Kitchen hood: maximize its efficiency at home

The kitchen hood is not only an essential complement in your home, but it is also mandatory and can greatly help our health. In our homes, it is essential to extract contaminated air through what is called the humid rooms, which are the bathroom and the kitchen. Cooking food, as it generates smoke and vapors, is perhaps the most polluting activity we do at home. That is why kitchen extractors are essential to avoid problems with smoke and contaminated air within walls.

First of all, it should be noted that the kitchen hood must completely cover the area of the burners; at least it must be the same size to extract the smoke easily. However, this is not the only thing we must consider. There are various actions that will make it a tremendously helpful element, and we will prevent the air in the house from becoming contaminated.

Similarly, if a mechanical ventilation system is not available at home, it is essential that, during cooking, we open the windows. Using the extractor hood is almost mandatory if we do not want smoke alarms to go off - if we have them - or harm our health with the fumes, but opening the windows is also very important to prevent pollutants from concentrating in the environment.

What is the first recommendation we can give you to maximize the efficiency of the extractor hood? Above all, keep it clean, and the more possible, the better. Extractors collect contaminated air, so it is essential that they are in good condition. Right after the air and smoke are extracted, it passes through filters and also through ducts. If these are not clean, the air will also carry dirt and grease, which could return to the kitchen.

Normally, kitchen extractors are made of stainless steel, so the best option for cleaning is to wipe it with a damp cloth and then apply specific cleaning products for steel. Don’t have any of them? Oil is always a good option in cases of doubt. What should be kept in mind is that abrasive items or materials that could damage the hoods should not be used. For example, sponges are completely prohibited.

Also, many people forget that the filters of kitchen hoods also need maintenance. First of all, you need to know what type of filters the system incorporates. If, for example, they are activated carbon filters, they need to be replaced every once in a while. This is where the quality of the kitchen hood comes into play and the facilities that each manufacturer provides. Some notify with lights or with acoustic signals. Nowadays, it is increasingly common for such devices to have options to connect to technology via mobile applications.

Other tricks for the proper use of the kitchen hood

It is much better to analyze the real need for power and not consume beyond what is necessary. Some kitchen extractors are equipped to analyze the necessary power level at any moment, so they will adapt to it without needing to adjust the levels. Still, since it is normal not to have these systems in many cases, applying common sense is the most effective. If it is simply a simple cooking task, use minimum power. You will save energy and gain comfort from not suffering the same noise.

The same can be said for lighting. The most efficient is to have LED bulbs inside the hood, as they are the most durable and consume the least with high efficiency. But, should we use the lighting of our kitchen hood at all times? Surely not. So it’s important to turn it off during the day or when you have enough lighting.

And finally, a piece of advice we must never forget when cooking and maximizing the use of our kitchen extractor hood. It is essential that when we finish cooking, we leave it on for a few more minutes, a maximum of five will suffice. If possible, turning it on a while before starting to cook can also help us.

As we mentioned earlier, it is essential for the proper use of the kitchen hood that we ventilate the entire area. Open the windows if you do not have mechanical ventilation and also leave the extractor on before and after cooking.