The cooker hood is an integral part of any kitchen. It removes unpleasant odors and quickly cleans the air. Modern hoods, unlike old devices, are compact in size and can even be installed in furniture. The built-in device can be installed with your own hands, following the step-by-step instructions.
Features of the built-in hood
In order to increase free space, people buy built-in appliances. The hood for the kitchen can also be installed in furniture and does not change the interior of the room.
The suspended hood design has the following elements:
- The fan is responsible for the displacement of the cleaned air.
- Charcoal filter - cleans air masses and removes unpleasant odors.
- Metal filter - collects grease, soot and small debris.
- Control display.
- Backlight.
The principle of operation is based on the circulation of the air flow. The air is sucked into the hood by the fan, where it passes through a metal filter, getting rid of grease and soot. Then it enters the carbon filter to remove unpleasant odors.
The positive qualities of the hood include:
- The device does not stand out from the general background thanks to its installation in a wall cabinet.
- Wide assortment - models have different sizes that fit any kitchen parameters.
- High work efficiency.
- The high power of the device allows you to clean any kitchen area.
- You can find a silent model.
- Modern devices have additional functionality to facilitate their operation.
The disadvantages include the following factors:
- The capacity of the hood is lower than that of the dome version. For small rooms, this minus is not taken into account, since the volume of purified air is low.
- If a recirculation model is used, periodic filter replacement is required. This insignificantly increases the cost of operation and complicates the maintenance of the device.
- Some models are difficult to mount, especially ceiling mounted ones.
- The price of built-in products is higher. With an increase in the number of functions, it increases.
When choosing a suitable device, you need to check whether the dimensions match the size of the box in which the hood will be installed. Measurements should be taken before purchasing. Also, the hood should not be much smaller than the plate, otherwise its efficiency will be reduced. Before installing the hood in the kitchen in the cabinet, you should read the instructions.
Varieties of devices
All models on sale can be divided into two groups according to the type of construction.
- Circulating (channelless). A device in which the volume of treated air does not change. When installing such a hood, no outlet to the street is required.
- Flow-through (with blower). In such models, polluted air is removed outside, clean filtered air enters the room.
By location:
- Horizontal devices. These are the most common hoods installed in apartments. Installation is carried out in a box that is hung over the stove.
- Vertical. These include hoods for which you do not need to purchase additional furniture for installation.The device is mounted in the wall, which increases the labor intensity of the work.
Classification by type of embedding:
- Into the cupboard. Models are especially relevant for small spaces. Such devices are the most budgetary. An important advantage is the reduction of the noise level due to the cabinet walls. Installation of hoods built into the cabinet is simple, even a novice master can handle it.
- Wall mounting. Differs in increased labor costs due to the need to create a hole in the wall. Not suitable for standard apartments.
- Built into a worktop. This is a relatively new development, in which the body of the device is mounted in a kitchen cabinet. Has a touch panel and LED backlight. They differ in a rather high cost.
- Ceiling recessed. The main advantage of such models is that they do not reduce the height of the ceiling due to the installation of the cabinet above the stove. Install the built-in hood in the plasterboard ceiling during the repair phase. If the installation will be carried out after finishing work, some of the panels will need to be removed. They have a remote control panel.
Classification by type of management:
- Electronic. These are the most expensive high quality devices. They have advanced functionality, so before purchasing, you should decide in advance which options will be used. Most of the capabilities of the device may not be applied, which is why it makes sense to choose a more budgetary model.
- Traditional. They are manually operated and have limited functionality.
Additional options that the hood can be equipped with:
- Removable front strip. It allows you to hide the device in the closet.
- Various filters that are selected depending on the type of recirculation.
- Automation. It is equipped with expensive models. They make life easier in small things - for example, automatic detection of the operating mode, turning on the backlight when a person approaches, turning on after signs of liquid boiling.
Each hood has a filter. It cleans the air from grease and other impurities. The grease filter is the most important part of the hood. It is based on synthetic winterizer (organic), based on non-woven fabric, acrylic, aluminum or steel. Paper filters are practically not used as they are disposable. The most reliable are metal products. They need to be changed periodically.
