Why do I need an outdoor range hood? (and one thing it must do)

You need an outdoor range hood because your outdoor kitchen produces intense heat and a lot of smoke, unwanted toxins, and grease that will discolor and damage your ceiling, cabinets, and furniture.

So, to keep your backyard cooking space clean and protect your investment, purchase an outdoor vent hood.

We’ll first explain what outdoor range hoods are and then we’ll go into detail about some of their great features.

What is an outdoor range hood?

An outdoor range hood, also called a barbecue hood or vent hood, is a kitchen exhaust fan that is installed in an outdoor kitchen, most commonly in an enclosed or open patio. BBQ hoods can be mounted on the wall, commonly called ‘wall range hoods.’ Or you can hang yours from a ceiling away from a wall over a grill or kitchen island. These are typically called, you guessed it, island range hoods.

Do you really need an outdoor range hood?

Modern outdoor kitchen featuring a stainless steel range hood, built-in grill, under-counter refrigerator, and stone countertop under a covered patio with a view of a spacious backyard.

Everyone should have a vent hood in their outdoor kitchen! If you're on the fence, check out several reasons why you need one below.

Want a quick and easy way to build an outdoor kitchen? Check out these Outdoor Kitchen Kits!

You love to grill.

Any avid grill master will love their BBQ range hood.

Burgers, steaks, hotdogs, ribs, you name it; all of these delicious foods produce a lot of smoke and oils while cooking. If you're going to be grilling frequently, it's even more important for you to filter that smoke-filled air out of your cooking space!

You plan to host large parties, socials, or barbecues.

You're not the only one who will use your patio space. A range hood in your backyard will keep your air fresh and your guests happy.

If you want your backyard to be a place to enjoy delicious food and socialize with friends, then you need to ensure that it is a healthy environment for everyone. Who knows? You may have guests with breathing problems such as asthma or a history of lung complications – and smoke and other contaminants will not do them any favors.

Elegant outdoor kitchen with a stainless steel range hood, built-in grill, stone island, and under-counter refrigerator, set under a covered patio with scenic garden views.

A backyard hood is especially important if your kitchen is in a small or enclosed area. Smoke can build up quickly in smaller spaces, so it's imperative that you purchase a range hood to keep that space clean.

You want to build or remodel your outdoor kitchen.

If you're planning on building a new kitchen in your backyard – or if you want to remodel your current space – a range hood for your backyard can be a fantastic addition. Not to mention that it looks beautiful.

Outdoor range hoods tend to be larger than 42" to accommodate the large size of grills and to pack enough power to keep the space smoke-free. Consult with an interior designer to discuss how you can incorporate a hood into your backyard.

If you don't have the time or resources to talk with an interior designer, here’s a tip:

Give yourself a lot of room to build your outdoor kitchen. You don’t want to get halfway through your renovation and realize that the space is too small. With a larger space, you’ll always have room for more furniture, carpets, or even counters.

Keep in mind that you'll want to have enough space so that people can walk around. And you'll want the range in a place where you won't be getting in your guests' way.

This has two main benefits: you can work more efficiently and your guests will be further away from the heavy smoke and grease that your grill produces.

Charming outdoor kitchen with a stainless steel range hood, built-in grill, and brick cabinetry, featuring a wooden ceiling and views of lush greenery in the background.

Your patio is often smoky and it's difficult to keep the surfaces and appliances clean.

If you have had problems in the past keeping your backyard patio clean, invest in a BBQ vent hood. Your new range hood from Proline will pack plenty of power to do the job.

Without a backyard hood, the grease and oil in the air will accumulate on your cooking space and grill. In enclosed patios, your appliances, walls, and ceiling will become dirty over time. A range hood in your backyard will save you time cleaning this space and keep your investment from getting damaged.

You want to impress your friends and family.

If there's one appliance in your kitchen to tell your friends and family about, it's your new range hood.

Anyone can spend a bunch of money on an expensive range, but a range hood tells your guests that you actually know how to use that range! At Proline, we pride ourselves on our professional-grade range hoods that are both beautiful and functional.

We take a look at our most popular products featured in customer kitchens later in the article. Don't miss it!

