The ventilation power of your hood depends on its extraction rate, the size of your kitchen, its placement and regular maintenance. Correct hood selection is the first step towards ensuring the best air ventilation in your kitchen. The second is keeping the hood clean. Head over to our hood maintenance guide for some general good practice.

Make sure your hood’s extraction rate is appropriate for the size of your kitchen

Cooker hoods have different cubic feet per hour extraction rates, which essentially determine their capacity. Your hood’s extraction rate must be appropriate for the size of your kitchen and hob. Make sure you take the size of your kitchen and hob into account when shopping for a cooker hood. 

Make sure the appliance is installed in an appropriate location

For best performance, your hood needs to be installed at a certain height above your cooktop. This may vary depending on your hood’s extraction rate, and the size of your kitchen and cooktop.

For most hoods, it’s recommended that they be installed 25 inches above the cooktop. If your hood is any higher than this, it may not be able to extract grease, steam and smoke effectively.

For more information on how to install your appliance, consult your user manual. If you’re having trouble finding your manual, download it here using your product’s model number.  

Clean the grease filter regularly

If your hood has a vent connection, it most probably has a non-disposable metallic mesh filter which needs cleaning from time to time. If you don’t clean the filter regularly, grease and dust can breach it and make their way into your hood’s fans or inner walls. This will restrict air flow.

To see where the filter is located and how to remove it, consult your user manual. If you’re having trouble finding your manual, download it here using your product’s model number. 

To clean the grease filter, place it in hot or boiling water with some dish soap or a similar grease-removing agent. Let it soak for a while to allow the grease to soften. Then scrub with a sponge or soft brush. Remove and clean the filter thoroughly once a month.

Some hood filters are also dishwasher-safe. Make sure to dry the filter thoroughly before reinstalling it. 

Replace the carbon filter regularly (non-vented models)

If your hood doesn’t have a vent connection, it will most likely use a carbon filter. Carbon filters are disposable and need replacing from time to time.

Follow the instructions in your hood's user manual on how to remove and replace the carbon filter. If you’re having trouble finding your manual, download it here using your product’s model number.  

It’s recommended that you change the carbon filter every six months. If you cook a lot or do a lot of frying, you may need to change your carbon filter every three to four months.

Check inside the hood for dirt built-up

If you’ve ensured that the filters in your hood are well taken care of, another thing to check is your hood’s air ventilation. If the hood hasn’t been cleaned for a long time, dust and grease may have seeped through the filters and made their way towards the hood’s fan. Though unlikely, some other foreign object might have been sucked up into the hood, obstructing air flow inside the appliance. 

To make sure that this isn’t the issue, take out all the removable parts of your hood and check the inside. While doing this, give the inside walls a good wipe with a damp cloth. You can use non-abrasive cleaning products or dish soap. Make sure to dry inside walls and the filter thoroughly before reinstalling it. 

Check the vent against clogging

Your hood’s air flow might be obstructed by objects stuck in its vent connection or the vent itself. If you suspect this to be the case, contact an authorized service agent.