Range Hood Glossary
C
CHARCOAL FILTER
Cartridge or cassette filled with activated charcoal, used to filter contaminants from the air. Required in ductless range hoods, as it will remove other contaminants after airborne grease has been absorbed by grease filters. Charcoal filters cannot be washed or cleaned, and should be replaced every few months (depending on amount of cooking). Note: all ProLine brand range hoods are shipped with the appropriate Aluminum or Stainless Steel Baffle Filters Included. Charcoal Filters are optional and can be purchased separately.. However, if your range hood will be connected to an outside duct – you do not use any charcoal filters. Since the air will be extracted to the outside, the charcoal filter is not necessary. Also called: carbon filter, activated charcoal filter, “black filter”, and other variations. CFM
CFM is an acronym for “Cubic Feet per Minute,” which is a measurement of air volume velocity and is used in measuring air flow from vent hoods. It is a rating attributed to fan power.
D
DUCTED
Refers to a range hood installed with a duct (“air pipe”) leading outside the house. Ducted range hoods remove all forms of airborne pollution, and do not require the use of carbon filters. This leads to higher performance compared to ductless installation, and does not cause additional noise or expense. Also called: “Vented”, “Outside Discharge”.
E
EXTERNAL BLOWER
A blower motor unit installed not only outside of the range hood, but outside of the house (in an outdoor-rated enclosure). Placing the blower outside of the house reduces operational noise, but requires additional expense and labor. Related: Inline Blower, Remote Blower.
G
GREASE
One of the forms of airborne pollution caused by cooking. Can combine with other substances to create a sticky film on kitchen surfaces, and may damage kitchen cabinetry by attracting mold and fungi growth. Range hoods use grease filters to remove airborne grease.
GREASE FILTER
Cartridge or cassette filled with layers of metal mesh, which traps airborne grease. Grease filters are made from metallic materials (typically, anodized aluminum), and do not need to be replaced. All ProLine range hoods include metal mesh grease filters or our Professional Series includes Stainless Steel Baffle filters and Stainless Grease Cups, which are easily removable and dishwasher-safe.
Refers to an island-mount or wall-mount range hood with a vertical chimney whose height can be adjusted to fit various ceiling heights. Does not apply to undercabinet and insert/liner hoods, as they do not have a chimney by design. Also referred to as “Telescoping Chimney” or “Adjustable Chimney Section”