Vented Range Hoods Vs Recirculating Range Hoods
A range hood is an important appliance on any kitchen. Range hoods help homeowners get rid of grease, smoke and smells. A range hood is particularly important for homeowners, who spend a lot of time on cooking and like grilling and frying.
A range hood removes pollutants from the air in your kitchen. So, you’ll find it easy to keep your kitchen space clean with a range hood. Whether you are renovating your kitchen or planning a new kitchen, you need a range hood.
A lot of range hoods are available today. Range hoods come in different shapes and sizes. However, it’s crucial to select the right type of a range. A kitchen range hood of your choice has to meet your cooking needs. There are two types of range hoods available these days. Homeowners can consider either a vented range hood or a recirculating range hood.
Vented and recirculating range hoods have the certain differences. A vented range hood is connected to duct. On the other hand, recirculating range hoods are ductless. Each of these options has its own pros and cons.
Today, we are going to dig deeper into this topic and do some kind of the vented vs. recirculating range comparison. This will help you understand the key differences between these two types of range hoods and make a smart decision. Finally, you’ll manage to pick the right type of a range hood for your kitchen.
So, let’s get started.
What is a Vented Range Hood?
A vented range hood is also known as a ducted range hood. This type of a range hood comes with a duct system. So, a range hood is attached to duct. The duct is used to move air from the kitchen to the outdoors. Unlike a recirculating range hood, a vented range hood doesn’t have any filters. When a vented range hood is working, the air is exhausted outside of the building.
Pros of Vented Range Hoods
The main benefit of a vented range hood is that it works effectively and provides better quality of air. Such a range hood removes cooking odors and grease from the air in the kitchen. Bur most importantly, a vented range hood removes smokes as well as steam and heat effectively. This helps decrease the temperature in your kitchen space. A vented range hood helps keep a kitchen cool while you cook. It’s also important to note that vented range hoods are quieter than recirculating ones. They don’t make too much noise when working.
Cons of Vented Range Hoods
A vented range hood is more expensive than a recirculating range hood. Installing a vented range hood is not always easy. It can be expensive to install duct that’s required for a vented range hood. Keep in mind that the location of a range hood depends on the location of the duct. So, it can be difficult for you to decide where to place a range hood in the kitchen. There are kitchens where vented range hoods can’t be installed.
What is a Recirculating Range Hood?
A recirculating range hood is also known as a non-vented range hood or a ductless range hood. Unlike a vented range hood, a recirculating range hood doesn’t vent air outside of the building. This type of a range hood has no duct. When a recirculating range hood is working, the air is filtered and then it’s released back to the kitchen.
Pros of Recirculating Range Hoods
A recirculating range hood is a cheaper option compared to a vented range hood. So, it would be the perfect choice for either an apartment or a condo.
What is great about recirculating range hood is that they are easy to install. It’s worth noting that a recirculating range hood is a very practical solution. The reality is, such range hoods have no duct. That means that they can be mounted anywhere. A recirculating range hood will be a good option if the layout of your kitchen doesn’t allow you to install a vented range hood.
Another big advantage is that recirculating range hoods don’t consume too much energy when working. Vented range hoods need more energy to remove air from your kitchen to outdoors.
Cons of Recirculating Range Hoods
A recirculating range hood is less effective compared to a vented range hood. Such a range hood filters cooking odors and grease. However, grease particles may accumulate on the cabinets and walls in your kitchen.
It’s also important to note that recirculating range hoods don’t remove heat and humidity from the air in the kitchen space. That means that your kitchen will not cool down during the cooking process.
Filters only clean the air, but they don’t keep a kitchen cool. Recirculating range hoods are louder than vented range hoods.
It’s important to know that recirculating range hoods are more difficult to maintain compared to vented ones. It’s necessary to clean or replace filters in recirculating range hoods two times per year.
A Vented Range or Recirculating Range Hood – What Option is Best for Your Kitchen?
There are many important factors to consider when selecting a range hood. When choosing range hoods, you need to pay a close attention to such things as sizes, ventilation power, noise level, design, features, layout of a kitchen, your cooking style and others.
Of course, it would be better to vent the air outdoors rather than to filter it and release back to the kitchen. So, give a preference to a vented range hood if your budget allows you to spend more on kitchen remodel. Also, make sure that it’s possible to install a vented range hood in your kitchen.
It would be great to perform the research and read reviews about a range hood of your choice. Explore all of your options carefully and make a smart decision.
The help of professional is immeasurable in the process of selecting a vented range hood. At Streamline, we are always happy to help you choose the right range hood for your kitchen.
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