Exhaust Hood

Exhaust Hoods For Restaurant and Hotel Kitchens

www.commercialventhood.comA restaurant or hotel kitchen kitchen vent hood, also known as an exhaust hood or range hood, is a crucial component in large commercial kitchens. It plays a critical role in maintaining a clean, safe, and comfortable cooking environment. Its primary purpose is to remove smoke, grease, heat, and odors generated during cooking processes. The vent hood captures and extracts smoke and odors produced during cooking to maintain a clean and comfortable kitchen environment. A grease filter or baffle is often included to trap grease particles, preventing them from entering the exhaust system and causing potential fire hazards.

 

Types of Vent Hoods

 

Wall-Mounted Hoods

Installed against the wall and suitable for kitchen setups where cooking equipment is placed along the walls.

Island Hoods

Suspended from the ceiling and designed for kitchens with cooking equipment positioned in the center of the kitchen on an island.

Under-Cabinet Hoods

Space efficient hoods mounted beneath cabinets above cooking equipment.

Exhaust System

The vent hood is connected to an exhaust system that expels the captured air outside the building. This system typically includes ductwork, fans, and sometimes a make-up air system to replace the exhausted air with fresh air. The design of the ductwork should efficiently carry away the smoke, grease, and odors generated during cooking.

Fire Suppression Systems

Many commercial kitchen vent hoods are equipped with fire suppression systems to enhance safety. These systems can automatically detect and suppress fires that may occur in the cooking area. Given the scale and complexity of hotel kitchens, fire safety is paramount. Vent hoods in hotel kitchens often include automatic fire suppression systems to quickly respond to and control any potential fires.

Regulations and Codes

Vent hood installations must comply with local building codes and safety regulations. This ensures proper ventilation, fire safety, and overall compliance with health and safety standards. Hotel kitchen vent hood installations must comply with local building codes and health and safety regulations. Compliance ensures that the kitchen meets standards for ventilation, fire safety, and hygiene.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Regular cleaning and maintenance are essential to ensure the efficient operation of the vent hood. Grease build-up, if not addressed, can pose a fire hazard. The high volume of cooking in hotel kitchens can lead to rapid grease accumulation, which, if not addressed, can pose a fire hazard and reduce the efficiency of the ventilation system.

Integrated Design

In many hotels, the kitchen may be part of an integrated food and beverage operation that includes restaurants, banquet halls, and catering services. The vent hood system needs to be designed to accommodate the specific layout and cooking requirements of the entire facility. Ventilation systems in hotel kitchens may need to be integrated with the overall heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system of the hotel to ensure proper air circulation and maintain a comfortable temperature throughout the facility. When planning a vent hood system for a hotel kitchen, collaboration with architects, kitchen designers, and ventilation specialists is crucial. This ensures that the system is well-integrated into the overall design of the facility and meets the specific needs of the diverse cooking operations within a hotel environment.

Sizing

The size of the vent hood should match the cooking equipment it serves. It should cover the entire cooking surface adequately to capture all the generated smoke and grease. Hotel kitchens can be large and diverse, accommodating various cooking equipment and styles. The vent hood should be appropriately sized and designed to handle the volume and types of cooking that occur in the kitchen.

Noise Control

Some vent hoods come with features to minimize noise, especially in open kitchen setups where customer experience is a consideration. Some hotel kitchens are open to public spaces, such as dining areas or event venues. Noise control features in the vent hood system can be important to maintain a pleasant atmosphere for guests.

Energy Efficiency

Consideration of energy-efficient vent hood systems can be important for both environmental sustainability and cost management.

When selecting and installing a restaurant kitchen vent hood, it’s crucial to work with professionals who understand local regulations and can design a system that meets both safety and efficiency requirements. Regular inspections and maintenance are also essential to ensure the continued functionality of the vent hood system.

Island Hoods for Low Ceilings

Ventilation Hoods

Island hoods, also known as island range hoods, are typically installed above kitchen islands, where they provide ventilation for cooking and help remove smoke, odors, and grease from the cooking area. However, if you have a low ceiling in your kitchen, you’ll need to consider specific factors when choosing an island hood to ensure it fits and functions properly. You will first need to consider any local legislation affecting commercial kitchen ceiling heights. Here are some non-legal considerations for island hoods in kitchens with low ceilings:

Ceiling Height

Measure the height of your ceiling to determine how much space you have available for the island hood. In kitchens with low ceilings, you’ll have less clearance between the island hood and the cooktop, which can limit your options.

Hood Size and Design

Look for island hoods specifically designed for low ceilings. These hoods are typically more compact and may have adjustable chimney extensions to accommodate different ceiling heights. Choose a hood with a design that complements your kitchen’s aesthetics.

