Can you increase range hood CFM?
You may have purchased a range hood that does not live up to your expectations. It just doesn’t seem to vent the grease and smoke out of your kitchen. So, you’re left wondering, “Can I increase the range hood CFM?” Unfortunately, no. But check the following first to make sure you’re maximizing the CFM of your current hood. Also, take advantage of these tips to keep your hood in great condition for years to come.
- Clean the filters.
- Clean the blower(s).
- Make sure there is nothing obstructing the duct.
- Leave the fan on for 10-15 min after you finish cooking.
Clean the filters.
Range hood filters are key to ensuring your hood stays in great condition. Clean the filters every three to six weeks, depending on how much grease they accumulate. Without proper maintenance, grease and dirt will buildup and block the airflow. If this goes unchecked, the duct will start to accumulate grease, which is quite difficult to clean.
Take a look at our video below to see exactly how to remove grease from your filter.
Clean the blower(s).
It is also best practice to clean your range hood blower once every year or two. As long as you clean your filters consistently, maintaining the blower or blowers should not be a problem for you. But it is good to take them apart every once in a while and give them a thorough inspection and cleaning.
Check out our video on how to clean a range hood blower below.
Make sure there is nothing obstructing the ductwork.
Your range hood will run at max efficiency if nothing obstructs the ductwork. This could be anything from dirt and debris to small animals. To keep debris out, invest in a wall or roof cap, which covers the ductwork on an exterior wall or on the roof.
Consider purchasing a backdraft damper which also keeps dirt and debris from getting inside your ductwork. The backdraft damper is a vent flap that sits inside your ductwork. It opens while your hood is running, and closes while it is not. This prevents back-drafting, where the air from the outside travels back into your kitchen.
Leave the fan on for 10-15 min after you finish cooking.
This will allow you to clear out any excess smoke, steam, and cooking exhaust that lingers in your kitchen after you are done cooking.
Some Proline range hoods feature an automatic fan shutoff function. Take a look at our different control panels on this page to find the ones with this helpful feature.
Hopefully, the above tips will help you get the most out of your range hood. If you haven’t yet bought your hood or if you are looking to buy another, here are some pre-purchase tips to get the most out of your range hood.
- Buy a range hood with a high enough CFM.
- Buy a range hood with many speeds.
- Buy a range hood that ducts to the outside.
- Look for range hoods with a low sone rating relative to the CFM.
- Consider buying a hood that is compatible with a remote blower.
- Buy a range hood that is at least six inches larger than your range.
- Mount your hood between 28 and 36 inches from the cooktop.
1. Buy a range hood with a high enough CFM.
Calculate the CFM of your range hood as shown on this page and then add 100 or more CFM based on your cooking habits and behavior. If you do a lot of Asian or fried cooking, we recommend a range hood over 1200 CFM. You can use the max power for your most intense cooking and turn to the lower speeds when you don’t need to move heavy smoke from your kitchen.
2. Buy a range hood with many speeds.
A variable speed range hood gives you incredible flexibility in the kitchen. As long as the max speed accommodates your highest heat foods, you won’t have any problems venting smoke from your kitchen. With a variable speed hood, you can cook a wide range of foods and adjust the CFM as necessary.
For simmering sauces, making rice, or warming up food, go with the lowest speed. Or, if you’re deep fat frying, boiling a large pot of water, or preheating your oven 350º or higher, go with the second-highest or max speed. You don’t want your smoke alarm to go off!
3. Buy a range hood that ducts to the outside.
To ensure that your range hood has enough CFM, buying a ducted hood is the way to go. Ducted range hoods, on average, move more air than ductless range hoods. They feature more efficient blowers. They’re more versatile as well, allowing you to cook a wide variety of foods.
So, if you decide that you like Asian cooking, as long as you have a 1200+ CFM ducted range hood, you won’t have to worry about whether you have enough power.
4. Look for range hoods with a low sone rating relative to the CFM.
If a high CFM range hood is your best bet, make sure that it is as quiet as possible. You don’t want it to disturb your guests or irritate you while you’re cooking. You’ll have your range hood for 10+ years, so it’s important that you have a quiet enjoyable experience.
Range hoods are measured in sones. Generally, high-efficiency range hoods above 1200 CFM produce between six and 7.5 sones. Ducted and ductless range hoods between 600 and 900 CFM tend to be between four and five sones.
5. Consider buying a hood that is compatible with a remote blower.
For the loudest range hoods, ask the manufacturer if they are compatible with a remote blower. A remote or inline blower sits inside your ductwork, instead of inside the range hood, which is called a local blower. Remote blowers are further away from your range than local blowers, so they are much quieter.
Keep in mind that the higher CFM you want for your vent hood, the louder it will be. So, you’ll be making a trade-off between blower power and noise level. But a remote blower can make that trade-off much easier for you.
6. Buy a range hood that is at least six inches larger than your range.
The extra three inches of coverage on each side of your range maximizes the amount of air that your hood can move outside your home. Any smaller than this and cooking exhaust may escape out the sides of your hood and never leave your home. A larger hood also provides you with more lighting so you can see clearly in the kitchen.
7. Mount your hood between 28 and 36 inches from the cooktop.
A range hood that you mount between 28 and 36 inches from the cooktop pulls the most amount of cooking exhaust from your kitchen.
Think of the hood’s efficiency in terms of its effective capture area. This is the area between your range hood and your range, as seen in the diagram below.
If your hood is too close to the cooktop, the capture area shrinks. Most of the cooking exhaust will escape into your kitchen. If your hood is too far from the cooktop, it won’t have enough power to catch all the cooking exhaust.
How can I get better power with my Winflo range hood?
Unfortunately, you can’t increase the CFM of your range hood, if it’s running at max power. If your hood is struggling to move air, clean your filters and the inside of your range hood to help it run efficiently. Grease and dirt can sometimes build up and decrease the efficiency of your hood.
Hopefully these tips will help you make an informed decision on the best range hood for you. It’s never ideal to be in a situation where you want to increase your range hood CFM. But if you think carefully about what you like to cook and how often you cook, following the five tips above will save you a lot of stress over time.
Be sure to check out more of our helpful articles on CFM below. If you have any questions, feel free to call our support team at (877) 901 - 5530.
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