Whether you cook for fun or professionally, if you have spent any time in a kitchen, you know they can get hot. Kitchens can also get smokey and, depending on what you are cooking, smelly. Generally, that is where a range hood comes in.
A range hood is an appliance that hangs over your range/oven to help filter out excess heat, odors, and smoke. Though they are useful, range hoods can be rather large. Are they necessary? Is there an alternative to having a range hood to save space?
That is where this article comes in. In this article we will explain why kitchen ventilation is necessary for any kitchen, and how to achieve kitchen ventilation and air purification without installing a large range hood.
Why Do You Need Kitchen Ventilation?
What exactly is kitchen ventilation? Is it necessary for every kitchen to have ventilation?
Kitchen ventilation, as its name suggests, is the process or equipment placed inside the kitchen to purify the air while you are cooking. Ventilation systems help to filter out smoke, odors, and excess heat.
Using the proper types of kitchen ventilation will also help to keep your kitchen space clean by capturing and filtering grease released from the food and airborne grease.
So, is it necessary? Absolutely.
Proper kitchen ventilation is one of the most important installations in any kitchen design or space. The filtration systems will help keep you and your kitchen safe. Your safety alone makes proper kitchen ventilation 100% necessary.
Is it Okay Not to Have a Range Hood?
Range hoods are one of the most common kitchen filtration systems out there. Many kitchens come installed with the appliance. Range hoods, however, can take up a lot of space, which is not always ideal. So, is it okay not to have a range hood?
The short answer is yes.
Proper ventilation, good air quality, and filtration are necessary, so how do you achieve that without a range hood? There are several different types of kitchen filtration systems on the market that will help you achieve optimum air purity while helping to keep your kitchen clean and smoke-free.
If you are unsure about having a range hood, keep in mind, several different makes and models are available. These options may help you find a range hood more suitable to the size and style of your kitchen.
There is no direct alternative to the filtration and ventilation that a range hood provides, which is important to keep in mind. While high-quality alternatives do exist, you will most likely need to use more than one alternative to get close to the air purification a range hood provides.
These range hood alternatives also have the extra benefit of being smaller than the average range hood. Which will help you save space in your kitchen while keeping yourself and your home protected.
Alternatives to Range Hoods
So, let us get into the alternatives in your kitchen if you have decided to do away with a range hood. Again, you most likely will need more than one filtration system listed below to help achieve results like what the range hood provides.
Window Fan
Our first, and one of the most cost-effective alternatives, is using a window fan.
What is a window fan? Simply put, it is a fan designed to fit inside the window frame of a room, in this case, the kitchen.
The window fan brings in fresh air from the outside while pushing out the air which is sitting stagnant in a room.
Like a range hood, this will help to provide temperature control in a hot kitchen, as the window fan pushes out hot air and pulls in cool air. The constant air flow will provide you with a literal breath of fresh air.
There are a few cons to installing a window fan, making them less efficient than a range hood. Let’s look at them below.
- Window Fans can bring in odors: While they can push kitchen odors out of your area, they cannot eliminate all cooking smells. They can also bring other odors from the outside indoors. If your kitchen window is beside a garbage can, compost pile, etc. odors will come in through the fan.
- Window Fans are usually low power: One of the reasons you may want to do away with a range hood is that it can be noisy. Window fans are generally much quieter, however, that means they are less powerful. The more powerful the window fan you install, the noisier it may be. Less powerful air filtration also means you aren’t getting the quality of filtration that comes with a range hood, leading you to need to add another filtration method.
- Weather Issues: If you live in a windy area, or somewhere storms occur frequently, a window fan may not be the best option. The motor on almost all window fans is enclosed, protecting it from moisture like rain. High-force winds, however, can cause rain and debris to be pulled through the fan and released into your home.
HEPA Air Filter
Another replacement option for a range hood is a HEPA Air Filter.
HEPA air filters filter the air in an area. These filters remove different allergens like pollen, dust, and bacteria.
HEPA air filters can be a good range hood alternative for the kitchen, as they capture many different particles that fly around while we cook.
Using a HEPA air filter containing a carbon filter will capture odors as well, which is a feature range hoods are used for.
Below we’ve listed some of the cons of HEPA air filters.
- They do not regulate temperature: While a range hood does many things like filtration, purification, temperature control, and more, the HEPA air filter only filters the air. This means you will not get the same benefits of using a range hood, by using a HEPA air filter alone.
- They are limited in what they filter: Relating to the first con of only filtering air, HEPA air filters only filter the particulates in the air. So, the gasses that can be potentially hazardous to one’s health move right through the HEPA air filter. Whereas, a Range Hood would remove those dangerous gasses, such as carbon monoxide.
