Sizing a Range Hood
It goes without saying that a range hood is a very important kitchen appliance. Every kitchen must have a range hood. Fumes and polluted air are released during the cooking process. That’s why it’s so important to turn on a range hood when you cook. As a result, harmful pollutants will be vented out of your kitchen.
The main function of a range hood is to remove smoke, steam as well as odors from your kitchen. If a range hood is working properly, then polluted air will be removed from your kitchen successfully. Otherwise, grease and oil stains will accumulate on the appliances, cabinets and walls in your kitchen. In this case, you’ll have to clean your kitchen from regularly. It’s worth noting that removing greasy deposits from the cooking zone is a time-consuming process.
There is no doubt that a range hood will make your kitchen cleaner. Additionally, a range hood cools down your kitchen. As a result, a more comfortable environment is created in your kitchen space.
Range hoods are available in different sizes. A range hood will perform at its best only if you size it properly. That’s why it’s so important to pick a range hood of the right size. Today, we’ll provide tips you need to follow to sizing a range hood for the best performance.
So, let’s get started.
Range Hood Sizes Depend on Your Cooking Style
The amount of smoke and steaming mainly depends on your frequency and durability of cooking. Keep in mind that there are range hoods for light cooking and heavy-duty cooking. Your choice mainly depends on your cooking habits.
How often do you cook per week? How much time do you spend on cooking meals every day? Do you do boiling and grilling during the cooking process? Do you do cooking that produces a lot of smoke and grease?
Homeowners have to get the answers to all these questions before selecting a range hood. You should figure out how often you cook and how much time you spend on making dishes. This will help you pick a range hood of the right size.
Standard Range Hood Sizes
When sizing a range hood, you should take into consideration the sizes of a cooktop and the size of your kitchen. It’s necessary to measure depth and width of cooktop and find out how much space you have in your kitchen.
The widths of standard range hoods are 24 inches, 30 inches, 36 inches and 42 inches. There are also range hoods which are 60 inches wide. It’s important to know that range hoods which are 30 and 36 inches wide are the most popular options these days. The reality is, these range hoods are the most practical. That’s why they are selected by so many homeowners.
Range Hood Sizes and Sizes of a Stove
The sizes of your cooktop matter a lot. A range hood and must be the same width as your cooktop. When selecting the size of a range hood, you have to take into account the coverage of your stovetop or cooktop.
Keep in mind that a range hood has to cover as much space as it’s possible. Such a range hood will perform well and be able to catch grease and odors in an efficient way. It would be better to have a range hood that is 3 inches wider on each side than your cooktop. This helps optimize the performance of a range hood.
Let’s say that you have a 24-inch range. In this case, a 30-inch range hood is worth considering.
Do you have a 42-inch stove? If so, a 48-inch range hood would be a smart choice. Such a range hood will provide good coverage for a stove. A 54-inch range hood would be also the perfect choice for a stove of this size.
Or, maybe, you have a 48-inch kitchen range? If so, either a 54 –inch range hood or 60-inch range hood is recommended. Such range hoods provide the maximum coverage for a stove. Your choice depends on your cooking style and the frequency of cooking. Do you cook frequently? Do you often use a lot of heat and smoke during the cooking process? If so, a 60–inch range hood would be an ideal option.
Dimensions of a Range Hood
In addition, you have to take into consideration the depth of a range hood. Make sure that a range hood of your choice is deep enough. A range hood and stovetop must have the same depth.
A range hood is placed above the stove. However, the distance between a range hood and the stovetop has to be correct.
On the one hand, a range hood has to be placed close to cooktop to be able to capture particles from the air successfully. On the other hand, heat may cause damage to a range hood during the cooking process. That’s why you have to keep a range hood away from heat. By doing this, you’ll manage to minimize the risk of fire. So, you have to position a range hood far enough and make sure that it will not be damaged by stove.
The distance between an electric stovetop and a range hood has to be 24 inches. The distance between a gas cooktop and a range hood has to be 27 inches.
How to Make Measurements for a Range Hood
It’s necessary to measure a range hood prior to a purchase. Among the measurements that need to be made for a range hood are: the width of the cooking surface, the width between the cabinets, the height above the cooking surface and the depth of the cooking surface.
When measuring a range hood, you have to identify its width and height. The width of a range hood has to meet the minimum requirements. As we have already said, it would be better to select a bigger range hood that’s 3 inches wider on each side.
How To Determine What Size and Type of Range Hood You Need
Range Hood Size Guide for the Best Performance
