When you have decided on a beautiful new range hood the obvious questions is ‘How big does it need to be?” It may seem a complicated issue but in reality, it is not difficult. Read on to learn more about how you can get the right size range hood. because you need a top-performing range hood but at the same time you do not want to overestimate the dimensions and spend more money than you need too.
Taking Measurements
Here are the important measurements you will need to take to in your kitchen. A tape measure will be of great help as you make these measurements:
- Take your range top and measure the dimensions. As a rule of thumb, it is usually wise to go with a range hood that matches the dimensions of your range top. Some people, however, think it should be one size bigger. So a cooking range that has a width of 30 inches means the ventilation hood should have a width of 36 inches. The benefit of this is the hood will then allow you to catch all the odors, grease and fumes without the range hood being larger than you actually need.
- The next task is to measure the room you have above the range. It is not so important if you are rebuilding the kitchen from scratch, conversely, if you have cabinets above the range, it is vitally important you know the space that is available.
- Take careful measurement of the distance from the top of your range to the ceiling for the purpose of taking into account the needed height between yor cooktop and hood as well as the left over height to your ceiling. This is especially important in the case of chimney hoods.
- It is important the manufacturer’s recommendations correspond with your installation heights. if these measurements do not mesh, it could mean the hood is not powerful enough and you may have to purchase a hood with a higher CFM. You will need to add 100 CFM for every three inches above the maximum height that is recommended.
Quantifying The Measurements
Let’s take a look at the measurements and apply numbers to them to demonstrate how straightforward and simple the process is to carry out.
Width Determination
- Measure the width of the cooktop and ideally pick a range hood that allows for a range hood that will cover three inches more on each side of the cooktop for maximum coverage
Minimum Height Determination
- Measuring from the ceiling or underneath the cabinet if you have under cabinet installations. Measure that distance from this point to your cooktop. Let’s describe this as A. Therefore: Minimum range hood height = Measured distance (A) – Maximum allowed distance between hood to the cooktop.
Breadth Determination
- Subtract two to three inches from the depth of your cooktop. In some instances, if you have a powerful range hood or a hood that has excellent canopy capture – you can also move in a little more than just three inches.
Can I Estimate The Numbers?
- It is not a very good idea to estimate the numbers. Range hood size is very important – because if your range hood is too small, there is a large risk of odors, grease, and even gases that are toxic being left in your kitchen. Conversely, if you go with a range hood that is a little too large, the consequences are usually less significant. Not to mention your new range hood may look out of proportion to everything else in your kitchen!
