Have you ever wondered, “Do range hoods have to be vented outside?” If so, you’re not the only one. In fact, it’s a common question most people have when purchasing or considering a range hood for a kitchen.

For many homeowners, there are often a lot of unknowns when it comes to range hoods. You know that if you have a kitchen mishap and your food starts smoking, as you fan your smoke detectors with your kitchen towel, you reach over and flip on the vent from your range hood.

As the smoke begins to dissipate, you may find yourself questioning – where does it go? How does the vent work? Believe it or not, this much-needed appliance is not magic but rather a simple machine that helps you breathe in the freshest air while cooking.

If you don’t currently have one, don’t worry – you can easily install one in your kitchen, as range hoods do not have to be vented outside.

The Purpose of a Range Hood

Every time you cook, you are potentially releasing toxins and carcinogens into your kitchen. Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are carcinogenic chemicals that come from cooking meat, poultry, and fish at high temperatures. Acrylamide is like an HCA that comes from vegetables and grains rather than meat. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are additional carcinogens that come from cooking over an open flame. And this is in addition to formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, and nitrous dioxide, to name a few.

Just so you understand this right, everyone in your kitchen may be exposed to these toxins when you cook. And it even includes your kids.

This is where a range hood comes in.

You flip it on, and the dirty air gets sucked out, including the steam, heat, odor, smoke, etc. The result? You and your loved ones are left with healthy, clean air to breathe, and you don’t have to smell last night’s fish when you open your eyes in the morning.

Ducted and Ductless Range Hoods

The purpose of a range hood may be to give you clean air to breathe, but it doesn’t always happen in the same way. There are two different types of range hoods – ducted and ductless.

A ducted range hood is one that is attached to ducts that go from your kitchen to the outdoors. In other words, when you turn it on, it pulls all the air from your kitchen and carries it through the ductwork that has been installed throughout your home. It will be released outside your home so that you are only left with clean air to breathe.

The problem with a ducted range hood is that not everyone has them. And, let’s be real – installing ductwork throughout your home is a big investment, as well as a time-consuming one. You don’t have to worry about not moving forward with this big project and being stuck with unhealthy air in your kitchen. Instead, you can opt for a ductless range hood.

Ductless range hoods work just as well as ducted hoods, but they don’t need to be vented outside. So, how do they work? It’s simple. Using commercial-grade baffle filters, the dirty air is sucked up into the unit and then filtered and returned to your kitchen – without the toxins.

Both of these range hood options are effective.

Advantages of a Ductless Range Hood

Ductless range hoods that filter and recirculate the air are great options for kitchens that don’t have ductwork already installed or those with inconvenient layouts. Also, they are perfect for condos and apartments. They can be installed on the wall above the range or even underneath cabinets. If you have an island, you can even add a ceiling range hood over the range or cooktop.

Let’s take a look at a few of the benefits that come with a ductless range hood:

-Convenient to install

-Can be installed anywhere in the kitchen without having to make sure it is near pipes or ducts that are vented outside

–Baffle filters are easy to clean so that you always have clean air to breathe

-More affordable option when compared to ducted vent hoods

-Can be installed and used in an apartment or condo

-Works well to effectively remove toxins and unhealthy air

-Long-lasting and easy to care for

–Boost home value

Limitations of a Ductless Range Hood

It is important to note the limitation of a ductless range hood. While they work beautifully to remove all the carcinogens, toxins, and odors that come from your delicious cooking, there is something that they cannot remove. Heat and humidity, unfortunately, cannot be removed from the kitchen with a ductless range hood. The reason for this is that it works by filtering the air and then recirculating it into the kitchen.

A ducted range hood that vents outside will pull that hot, steamy air and carry it straight out of the kitchen. As a result, you are left with cooler air – and allow your AC to not work as hard. But since not all kitchens are equipped to handle a ducted range hood, the ductless option is a great alternative despite this limitation.

Features to Look For in a Ductless Range Hood

There are many different range hoods on the market – especially when it comes to those that don’t need to be vented outside. So, it is important that you know what features are available so you can be sure you are getting the best deal on your investment.

A few key features to look out for include the following:

-LED lighting to illuminate your cooking area

-Quiet operation

-Commercial-style baffle filters (these are easy to clean)

-Push button controls that are easy to operate

-Stainless steel finish (these are easy to clean, too!)

As you embark on your journey to investing in healthy kitchen air for your family, keep these features in mind.

Shop THOR for Range Hoods

So, do range hoods have to be vented outside? No.

If you do not have ventilation ductwork already built in your kitchen leading outdoors, this can be a large project to take on. But don’t let that deter you from fresh air. Ductless vent hoods work just as well and will give you the results you are looking for. It’s definitely worth the investment, especially when you purchase from THOR Kitchen.