- You need a carbon filter added to the HEPA air filter: To remove strong cooking odors from the kitchen, you need to ensure you get a HEPA filter with a carbon filter. Without this, the HEPA air filter is not going to remove odors.
Use Fans from Nearby Rooms
Along with placing a window fan in the cooking area, using fans from other rooms can help provide ventilation to the kitchen.
Multiple fans create an airflow throughout the home that will help to provide cooling and ventilation. Using several fans provides a temperature control factor that the HEPA air filter does not.
Fans can be an inexpensive alternative to having the ventilation of a range hood.
Like with the other alternatives listed, there are a few cons to this method:
- It only works if the other fans are close to the kitchen: While this may seem obvious, one major con to using multiple fans is that they need to be close to the kitchen. Multiple fans throughout the house will not benefit the ventilation in the kitchen if they are far away from said kitchen.
- Excessive energy use: One of the drawbacks that turn people off from having a range hood is that they can be expensive to run due to the amount of energy they can consume. Having multiple fans running throughout the house at once can also use a lot of energy, causing power bills to increase.
Get a Carbon Monoxide Detector
Carbon monoxide is a dangerous gas that can kill you if exposed for too long. It is especially dangerous because it is odorless and tasteless, meaning you do not know it is lingering in the air around you.
Carbon monoxide is produced most often when something is burning. If your oven is a fuel-burning appliance, it is more likely to create carbon monoxide.
A range hood helps filter out and eliminate any carbon monoxide created by your range/oven. This does not mean that you need a range hood, as there are some devices to help you detect carbon monoxide in your kitchen.
A carbon monoxide detector, like a smoke detector, senses when there is too much carbon monoxide in the air. When this occurs, the carbon monoxide detector will beep, alerting you that you are in potential danger.
These devices are helpful and should be in every home for extra protection. This alternative to a range hood must be combined with another to get range hood results.
Carbon monoxide detectors only detect carbon monoxide and alert you that it is present. They do not filter out the carbon monoxide or remove it in any way. These detectors only have one function, so they will not help you with kitchen odors, temperature control, or anything else.
Grease Control and Cleaning
Range hoods trap grease and other pollutants as one of their design functions. Grease and other messes can coat surfaces by clinging to them from the air or splattering them onto those surfaces.
There are several ways to help clean these messes and contain them that do not require you to have a range hood.
1.Clean Regularly
Range hoods trap the grease and mess. So, they still need to be cleaned regularly as that grease does not just disappear. Whether you have a range hood or not, this grease and other particles need cleaning.
Several low-cost yet powerful grease cleaners are on the market today that will get your kitchen sparkling in no time. Many of these products are suitable for every surface, meaning you will not need several products to clean the cabinets, oven, floor, etc.
Cleaning often, while necessary if you have a range hood or not, only solves the issue of grease coating the surfaces of your kitchen.
While the products may give temporary relief from cooking odors, these cleaners are only designed for cleaning. They will not purify the air, control temperature, or do anything besides clean.
2.Use Grease Splatter Guards
Another way to minimize greasy messes in your kitchen is to get a splatter guard. The screen-like devices go on your pots and pans to help prevent excess grease splatter while you cook on the range. Minimizing how much grease is released onto your surfaces.
Splatter guards are an effective tool for keeping your kitchen clean. There is a downside to using them, however. They must be thoroughly scrubbed and sanitized after each use because even the smallest amounts of grease or oil residue left on them will cause them to produce smoke the next time they are used.
This would mean you need to pair the splatter guard with another Range Hood alternative, like the HEPA air filter or window fan.
3.Choose the Right Paint
While the type of paint you use in your kitchen may not seem important, it can make cleaning easier or more difficult.
Satin and Semi-Gloss paints are easier to clean due to their slick finish. The grease and other pollutants simply sit on top of the paint, instead of absorbing into it, making it easier to clean up these messes.
The moisture resistance in Satin and Semi-Gloss finishes also makes them more durable. Durability is key if you must wipe them down a lot due to excess grease or smoke clinging to the walls.
Again, paint choice, while helpful, only solves the issue of helping you clean up messes more easily. The paint does not help with ventilation or temperature control in your kitchen, meaning you will need to add another alternative if you do not have a range hood.
Dangers of Improper Kitchen Ventilation
We have briefly mentioned some of the dangers that come from having an improperly ventilated kitchen and how a range hood helps to prevent those dangers. Here we will examine why proper ventilation is crucial in any kitchen.
Carbon Monoxide Build Up
We discussed how getting a Carbon Monoxide Detector should be done in every home.
This is because Carbon Monoxide is incredibly poisonous and dangerous. Again, you cannot smell it, taste it, or see it, meaning it can be in the air without your knowledge. Small amounts of exposure to Carbon Monoxide can cause dizziness and nausea.
