A filter for a kitchen hood: how to clean it yourself, instructions, photo and video tutorials

The hood in the kitchen is gradually becoming an integral part of the room, more and more people resort to using these electrical appliances.

Agree, the smell of fried potatoes in the bedroom is superfluous, just like the smell of soup in the living room. But you must be able to use and maintain the hood.

What is a cooker hood

Still, let's take a closer look at what a kitchen hood with a filter is, what it consists of, how it works.

Housing

The first thing we see when buying a cooker hood is a metal case, which provides reliable protection for the "insides".

Differences:

• Material - ordinary steel is most often used, but high-quality stainless steel is installed on more expensive models.
• Shape and dimensions - the dimensions of the hood can start from 500 mm to 800 mm. There are also more bulky products, but they are intended for industrial premises.
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• Appearance - the design of the hoods is multifaceted. You can always find something interesting for your kitchen. The color of the products can also be attributed to this, usually used: chrome, steel matt, black and white.

In the photos below, you can see the different options.

Note! The price of a hood may fluctuate depending on the chosen color, since the cheapest is steel chrome. All other types require additional investments: paint application, sanding.

Engine

The part without which the cooker hood is of no value. The engines differ mainly in the maximum powers that they are capable of developing.

Choose by power as follows:

• Calculate the total kitchen area.
• Multiply the resulting number by the height of the room.
• Then multiply that by 10. You will get the approximate "power" that your hood should have.

Reminder! Kitchen hoods with a filter should be more powerful than products that work directly with an air duct. This is due to the fact that the appliance needs more effort to drive the dirty air through the filter.

Control

This section can be divided into three parts:

• Touchpad - the most modern type of device. Simple and easy to use. There are no drawbacks, since the service life of the touch buttons is practically unlimited.
• Standard panel - ordinary buttons that work on / off system. There is nothing complicated, such models are the most common, as they are included in the category of inexpensive devices.
• Slide bar - the type of control that is inherent in the cheapest models. So to speak, "the last century". It cannot be argued that it is less reliable, but soon such a slider easily becomes unusable.

Let's talk about the next section more specifically, since this is the main component of the hood.

Read also the article "How to make a hood in the kitchen: step by step instructions."

Filters

There are two types of filters, each of which performs its own duties. But it is the hood for the kitchen with filters of both types that provides the most effective removal of aromas and odors from the room.

Coarse filters

• They are also called fat-trapping, because it is they who hold back the smallest particles of fat and soot that rise along with the steam.
• Prevents the ingress of grease on internal parts, thereby increasing the service life.
• They can be used both in flowing hoods and circulation hoods.

Advice! For cheaper maintenance of the hood, with good flow ventilation, it is better to use a coarse filter.

You should also divide the grease filters into two types:

• Disposable - have a limited lifetime. If you do not change it for a long time, the clogged filter will simply not simply reduce the suction efficiency of the hood, which will lead to an early breakdown of the device: the engine will be clogged with fat.
• Reusable - they can be used much longer. To do this, the filter is removed, washed in warm water or in a dishwasher and reinstalled.

Filter hoods for the kitchen can have not one large filter, but several small ones.

As for the materials from which these filters are made, there are three main ones:

• Acrylic - are reusable types, washed every month. Do not wring out, it is best to blot with a cloth and leave to dry for one day.
• Non-woven or synthetic winterizer - refer to disposable types. Do not wash, otherwise the filter will immediately become unusable.

Note! How do you know how long you can use the filter? Simply! When the contents of the filter become clogged with dirt and grease, special icons will appear on the surface of the product.

• Aluminum is another type of reusable filter. They need to be washed every 2-3 weeks, preferably in the dishwasher. If it is not there, then you can use fat-free products. Please note - after the filter is washed, it should change color, which means that the product is ready for use.

Important! Be careful not to press down on the aluminum filter while you wash it. It deforms easily.

Kitchen hoods with a filter have one important feature - if you do not change or clean the filters, the load on the engine will increase and the amount of intake air will decrease. All this can lead to an early expensive repair.

If you have purchased a rather expensive and modern device, then the hood itself will remind you of changing the filter.

Fine filters

This type of filter is called differently: carbon, anti-odor or sorption. Although in fact it is all one species. Judging from the names, it becomes clear what role these products play in the cooker hood.