How many CFM do I need for an outdoor grill?

Between 1200 and 2000 CFM. BBQ grills are great to host large parties that involve several hours of cooking. You need a range hood that can handle consistent smoke and grease over that period of time; the more power your backyard hood has, the faster your patio area will be smoke-free.

Spacious outdoor kitchen featuring a stainless steel range hood, built-in grill, Big Green Egg smoker, and stone cabinetry under a wooden ceiling, offering a comfortable space for outdoor cooking and entertaining.

Unlike indoor ranges, barbecue grills produce intense heat and cooking fumes which is why the power of your hood is so important. Some homeowners love a double grill too! Only high-CFM hoods will be able to handle the heat of two grills at once.

Luckily, at Proline, we manufacture and sell some of the highest-CFM residential hoods in the industry. These range hoods are a huge hit for those who love Asian cooking, deep-fat frying, and grilling.

Do recirculating hoods work outdoors?

The main purpose of a backyard hood is to vent your cooking exhaust out of your kitchen. With a ductless hood, you haven't displaced any of that unwanted air, so your porch or patio will remain greasy and dirty. For that reason, go with a ducted range hood.

Ductless hoods just won't do the job to your satisfaction. They are mostly meant for less frequent cooks and renters. Ductless hoods not only lack power, but most lack the size to provide adequate coverage of your cooktop.

This brings us to the topic of size...

BBQ Vent Hood Sizing Guide

I've emphasized CFM so much throughout this article that you may still be wondering: what size hood do I need for my backyard? Good question! The recommended size for BBQ hoods is different from indoor hoods.

Your BBQ vent hood should have six extra inches of space beyond the range top on each side. For example, if you have a 36" range or grill, you'll want a 48" range hood. Why so large?

Well, the extra coverage drastically increases the amount of air that your range hood can pull. If you don't have adequate coverage, the smoke and grease will escape into the surrounding area.

Take a look at our outdoor range hood sizing table below.

Range Width	Range Hood Width
30”	42”
36”	48”
42”	54”
48”	60”

Also, browse our products on this page.

How to Install Your Outdoor Vent Hood

The installation process for outdoor vent hoods is the same as indoor hoods. You’ll just want to be mindful of the location of your hood because you need to make sure that you have room to vent the air away from your range or where people will gather.

You may be wondering: why would I need to pull air to the outside when it’s already outside?

Think about it this way; if you are hosting a party, or even having dinner with your family outside, you don’t want all that smoke and grease sitting in the air. You’ll want to enjoy clean air.

Modern outdoor kitchen with a stainless steel range hood, built-in grill, and stone island, set under a wooden ceiling with a fan and patio heaters, providing a comfortable outdoor dining area.

Your ductwork will filter the air to another space outside your home where you’re not cooking and relaxing.

It also keeps those same chemicals from staining your home or outdoor kitchen. Cooking exhaust damages and prematurely ages the surfaces it builds up on. An outdoor hood will keep your ceilings, walls, and other appliances free of this damage.

Do I need to duct my outdoor range hood to the outside?

Ducted range hoods are highly recommended, since you’ll produce a lot of smoke and grease while cooking on the grill. Ducted vent hoods filter your air through ductwork and outside your home.

And if you’re hosting parties or socials, you’re likely cooking for long periods of time, which makes a great case for you to purchase a high-CFM kitchen hood.

High CFM is great, but what else do these range hoods bring to the table? They have several benefits…

Outdoor Range Hood Buyer’s Guide

Size

Luxury kitchen with nice ambiance lighting and a stainless steel hood range.

To keep smoke and cooking odors out of your outdoor kitchen, size your hood 12 inches larger than your range. It should extend six inches beyond your range on each side. This gives great coverage over your cooktop, capturing all the smoke and grease with ease.

For example, over a 36” outdoor grill, mount a 48” vent hood. Learn more about sizing your range hood right here.

CFM

We recommend at least 1200 CFM for your outdoor vent. The most powerful outdoor hoods feature 2000 CFM blowers; here are some of our favorites.

If you know the BTUs of your grill, you can calculate the minimum CFM you need for your hood. Just divide the total BTUs by 100. For example, if your gas grill produces 120,000 BTUs, you’ll want at least a 1200 CFM range hood.

