plate is extinguished. Let it run again 10 minutes later, so that all odors disappear. This is what the “timer” function is used for on several models!
Misconception n ° 5: A hood consumes a lot!
FALSE – If this remark could have been true 10 years ago, it is no longer the case today, regulations oblige!
On a few minutes a day, the hood consumes very little, if we compare it to his refrigerator or his hob. With the mandatory display of theenergy label, indicating in particular the annual consumption of the appliance, you have crucial information that allows you to choose your hood with full knowledge of the facts.
But to optimize the energy expended and the operation of your hood, a few common sense gestures are essential: do not block the exhaust grilles ventilation, prefer models equipped with LED or compact fluorescent lighting, and do not forget to turn off the light if it is not needed!
Side maintenance, the filters are dishwasher safe or change regularly! When the grease filter light is on, do not wait. Ditto for the carbon filter which drives away bad odors: some models must be changed every 3 or four months; others are dishwasher safe and then revive by baking them at 200 ° C for 10 minutes every three months – note that these also change every 2 or 3 years.
