cooker – Ventilation Hoods

Commercial kitchen ventilation hoods, often referred to as exhaust hoods or range hoods, are essential components of any professional kitchen. They play a crucial role in maintaining a safe and comfortable kitchen environment by removing smoke, grease, odours, and heat generated during cooking. Here are some key aspects of commercial kitchen ventilation hoods.

Types of Hoods

Wall-Mounted Hoods

These are mounted on the wall above the cooking equipment.

Island Hoods

These are suspended from the ceiling and are typically used for kitchen islands.

Under Cabinet Hoods

These are installed under cabinets above cooking appliances.

Downdraft Hoods

These are designed to retract into the countertop when not in use, and rise to capture cooking fumes when needed.

Components

Ventilation hoods have several parts. Not all are included in every system. These include:

Hood Canopy

The part of the hood that captures and contains cooking fumes.

Grease Filters

These capture grease particles to prevent them from entering the ventilation system.

Exhaust Fan

This draws in air and cooking odours and directs them through the ductwork, away from the kitchen and dining areas.

Exhaust Ductwork

This transports the grease and odour laden air outside the building.

Make-up Air System

This provides fresh air to replace the exhausted air, maintaining proper air balance.

Exhaust System Design

Properly designed ventilation systems must match the cooking equipment’s heat and pollutant output. The hood’s size, airflow capacity, and exhaust fan power should be suitable for the kitchen’s cooking load. It also obviously has to comply with local legislation. The exhaust ductwork should be sealed and insulated to prevent heat loss and condensation.

Codes and Regulations

Compliance with local building codes, health department regulations, and fire safety standards is essential. Regular maintenance and cleaning are required to prevent grease buildup and fire hazards.

Fire Suppression

Some commercial kitchen hoods may be equipped with fire suppression systems designed to automatically extinguish grease fires in the hood.

Noise Control

Ventilation systems can be noisy, so noise control measures are often needed to maintain a comfortable kitchen environment for staff and customers.

Energy Efficiency

Energy-efficient ventilation hoods and fans can help reduce operating costs and environmental impact.

Ventilation Planning

Proper kitchen ventilation design involves consulting with HVAC professionals to ensure efficient airflow and safety. The hood should be located to capture pollutants effectively and provide comfortable working conditions for kitchen staff.

Maintenance

Regular cleaning of grease filters and ductwork is crucial to prevent fire hazards and maintain optimal ventilation performance.

Sizing

Correctly sizing the ventilation system for the kitchen’s needs is crucial. Oversized hoods can lead to unnecessary energy consumption, while undersized hoods may not effectively capture cooking fumes.

Commercial kitchen ventilation hoods are critical for ensuring a safe and comfortable working environment, complying with regulations, and maintaining the quality of food and customer experience in restaurants, hotels, and other food service establishments. Consulting with professionals who specialize in kitchen ventilation is often necessary to design, install, and maintain an effective system.

When you are starting up or upgrading your commercial kitchen, you want to focus on finding the right commercial extraction system. Finding the right exhaust hoods can make a significant difference in your kitchen. Below, we will be going over some of the top tips for choosing the right commercial extraction canopy to purchase for your commercial kitchen.

Finding The Best Commercial Range Hood:

1. The Rate of Exhaust.

One of the most important things to look at and consider when you are shopping for industrial kitchen extraction systems for your commercial kitchen would have to be the exhaust rate that the commercial cooker hood is capable of achieving. This rate is defined by the amount of exhaust air that can be removed from your space. It is usually displayed or referred to in the number of cubic feet per minute or “CFM.” The overall rate that you will require if you have a commercial kitchen is going to depend on several factors. For one, it is going to depend on the amount of smoke, heat, and grease that is produced by the appliances that you are using and the food that you are generally cooking. For instance, if you are going to be frying a lot of foods, you are generally going to need a much more effective industrial cooker hood than a restaurant that serves a lot of vegetarian food. At the same time, restaurants that offer open-flame cooking are going to have much more smoke to exhaust. Thus, you need to factor in all of the above in order to figure out what kind of requirements you have in terms of exhaust rate.

2. Design.

Another major factor that you are going to want to consider when you are looking to purchase a new commercial extractor hood for your commercial kitchen would have to be the overall design and look of the hood. There are different designs and styles that you could opt for. The design that is likely going to interest you will depend on the other appliances that you have in the kitchen and their respective designs and materials. There are proximity hoods which are much smaller hoods that are typically mounted much closer to the appliance that you are looking to exhaust. There are different styles that you can choose from in this category. There are also wall mounted hoods that act as a canopy. These hoods are mounted directly to a wall and they are usually going to extend beyond the appliances that you are using overhead. Thus, they are going to be much bigger than the proximity hoods. The last option that you have available are island hoods which are meant to hang directly from the ceiling and they are usually used over a bunch of appliances that require exhaust that is in a straight line.

3. Different Types.

Another major thing that you are going to have to consider when you are shopping for commercial range hoods would be whether you need a type 1 or type 2 exhaust system.

Type 1 systems are designed to offer liquid-tight operation and these hoods even feature their own built-in fire prevention systems. Because of this, if your kitchen presents a fire risk, you will require one of these hoods. This means if you are cooking a lot of foods that generate grease and smoke.

Type 2 systems are primarily meant for appliances that either steam or bake. This is because these appliances are not going to present a fire hazard as they only generate moisture and heat. Thus, you can purchase a type 2 if you are only working with these appliances in your kitchen.

Overall, there are a lot of things that you will need to look at and consider when you are trying to figure out what commercial range hood to invest in for your kitchen. A lot is going to depend on what is in your kitchen already as far as appliances go, what your design is currently like, and whether or not you have specific exhaust requirements and safety concerns to address with the range hood. There are also ongoing costs to factor in, such as whether you will need commercial mesh grease filters. By figuring all of this out, you should be in a great position to find the right canopy extractor hoods for your commercial kitchen.

Ventilation Hoods

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Know Your Commercial Kitchen Ventilation Hoods