Material

Outdoor vent hoods are manufactured in durable, corrosion-resistant stainless steel. It withstands the elements along with the high heat of your grill. One of the most popular outdoor-rated stainless steels is 304 SS.

Learn more about the difference between 304 SS and 430 SS, indoor-rated stainless steel, at this link.

Ducted or Ductless?

When shopping for outdoor hoods, you have one option: ducted. We strongly recommend a ducted range hood for your outdoor kitchen because ductless hoods simply don’t have enough power. They won’t be able to handle the smoke and heat of your outdoor grill.

Click here to learn more about your venting options for ducted hoods. Or to learn more about ductless hoods, check out this post.

Mounting Height

Mount your outdoor range hood between 36” and 42” above your grill. This reduces the risk of your hood getting damaged. It’s also where your hood will be the most efficient. Any further and much of the smoke and oil will escape into your cooking area.

Learn more about mounting height in our range hood mounting height guide.

Duct Size

In most cases, you need a 10” duct for your outdoor hood. Take a look at the chart below comparing CFM and duct size.

It’s important to not go any smaller than the above requirements. A duct that is too small will choke the air and decrease the efficiency of your hood. Grease can build up in the duct and eventually your hood won’t remove smoke and grease from your outdoor kitchen.

It’ll still try to suck air but that air won’t have anywhere to go. Imagine going for a run and having to breathe through a straw.

For more helpful tips on range hood duct size, take a look at our complete guide.

Filters

With ducted range hoods, you have two options for filters: mesh and baffle. We recommend baffle filters because they are more efficient at capturing grease. Efficiency goes a long way when you’re cooking with high heat grills that produce heavy smoke.

Learn more about range hood filters in our range hood filter guide.

That’s all for our article on outdoor range hoods. Hopefully you found this information helpful!

Benefits of Outdoor Vent Hoods

High Durability

Proline’s range hoods come in two types of stainless steel: 430 and 304. 304 SS is the most durable finish – weather-resistant and stain-resistant.

While cooking, you’ll produce a lot of heat, smoke, grease, and toxins, but the 304 finish will keep your BBQ hood in great condition.

Protect Your Investment

It’s not cheap to build a kitchen in your backyard, so it’s vital that you keep the space smoke and grease-free. A range hood from Proline will keep the space clean and fresh.

All of our BBQ vent hoods pull 1200 or more CFM to keep up with the intense heat produced by your grill or range.

Host Big Parties with Family and Friends

A durable, high-CFM range hood will allow you to cook for dozens of people. A powerful range hood for outside your home can even handle two grills if you have that setup.

At Proline Range Hoods, we sell professional-quality outdoor hoods. For a complete list of benefits of our outdoor hoods, check out this article.

Popular Proline Range Hoods for Your Backyard

Proline’s outdoor hoods are powerful and durable, manufactured in a 304 stainless steel.

PLJI 102 Island Range Hood, 304 Stainless Steel

Covered outdoor kitchen with a large stainless steel range hood, stone counter, and built-in grill, surrounded by natural greenery.

Features

Outdoor-Rated 304 Stainless Steel
1200 CFM Dual Blower
Matching Black LCD Touch Panels
Dishwasher-Safe Grease Filters
User-Friendly Four-Speed Control Panel
Ducts to the Outside

Buy your own PLJI 102 today.

PLJW 109 Wall Range Hood, 2000 CFM, 304 SS

Outdoor kitchen with stainless steel range hood, stone backsplash, and built-in grill alongside a fireplace.

Features

2000 CFM Dual Blower
Brushed 304 Stainless Steel Finish
Three Energy-Efficient LED Lights
Four-Speed Control Panel With Sleek Push Buttons
Dishwasher-Safe Baffle Filters
Chimney Extensions Available for 7’-10’ Ceilings
Ducts to the Outside

Purchase the 304 SS 2000 CFM PLJW 109 here. It is available in 42”, 48”, and 60” sizes. We have a lot of different variations of our 109; so be sure that you find the 2000 CFM model manufactured in 304 stainless steel if you’re looking for a powerful BBQ vent hood!