Having improper ventilation in your kitchen puts you at a higher risk for carbon monoxide build-up, which can result in death.
Having the Carbon Monoxide Detector will let you know if Carbon Monoxide is present, but it will not purify the air. The HEPA Air Filter is also not able to fully purify the air of Carbon Monoxide and other toxic gasses.
The range hood truly is the best option for preventing Carbon Monoxide poisoning, as one of its main functions is to filter out Carbon Monoxide.
Smoke Irritation
Smoke is another dangerous thing for humans and animals to inhale.
When it comes to being in the kitchen, in the best-case scenario, being surrounded by smoke can cause eye irritation, making your eyes water, itch, and hurt. Prolonged exposure to smoke can cause severe eye damage.
Smoke can also coat the throat and lungs, making it difficult to breathe. This can have lasting effects on your health and cause death in the most serious cases.
Air Pollution
Whether it be from carbon monoxide, smoke, or any of the numerous things that are potentially released into the air while you are cooking, air pollution is serious.
In cases of small exposure to air pollutants, allergies, breathing difficulties, headaches, and fatigue can all occur. Those are just the best-case scenarios.
In more serious cases of poor ventilation, your sleep can be affected. You may experience continued shortness of breath. Again, in the most severe cases of poor ventilation, death can occur.
While combining things like window fans, open windows, or air filters may help to prevent some of these side effects, they are not fail-safe.
Range hoods are designed with your safety in mind with state-of-the-art filtration and ventilation systems to help keep your kitchen the heart of the home that it is supposed to be. So, while there may be some cons to range hoods, they remain the best option to keep your kitchen safe.
Choosing the Best Range Hood for Your Kitchen
If, after looking through the alternatives to a range hood for your kitchen, you have decided the range hood is for you, what are the next steps?
Range hoods still come with their cons, such as being too big for your kitchen space, being too loud, or using too much energy. So, is it possible to have the safety of the range hood without these other issues? It is.
Different range hood sizes are available for every kitchen space.
- Whether you need a large range hood for a professional size range/oven
- Smaller more compact range hood for an apartment. or smaller kitchen space.
- Something for an oven/range that is on a kitchen island.
- A range hood to fit your kitchen aesthetics and style.
There are options. Keeping you safe and making your kitchen the best it can be.
FAQs
You may still be unsure if a range hood is right for you or if you can even feasibly install one. Here are some in-depth answers to questions you may have.
Can you install a range hood without a vent?
You absolutely can.
A range hood without a vent is called a ductless range hood. It is possible to convert your existing range hood into a ductless range hood or install one without a vent.
Can you use a ceiling fan instead of a range hood?
Using a ceiling fan is a potential alternative to having a range hood. There are some drawbacks to this, however.
A ceiling fan will only help with airflow in the kitchen, but only to a certain extent. It will not purify the air, trap grease and other pollutants, or rid the kitchen of potential Carbon Monoxide.
Grease will also cling to the ceiling fan, meaning you must clean it often, which can be difficult.
So, while you can use a ceiling fan in a nearby room or the kitchen to help with airflow, it will not be as efficient in providing good air quality or keeping you as safe as using a range hood.
Are ductless range hoods better?
While ductless range hoods are a good option for some, especially those in apartments or for a kitchen with a unique layout, range hoods with ducts will be more efficient in the long haul.
Duct range hoods filter and ventilate the kitchen air better than ductless range hoods and generally last longer. Always look for great quality options when it comes to a range vent hood.
Ductless range hoods are still an excellent option, however, especially against the alternative of having no range hood whatsoever.
Can I use an air purifier instead of a range hood?
Air purifiers are a type of alternative to having a Range Hood.
As we discussed earlier, however, there are some definite drawbacks to choosing an air purifier over a range hood.
You must ensure you get an air purifier that contains a carbon filter, or it will not help filter out kitchen odors caused by foods and airborne grease.
Air purifiers often do not have the equipment to filter poisonous gasses and air pollutants like Carbon Monoxide. So, if you decide to get an air purifier instead of a range hood, you need to pair it with other alternatives, like a Carbon Monoxide Detector.
Is it safe to have a gas stove without a vent?
No, not at all.
Using a gas stove without a vent or vent alternative allows Carbon Monoxide and other poisonous gasses to build up in your home.
That build-up can lead to your death.
Live. Love. Cook.
When in your kitchen, whether cooking for yourself or in a group, you are doing good work.
While you are working on the food, let a range hood work on keeping your kitchen a safe and clean space for you.
There are alternatives to having a range hood in your home, but none of those alternatives, even combined, will keep you as safe as a range hood. Your safety is the priority.
Whisk away in safety and comfort by choosing to have a range hood whenever possible.
July 21, 2023
