Choosing the Best Kitchen Exhaust System

Whether you are cooking a nice meal at home for your family, or you own a restaurant in town that serves hundreds of people each week, you will need an exhaust system for your kitchen. A proper kitchen exhaust system is especially important for commercial kitchens such as those in restaurants or catering centers, where you want your patrons to be able to enjoy their meal without extra steam, smoke or smells from your kitchen wafting out to the dining room. If you are building a new home or commercial kitchen space, or renovating an existing space, you may wonder how to choose the best kitchen exhaust system. You will need to consider several factors to choose the best kitchen exhaust system, including size, use of the space and how much air you need to move.  

Why Do You Need a Kitchen Exhaust System?

A kitchen exhaust system does a lot to keep your commercial kitchen or home clean and safe. Exhaust systems in kitchens help remove smoke, steam and scents from the area, so you, your family or your customers can enjoy their meal without interruption. Additionally, a properly sized and functioning kitchen exhaust system is important not only for comfort, but also for airflow and safety reasons. It helps clean debris and dust from the air, which keeps you and your staff healthy, while also protecting the kitchen environment. 

Considerations for Choosing the Best Kitchen Exhaust System 

An exhaust system for your kitchen should be chosen after considering a few key factors, including the type of kitchen, the size of the space, the intended use and how much air you need to move over a certain period of time. Read more below to learn about these individual factors and how to choose the best kitchen exhaust system for your space. 

Placement of Kitchen Exhaust 

When choosing a kitchen exhaust system, one of the main pieces you will need to consider is the placement of the kitchen exhaust fan, which dictates where the rest of the system will start. Most commercial fans are designed for three places: inline in the ductwork, on the wall or as a roof fan. Fan placement impacts the housing that will go around your fan, accessories and the cost of installation. Many times, the placement of your fan is dictated by fire codes, and sets the standards for other considerations, such as appearance, noise and size. In a home kitchen, your fan will probably go above your stove, where it is most useful, but you can consider similar placement options when deciding on the type of exhaust system. 

Air Movement 

The amount of air that is moved through your duct in a certain amount of time is expressed in cubic feet per minute, or CFM. The type of cooking you do and the type of equipment you use will dictate the amount of air you need to move. For example, an open flame grill in a hibachi restaurant will need more ventilation than a small pancake griddle in a food truck or a convection oven.
The hood system in your space will dictate the CFM needed, as will municipal codes or codes set by the National Fire Protection Association. 

Energy Efficiency 

When choosing a kitchen exhaust fan, you will need to consider the amount of power needed to move the fan’s blades at a certain speed to remove the amount of air required by safety protocols and building codes. Exhaust fans with a higher CFM generally need to be more energy efficient.

Accessories or Appearance 

If you have specific needs for the accessories or appearance of your kitchen exhaust system, the planning stage is the best time to take those into consideration. Maybe you are tight on space, and need a system that works with your layout. Some kitchens also need work arounds for lighting fixtures or strange layouts. Make sure you take these into consideration when choosing your kitchen exhaust system. 

Cleaning and Maintenance 

While it may not be the first thing you do, remember to take regular maintenance and cleaning of your kitchen exhaust system into account. Contact the team at Airpro Indoor Air Solutions today to schedule your regular exhaust system maintenance or commercial kitchen exhaust system cleaning.