An exhaust hood or generally known as the range hood is a commercially utilized equipment that hover over the cooking range in hospitality kitchens. This appliance primarily comprises a mechanical fan whose objective is to get rid of the airborne grease, which is released during the cooking of food. Besides the grease, combustible materials such as smoke, odors, smoke, heat & stream are removed from the air within the cooking space via the evacuation of air and filtration.
The most common types of commercial exhaust hood system consist of a combination of fire suppression device with the exhaust hood to put off the grease fire immediately and ventilated properly. In commercial cooking space, the exhaust systems are commonly used in association with a fan that draws air from the outside, taking with it the inside cooking fumes via the hood. In most Exhaust Hood Systems, there is a filtration mechanism that works to remove the grease and other particles from the fumes, other the grease will settle down on the walls and the appliances in the kitchen. There are two broad categories of Exhaust Hood Systems, one that throws the bad air to the outside world through the venting hood, while, the other type clean the air and recirculates the air within the cooking space. The latter type consists of a filter that removes odor and grease from the air. Both variations are popular catering equipment, and people in the food serving business opt for any as per their bespoke budget and expectations.
Construction of an Exhaust Hood System
An extractor hood typically has three segments, one is the capture panel to hold & accumulate the gases rising from the commercial cooktop, the convection oven or any other commercial kitchen equipment like coffee machine and commercial dishwashers. The second component being the grease filters, and lastly the mechanical fan for forced ventilation. There are two popular configurations of an Exhaust Hood in food truck or kitchen. The first one is the ducted application, and the second being the ductless application. The vented application has an output collar that terminated the fume air from the kitchen to outside of the building. Whereases, for the ductless system, there is active charcoal to get rid of grease and the smoke particles from the air, and instead of throwing it outside, it is recirculation as fresh ventilation in the kitchen itself.
Electricity powers most of the extractor hoods while low-end versions work on the electromechanical principle. The electricity based exhaust hoods often come with a remote control, a motorized height adjustment mechanism, a sensor for overheat protection, booster mode, noise control, and much more. You can enjoy great features by opting for high-end exhaust hood models.
To Wrap Up
From the above, you probably got a certain degree of idea, what an extractor hood is, its construction and how it works. But, before you invest in it, it is highly recommended seeking the advice of a professional when deciding on the power and capacity of the exhaust hood system to pick.