The major difference between the two is that a ductless range hood, which is more common in most kitchens, uses a fan or blower motor to pull all the grease and smoke out of the air, then recirculates it. A ducted range hood, on the other hand, vents all the bad air straight to the outside.
When it comes to power, efficiency, and longevity, ducted hoods are better than ductless hoods. A ductless hood does not completely remove the cooking odors, smoke, and grease from your kitchen air. Instead it recirculates back into your home. But a ducted hood will move all the smoke and odors to the outside.
Unvented range hoods do filter some grease and cooking odors from the air, but the general consensus is that they're nowhere near as effective. Nor do they remove heat and humidity, so they won't help keep your kitchen cool while you cook. Above: An industrial-style vent (made of ducting) draws air up and out.
Sometimes you can tell if your range is vented to the outside by opening the cabinet doors above it. The photo below shows a duct running through that small cabinet. It's possible, though, that the range hood is vented straight through the wall to the outside.
It will still give you some ventilation and work well in an apartment or condo. If you're not using your range multiple times a day, a ductless fan is definitely a viable option. If you already have some ductwork in place or just need to update what's there, a ducted range hood is ultimately the best way to go.
Rigid duct is the best type of duct to vent your range hood. It requires a one-time installation and little to no maintenance as long as you clean your range hood filters. Most rigid ductwork is made from durable stainless steel, as opposed to rigid ductwork which is aluminum or flimsy plastic.
A recirculating kit is an accessory for converting ducted range hoods to ductless or recirculating. It consists of a stainless steel vent and charcoal filters. Install the kit on top of your range hood to vent or recirculate air back into your kitchen.
A ductless (or ventless) range hood does not vent out of the home, instead, it carries the debris and smoke form the air and filters it through a charcoal or carbon filter before releasing it back into the room. While many times this method is not as functional as a vented hood, it does work.
The filter contains carbon and charcoal which eliminate odor and smoke particles from the air, which can be recirculated back through the kitchen. Obviously, with the ductless model, it can be essential to clean or change the activated charcoal filter about once or twice a year.
Range hoods with external venting require an air duct to be installed from the length between the range hood and the exterior vent on the outside of your home.
Ductless range hoods can be both hardwired or plugin, the same as ducted hoods. The design of the range hood — whether it vents the air through ductwork to the outside of your home (ducted) or recirculates the kitchen area through a filter (ductless) — is separate from how it's connected to power.
A non ducted or ductless range hood is not the best option for gas stoves because they work by filtering the air inside the hood and returning it into the kitchen. Even if you have a hood with a high CFM rating, charcoal filters will not capture all the gas produced by the stove.
Gas stoves produce a lot of heat and harmful contaminants, so we recommend venting hoods over gas stoves to the outside. Electric stoves aren't as powerful so you can use a ventless hood in most cases. But we recommend a hood that is vented to the outside to keep your air clean and fresh.
No, you should never vent your range hood into the attic. The excess buildup of grease and moisture in your attic will ruin it and over time may cause mold damage. Instead, vent your hood through an interior wall or through the ceiling all the way outside of your home.
A ducted range hood must be connected to a duct with pipes that carry the airborne particles away from the kitchen to the outdoors. This is what differentiates it from a ductless range hood, which instead just recirculates through a filter and then back into the kitchen.
Convertible means it can vent through the wall or ceiling using a duct, or can be converted to non-venting (filters the air and blows it back into the kitchen) with Recirculation Kit Part Number W10294733 which is available from your dealer or an authorized parts distributor.
Flex ducts are better for existing trunk-and-branch heating and cooling systems. This is because they're more versatile and flexible. Metal ducts are more rigid due to the nature of steel, making them ideal to build an entire HVAC system.
Rectangular duct is fine for range hoods but not the best option because of its proneness to grease buildup.
PVC ducting is the cheapest one available, but is highly versatile and can be used in the majority of general ventilation connection applications, including cooker hoods.
The most obvious way to determine if your range hood is ductless is whether or not you have ductwork. If you have no ductwork, your hood recirculates kitchen air. Also, if your vent hood comes with carbon filters or a recirculating kit, it is ductless.
Most residential building codes do not require a range hood above a stove or cook top, but you'd be wise to ensure your locale is not the exception. Even if it's not legally required, you should think long and hard before forgoing a hood altogether.
It increases the engine power.
Dry air that stays dense and cool tends to work better than when it is warmer and thinner. By installing channels with hood vents to deliver cold air to the engine, a vehicles performance can improve by at least 5% easily.
It is not safe to have a gas stove without a vent. Although they are not required in America, vent hoods are crucial to improving your indoor air quality. Since Americans today spend over 90% of their time indoors, venting out pollutants and cooking exhaust is all the more important.
If your range hood came with a three-pronged plug, it does not need to be hard-wired. Just plug the hood into a wall outlet and use an extension cord if necessary. If it did not come with a three-pronged plug or it came with a cut plug, the hood needs to be hardwired.