Clearing smoke from cooking is the 3rd most important job of your kitchen range hood.
Why it matters: The 1st job is clearing pollutants and the 2nd is removing moisture.
- Every time you cook.
🔬 Zoom in: Pollutants
- Every type of cooktop (gas, electric resistance, induction) heats your cookware, cooking oils and food enough to release VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and PM2.5 (fine particulate matter).
- Gas ranges release additional pollutants like NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) and CO (carbon monoxide).
🔬 Zoom in: Moisture
- Boiling and steaming release the most moisture increases indoor humidity.
- But all cooking releases moisture from our food.
✅ For your Smart Homeowner list
- Build a habit of turning the range hood on 1 minute before you start cooking.
- Leave it on for 5 minutes after cooking — moisture that stays in the ducts needs to be cleared.
- If you plan on renovating your kitchen, prioritize your range hood and avoid putting your cook top on an island where it’s harder to vent.
Best,
Travis