Home Repair Center Range Vent Hood Repair Tips How Do Range Vent Hoods Work?

Parts of a range vent hood

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[Range Vent Hood Repair Tips, DIY Help, and Information]
[Common Questions About Range Vent Hoods]

Most range vent hoods are designed to be wired directly into the household power supply, so if you have no power, check your fuse box or circuit breaker panel.

There are three basic types of vent hoods, vent type, circulatory only, and convertible.

Range vent hoods are usually made of metal, or a metal and glass combination. Many also have lights built in. The fans and lights are controlled by simple switches. The circulatory fan or fans suck the air from over the top of your cooking area and either: (vent type) vents the fumes and odors to the outside through a grease filter and ductwork, (circulatory only) the air is passed through a grease filter and an activated charcoal filter and then recirculated back into the room. The convertible type has a control that you can use to direct where you want the air to flow to.

A good range hood will have a damper in it that only allows inside air to be exhausted. This keeps cold air out. You should also clean the grease filter and wipe down the hood parts regularly with a good degreaser. Mean Green is a good degreasing cleaner. We have many other cleaners available on our website under Cleaner Accessories.

If you are installing your own range vent hood, it is highly recommended that you follow all local building codes governing range vent hood heights and distances from heat sources, electrical wiring, and ducting. If you have any problems whatsoever during this installation, we strongly urge you to contact a professional appliance repair person.