The clean as you go method is all about cleaning throughout the day to ensure surfaces, equipment, and waste are all clean, sanitary, and organized. Adopting this method into your cooking process can help ensure your kitchen counters and appliances are always clutter-free and ready to use.

If you enjoy creating in the kitchen, you know cooking generates smoke, heat, and mingling aromas. A proper kitchen ventilation system in the kitchen provides the same benefits as the clean as you go method – for the air. A range hood will quietly ensure the air in your kitchen is clean and free of smoke and steam.

Let’s take a closer look at the importance of good kitchen ventilation and the various range hood venting options available today.

The Importance of Good Ventilation

Have you ever wondered if a range hood was ever really needed? Have you questioned if it really serves its purpose? Have you ever smelled Tuesday night’s fish dinner on Wednesday morning? 

Here’s the thing – air is what keeps you alive and breathing. So, if you want to have healthy air in your kitchen, then you need to have it ventilated. You’d be surprised as to what you are breathing in every time you cook. 

• Grease 
• Moisture
• Heat 
• Carbon monoxide
• Food particles
• Odors
• Nitrogen dioxide
• Formaldehyde
• Dangerous byproducts

Do we need to keep going? You probably get the picture. Most people never consider all these toxins – some only flipping on the ventilation when food was left to brown a little too long and a smoky fog hangs in the air. 

Breathing in fresh air is important and, if you are going to cook in your kitchen, the only way to ensure your lungs are getting nothing but the good stuff is to vent it out. A study out of Southern California found that more than 50% of homes with gas stoves had pollutants levels that exceeded outdoor health-based standards. They also found that simply using a range hood dramatically reduced this number. 

Do we give up gas ranges? No way – they are the best way to cook. Instead, we ventilate!

To Duct or Not to Duct?

When it comes to range hoods, you have two options for ventilation – ducted or ductless. 

Ducted range hoods suck in the dirty air from the kitchen, carry it through the ductwork, and straight outdoors. That’s right – it removes it from the home entirely so you are left with nothing but healthy, breathable air. Some homes are built with ductwork, making it easy to obtain a ducted range hood. It’s all ready to go. Unfortunately, if your home isn’t ducted, you will have to invest in having a contractor or specialist take care of that for you – which could take time and money. 

Without ductwork, you can choose a ductless range hood – which works just as well. With this type, the polluted air is removed from the kitchen, processed through commercial-grade baffle filters, and then returned – clean and refreshed – to the kitchen. 

If you are on the fence about which option is best for you, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each. 

Pros and Cons of Ducted Range Hoods

Pros

• Very effective in ventilating heavy volumes of smoke, odors, etc. 
• High-quality air is maintained indoors

Cons

• Ductwork can impact the design of a new kitchen
• Ductwork can be costly and time-consuming if you are adding it after the home is built

Pros and Cons of Ductless Range Hoods

Pros

• Easy to install – and can be installed anywhere
• The best option for small kitchens as they take up less space
• No ductwork required

Cons

• Works harder and may potentially use more energy
• Filters need to be cleaned regularly (though this is rather easy to do)
• The kitchen may feel more humid since it recirculates the air

Size Matters

There are different size range hoods available, most commonly the 24-inch, 30-inch, 36-inch, and 48-inch sizes designed to match up with your range size. Getting a range hood of the same size is not only aesthetically pleasing and uniform, but it is also more effective. After all, the amount of cooking you will do on a 48-inch stove is much larger than on a 30-inch stove. 

Related: 48 Inch Professional Wall Mount Pyramid Range Hood

Features to Look For in Your Range Hood

The range hoods offered by THOR Kitchen come with some of the best features, which we will get to in a minute. But, first – you have to know that both the wall mount and the under-the-counter range hood are convertible. In other words, you can use it with a ducted or ductless system. Or, start with one and switch to the other. It leaves the choice in your hands. This is wonderful since not all kitchens or homes are created equally. 

Now, back to those features. Are you ready? 

• Powerful suction. THOR Kitchen wants you to have the best of the best – in appliances and air quality. So, you can always count on your smoke, steam, food particles, toxins, and more to hit the highway straight out of your kitchen. 
• LED lighting. Because, well, it looks stellar – and it saves energy. This one is a no-brainer. 
• Quiet operation. You should have clean air while still being able to hold a conversation.  
• Commercial-style baffle filter. This maximizes airflow and grease filtering. 
• Stainless steel finish. First, you want your range hood to match your other stainless steel appliances. Second, you need something that looks beautiful and eye-catching that is also easy to clean. 

Next time you walk into your kitchen to cook dinner, consider all that takes place in there. You strive to provide your family with nourishing meals – why not give them nourishing air quality, too? Range hoods by Thor Kitchen come in all common sizes and work for both ducted and ductless uses. So, it looks like there is no reason for you not to be breathing fresh air. What are you waiting for?