Ducted vs. Ductless

Island hoods can be either ducted or ductless. Ducted hoods require proper ventilation to the outside, while ductless hoods recirculate filtered air back into the kitchen. In a low-ceiling kitchen, a ductless island hood may be a more practical choice if you have limited space for ductwork, however, remember to check legislation. Your commercial supplier should be able to advise here.

Installation Height

The minimum recommended height for installing an island hood over a gas cooktop is around 24-30 inches, depending on the manufacturer’s guidelines and local building codes. For an electric cooktop, the clearance can be somewhat less. Ensure that the island hood you choose can be installed at the appropriate height while accommodating your low ceiling.

Ventilation Power

Consider the hood’s ventilation power (measured in cubic feet per minute, CFM) to ensure it can effectively remove smoke and odors from your kitchen, especially if you have a powerful cooking range. A higher CFM rating may compensate for a lower hood height in some cases.

Lighting

Island hoods often come with built-in lighting to illuminate the cooking area. Ensure that the lighting is adequate and suits your kitchen’s needs, as low ceilings may require more focused and adjustable lighting.

Noise Level

Check the noise level of the island hood’s fan, as it can be more noticeable in low-ceiling kitchens. Choose a model with quiet operation if noise is a concern.

Professional Installation

To ensure the island hood is properly installed in your low-ceiling kitchen, consider hiring a professional installer who can assess your specific situation and make any necessary adjustments.

Ultimately, it’s important to measure your available space, consider the clearance requirements, and select an island hood designed for low ceilings. Consulting with a kitchen design professional or a hood manufacturer’s representative can help you choose the right island hood that fits your kitchen and ventilation needs. Remember always to check local legislation first.

Commercial Kitchen Vents Are Important

Commercial Kitchen Vents Are Important
Commercial kitchen vents are vital to the smooth running of a restaurant, whether small or large. They provide a flow of air to keep the kitchen safe for your staff and your customers by filtering the hot greasy air produced from cooking and bringing in make-up air to cool and oxygenate the kitchen. They also keep the air smelling fresh and stop kitchen smells floating out into the dining room – very off-putting for customers.

The best vents are made with stainless steel, which does not corrode and will last many years. Some contain variable speed motors to suit both busy and slack times and can include smoke alarms. Every hot food preparation area needs a vent, however, with ranges side by side, a single range hood can cover all of these. These range hoods can either be wall-mounted or provided as an island installation to suit the layout of your kitchen.

The right style and size of vent hood for your kitchen is essential. It’s important for efficient functioning, as well as safety, as lack of correct
ventilation can lead to a deadly carbon monoxide build-up and to accumulations of grease, which can encourage mold and mildew, which are also health hazards and which can get your restaurant closed down! Restaurant owners have to abide by the regulations, so finding the right ventilation is important to keep from getting a fine or even being shut down for violations. So make sure you pick the right size and style for your business.

Commercial Vent Hoods

A commercial exhaust hood, or even a number of hoods, depending on the size of the kitchen, is crucial to any commercial kitchen venture. These are needed for any commercial cooking where grease is involved, to extract the heat and grease-laden vapors generated, so the kitchen runs safely. It is important to get the right equipment for your situation. With a properly designed commercial hood system, you can keep your business legal as well as run it efficiently. It’s not possible to use a hood made for a domestic kitchen in a restaurant or commercial food preparation area, because of the level of heat grease and vapor produced in commercial kitchens, of whatever size.

A commercial hood vent needs to remove steam, smoke, grease and heat from the food preparation area. This is why commercial vent hoods are installed directly over the heating areas in your restaurant. Then they can collect heat and grease at source. There are baffle filters inside the vent hood to filter out as much grease as possible so it doesn’t enter the ducts forming your ventilation system. The type of baffles you will need are determined by the cooking system in your kitchen, however, even with the best baffle filters, some grease will get through and the system will need regular cleaning. Because of this residual grease, it is vital to be able to clean the ventilation fan and the ductwork from the top, and this means you will need a hinged cover on the exhaust fan in the vent hood. This will reduce the risk of fire hazards and keep your kitchen safe.

Along with the heat and the grease-laden vapors, the exhaust fan also removes air from your commercial kitchen and that needs to be replaced. This is done with a “make-up air unit”. This brings in clean, fresh and usually cooler air to the kitchen and makes up for the hot greasy air removed by the fan. In total, the extraction canopy for the removal and the make-up air unit for replacement of hot air by clean fresh air, forms part of any industrial kitchen hood system.

If you are in Ireland or Northern Ireland and need a commercial vent hood or extraction canopy, you can get information and a quote on fabrication and installation from http://stainlesscateringsupplies.co.uk/