All of the cooker heads include a motor which pulls air from the kitchen in order to clean it. Ducted hoods move the air to the outside, while recirculation hoods recycle the air and vent it back into the kitchen.
These recirculation hoods are also known by the names of ductless extractors, recycling extractors and also recirculating extractors. Sometimes, ducted hoods are called vented extractors.
Are all hoods used for recirculation and ducting out?
Many hoods can be utilized in either ductless mode or ducted mode, but there are some exceptions. The best ceiling hoods are suitable for ducting out, while most of the pendant hoods are only there for recirculation.
So how do ducted hoods work?
Through a pipe, the ducted hoods are able to remove air to the outside. Firstly, the motor pulls the air into the hood from the kitchen; then the air passes through grease filters through which the grease is trapped. The odors, fumes,and condensation are removed through the pipes to the outside.
How do the ductless (recirculating) hoods work?
They recycle the air back into the kitchen after the odors and grease have been removed from the air. The cooker hood, first, pulls in the air of the kitchen into the hood and then the air passes through the air passes through grease filters where the grease and oil are trapped. Then the air passes through charcoal filters which sucks up the food odors. Afterward, the recycled air is vented back into the kitchen.
What’s the difference between extraction for recirculating hoods and ducted hoods?
In the recirculation mode, when the air goes through the charcoal filters, the flow of the air is reduced. SO it is okay to assume that when the same hood is used in recirculation mode, the extraction is reduced by about 30% when compared to having it ducted out.
The ducted hood’s extraction will mostly depend on the type of ducting, the length, and the numbers of bends in the ducting run. A cooker hood that has a ducting run, which is shorter, would extract a lot more air from the kitchen as compared to a hood using a longer ducting run. Similarly, a hood that has a lower number of bends in the ducting as compared to the ones with a higher number of bends would perform better.
Another one of the main difference is that a recirculation hood would reduce odors but not the steam, whereas, a ducted cooker hood would remove the steam.
What are the accessories that are required?
For ductless ones, you would require charcoal filters. Sometimes they are included when you purchase the hoods, other times you would have to buy them separately. These charcoal filters have to replaced after every two to three months, even more so if you use the hood a lot.
You require a ducting kit for ducted hoods. Also, you would require pipes according to the required length, a wall vent. Also be sure to choose the right diameter for your cooker hood. For some cooker hoods, you might have to purchase a separate chimney kit so that the ducting run is hidden.
Ductless and ducted hoods installation
Since you do not have to worry about the ducting run in a recirculation hood, this makes them easier to install. When your hood is ducted out, keep in mind that you need to position your hood in close proximity to an outside wall, since this will shorten the length of the ducting and also improve the performance of the cooker head.
Downdraft hoods are ducted through the flooring, so make sure you include this in the plans when designing the building’s kitchen.