Hood selection
When choosing a device for cleaning air in the kitchen, you need to pay attention to three criteria:
- The width of the device. The hood should be approximately equal to the surface of the slab. It should also fit easily into the box in which it will be installed.
- Power. It is selected according to the recommendations of sanitary standards. The device must pull at least 10 cubic meters / hour.
- Noise level. It is recommended to take devices up to 55 dB.
The design of the appliance is not an important indicator, as the hood will be hidden in the furniture. For ease of use, you need to pay attention to the number of built-in lamps. Usually two lamps on the front of the cooker hood are sufficient.
Sanitary norms of air exchange
All ventilation and air purification systems must comply with accepted sanitary standards. It is necessary to take into account the number of people in the room, the size, the presence of wet and hot surfaces, the amount of polluted air removed. The combination of these conditions will help in choosing a hood and providing the room with fresh, clean air.
Each kitchen room has its own air exchange mode. It depends on the number of hot surfaces, multicooker, ovens and other appliances in the room. They significantly change the composition of the air and additionally pollute it.
SanPin adopted the best way to take into account the air exchange mode - in terms of frequency.It is necessary to determine how many times during the day the old air should be replaced with new one. The values will differ for kitchens with different types of stoves. The ventilation mode is calculated based on the volume of the hood.
Performance calculation
The performance indicator is the main one when choosing a hood. Calculations are performed in a standard way.
An example of calculation for a kitchen with an area of 10 sq.m. and with a ceiling height of 2.7 m. The volume of the kitchen is 10 × 2.7 = 27 cubic meters. For 1 cubic meter, a productivity of 10 cubic meters / hour is required. Then the capacity for the whole room will be 27 × 10 = 270 cubic meters / hour.
It is better to take hoods with a small power reserve. Poor performance will not effectively remove all polluted air from the kitchen.
Installation of a built-in hood
After purchasing the hood, you can start installing it. Usually, manufacturers provide a mounting scheme that is easier to work with. The first step is to choose the installation location. Selection recommendations are given in the joint venture and instructions for the device.
The basic algorithm for all types of built-in hoods:
- Creation of a layout plan. You also need to choose a place for the duct.
- Carrying out the necessary measurements if the hood is built into the cabinet.
- Based on the data obtained, recesses and holes are created, including for fasteners. If the device needs to be cut into the wall, a corresponding niche is made.
- Fastening the hood to the box. Beforehand, it should also be fixed on the wall above the slab.
- Air duct installation.
- System testing. The initial check of the headset's performance is carried out even before installation. At the end, the correct operation of the entire assembled structure and the convenience of its operation are checked.
You also need to take into account that usually the length of the cord for the device is not enough. Installation of an additional outlet may be required.
The air exhaust system should be as straight as possible. The channel is made in the form of a corrugated or smooth-walled sleeve. Its diameter depends on the size of the outlet.
Installation rules
During the installation of the hood, many nuances must be taken into account. There are a number of additional rules besides the manufacturer's instructions that must be followed during installation:
- The pull-out part of the device must always be accessible.
- The outlet must be connected to a ventilation shaft or wall opening. The variant with the processing of air masses is undesirable.
- The optimal gap between the stove and the hood is 65-75 cm for electric and 70-80 for gas.
- It is imperative to install an anti-return valve. It will not let polluted air into the room.
You can create a hood for your own. It is necessary to take measurements in advance and be guided by them during assembly.
Expert advice
There are two ways to install the hood in the cabinet: first, they put it in the cabinet and hang the fully assembled structure together, or install it in the box already hung on the wall. The choice of a suitable method is made only for the convenience of the wizard. General recommendations:
- It is necessary in advance to provide a place for the hole for the blower.
- Powerful hoods must be connected through a separate socket.
- Wall mounting is best done with dowels. If the installation is carried out in a shelf or cabinet wall, you need to take self-tapping screws.
- If a telescopic model is purchased, make sure that the cabinet doors do not interfere with the sliding of the working panel. Otherwise, they can be filed.
- It is better to make a blower from a metal pipe. Plastic and corrugated elements are easier to install, but they fail faster. Also, when air masses pass through a metal surface, there is practically no noise.
It is important to connect the housing and duct so that users can disassemble and clean the structure as needed.