The main difference from coarse filters is the impossibility of reuse. After the coal is completely depleted, it can only be replaced.

Advice! That is why a kitchen hood with a fine filter is purchased with an additional set of cleaning products. That is, when purchasing a hood with a carbon filter, you should take care of a spare one.

There is one more negative point that few people know about - when the air passes through the filter, it loses all negatively charged oxygen ions.

In abundant quantities, such air is unfavorable for humans, therefore, this problem can be solved in two ways:

• The interaction of flow ventilation and a carbon filter. The thinned air will go through the duct to the ventilation shaft.
• The use of ionizers, which create a favorable environment for humans using electric charges.

Like coarse filters, sorption products add voltage to the engine, so if it is low-powered, the efficiency of air intake will decrease significantly.

Lighting

This is not to say that lighting plays an important role in consumer choice, but this factor cannot be completely ignored.

There are several types of lamps that use filter hoods for the kitchen:

• Incandescent lamps are the cheapest and most common option. It is these lamps that are used everywhere. They emit a yellowish light that is not very pleasant to the eyes. The disadvantage is the service life of such lamps, they burn out more often than others.

Memo! It is precisely because of the low price that hoods with such lamps are relevant: for the difference in the cost of an electrical appliance, you can buy many spare bulbs.

• Fluorescent lamps - this type of lamp is more durable and more pleasing to the eye. They can significantly reduce the amount of energy consumed by the hood. However, on the other hand, such a lamp is more expensive to replace, and it is also quite difficult to replace it yourself.
• Halogen lamps are a type of lamp that is installed on expensive kitchen hoods with filters. This is due to its high performance: low energy consumption, even pleasant light and small lamp size.
• LEDs are the most modern type of luminaires that are considered the most economical of all on the market. They can also be classified as durable lamps.

How to clean the hood correctly

If you decide to clean the cooker hood with your own hands, you should follow a few rules:

• Do not forget that the range hood is an electrical appliance and must be disconnected from the power supply before cleaning.
• Start the process with the filters: they are removed in different ways, some are snapped into place, some are fixed by turning. See the instructions for more information.
• Take a soft sponge or cloth and slightly dampen it. Squeeze out properly.
• Clean all corners and engine parts and try to keep water away from wires.
• If the filter is reusable, wash it too. Leave both the appliance and the filter to dry for 1-2 days.
• After you remove the dirt with a damp cloth, remove all traces of moisture with a dry cloth.

Important! Do not use any abrasive cleaning agents. Do not even try to flush the engine with dish detergent, this will lead to the penetration of chemicals into the electrical appliance system, the next step is to repair the kitchen hood with a filter.

Timely maintenance of the hood will have a beneficial effect on its performance.

How to connect a hood in the kitchen - see here.

Hood types

Now let's talk about the types of kitchen hoods themselves, what they are.

• Flat wall - they are also called standard. They are mounted on the wall and have a special metal frame in which the air duct is hidden.
• Domed - they have an original design, they are most in demand in large rooms where a bulky electrical appliance can be placed. The price for them is rather overpriced due to the appearance, although they do not differ in special power.

• Built-in hoods are a type of hood that fits perfectly into the interior. They are hidden in the cabinet, only the pull-out panel remains visible. They have a high power, which is necessary for devices with filters.

Read also the article "What are the hoods for the kitchen - how to make the right choice."

Features of installation work

The installation process itself is described by the instructions attached to the cooker hood, and we will tell you about the main points:

• A kitchen hood with a filter is a rather heavy device, so you need to select reliable fasteners. If you attach the hood to a drywall wall, take care of the reliability in advance: a wooden block should be fixed under the drywall.
• The minimum height from the hood to the stove, which is recommended by the manufacturer, is 55 cm, and the maximum is 75 cm. Depends on the power of the appliance, but the higher the hood is located, the lower the suction efficiency.

• A plastic air duct is more reliable, smaller in size, but a little more expensive.
• Use sealants to ensure the best fit of the duct elements.

Conclusion

Now you know what filters for a kitchen hood are: how they differ, what are the features. We even told you how to clean electrical appliances correctly and effectively.

We hope that the information was useful and will help you make the right choice.
How to install the hood in the kitchen - see here.