Do awesome kitchen exhaust systems exist?

[Kaido]

Occasionally I cook stuff that will smoke the house out and end up using a pair of floor fans and opening the window. Fortunately my current rental place has a tiny kitchen and I can exhaust the fumes out pretty easily, but when I move into a home someday I'd like something that actually works well. And not just over the range, but over in-wall ovens as well. Or if the toaster burns something. Or whatever. I've never seen a residential system that doesn't work like crap. Does such a thing exist?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Yes they do. You want a system that mounts the exhaust fan on the roof instead of in the hood. That way you can have a larger motor that moves more air.

 

[DesiPower]

you need some like this

 

[Kaido]

you need some like this

I'll take 3! :awe:

 

[Kaido]

Yes they do. You want a system that mounts the exhaust fan on the roof instead of in the hood. That way you can have a larger motor that moves more air.

Does anyone make good in-wall fans that would blow the air out & up? I plan on building a home someday, so the design is totally open, which is why I want to find out now. The other good system I've seen is the GreaseLock system, which I suppose I could just run around two of the walls & do some decorative veneering or something:

http://greaselock.com/index.php

 

[Kaido]

Whoa, this system looks pretty cool:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBMqGnagfEI

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Here ya go.

 

[Kaido]

Here ya go.

Think that would work for the entire room? I'd imagine if it were powerful enough & center-mounted it might. For situations like this:

http://kitchenilliterate.files.wordpress.com/2007/05/smoky-kitchen.jpg

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Think that would work for the entire room? I'd imagine if it were powerful enough & center-mounted it might. For situations like this:

http://kitchenilliterate.files.wordpress.com/2007/05/smoky-kitchen.jpg

It's an island hood from Wolf. They also make wall and range hoods. The beauty of having a roof mounted system is you can have multiple hoods tied together.

 

[gotsmack]

Get a wall mounted one, it's cheaper and there is more control over where the oil splatters. You also need to think about the venting air flow. You'll need to have another hole cut into the house that vents outside air into the house or else you can reverse the airflow of the central air system and fireplaces in the house when all of the windows are closed up. This can be very dangerous.

I've heard that even the bigger home vent systems aren't enough to handle the smoke from grills, so don't get a range/cooktop with a grill.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Get a wall mounted one, it's cheaper and there is more control over where the oil splatters. You also need to think about the venting air flow. You'll need to have another hole cut into the house that vents outside air into the house or else you can reverse the airflow of the central air system and fireplaces in the house when all of the windows are closed up. This can be very dangerous.

I've heard that even the bigger home vent systems aren't enough to handle the smoke from grills, so don't get a range/cooktop with a grill.

Adequate make up air is important. Vent systems not being able to handle smoke from grills is bunk.

 

[Kaido]

Adequate make up air is important. Vent systems not being able to handle smoke from grills is bunk.

Yup, and that's the point - sometimes I cook smokey stuff. My steak recipe is SUPER smokey and I like it about 100x better from the kitchen than on my grill outside. So I live with the smoke & fans.

There has to be a better way. Wall fans with ceiling vents or something.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Yup, and that's the point - sometimes I cook smokey stuff. My steak recipe is SUPER smokey and I like it about 100x better from the kitchen than on my grill outside. So I live with the smoke & fans.

There has to be a better way. Wall fans with ceiling vents or something.

There is! I posted one. There are plenty of others if you look. when I said "bunk," I was saying I disagreed. Got it?

 

[Kaido]

There is! I posted one. There are plenty of others if you look. when I said "bunk," I was saying I disagreed. Got it?

Maybe I was confused. Is the one that sticks down out of the ceiling different than a ceiling fan? Since the smoke would rise above the ceiling pedestal version in your link.

 

[Eug]

Adequate make up air is important. Vent systems not being able to handle smoke from grills is bunk.

I have a Vent-A-Hood 600 cfm model, and even without make-up air, it's fine for getting rid of the smoke when we sear a roast or something.

It works even better if your just open the window too. That's the poor man's version of make-up air I guess.

We didn't go the make-up air route because it'd require a lot more money, and probably a serious rejig of the layout.

 

[NetWareHead]

Maybe I was confused. Is the one that sticks down out of the ceiling different than a ceiling fan? Since the smoke would rise above the ceiling pedestal version in your link.

Make up air is what serious venting and kitchen hood systems use to combat the effects of negative air pressure. Think about what happens when you attempt to suck air out of a room with a hood system. The venting systems fights against the effects of negative air pressure. Makeup air systems permit air into a room so the hood system can vent effectively. Or you can just open a window and have a poor mans makeup air system.

 

[Kaido]

Neat, have never heard of a make-up air system. Do they sell residential versions of these systems that tie in with exhaust systems?

 

[TXHokie]

I also need to look into this for my next house. How real is the danger issue of reversing the airflow? Honestly I've never even thought about that. I'm assuming this would pull carbon monoxide from the furnace gas burners or fireplace into the house instead of venting out so it's more an issue during the winter? Summer with A/C shouldn't be issue right? I love steak on the cast iron pan but have to do this outside instead of indoor or I'd smoke up the house big time. And popping the window for make-up air is not a good option when it's 100 degrees outside during summer time.

 

[Kaido]

I also need to look into this for my next house. How real is the danger issue of reversing the airflow? Honestly I've never even thought about that. I'm assuming this would pull carbon monoxide from the furnace gas burners or fireplace into the house instead of venting out so it's more an issue during the winter? Summer with A/C shouldn't be issue right? I love steak on the cast iron pan but have to do this outside instead of indoor or I'd smoke up the house big time. And popping the window for make-up air is not a good option when it's 100 degrees outside during summer time.

Yeah that's what stinks. I'll open both windows and run 2 floor fans, but the wind is usually blowing INTO the windows, so it just makes it worse. I suppose a large vent over the range and then another large vent over the wall ovens would work, but ideally I'd like something that just evacs the air like magic

 

[NetWareHead]

Neat, have never heard of a make-up air system. Do they sell residential versions of these systems that tie in with exhaust systems?

Makeup air is pretty much the territory of commercial or restaurant kitchens. Many make up air systems filter the incoming air and in some cases are tied into the HVAC so the incoming air is heated or cooled to match the season. You might be able to find a make up air unit for a residential application but I know most commercial grade equipment is not meant to be installed in a residential setting, some vendors even voiding the warranty or not even providing support to equipment installed in this fashion.

Or you can just open a window.

P.S. Read this article: http://ths.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/appl/2004064556019303.html Even though it is about stoves, it details the headaches that can be expected when attempting to use commercial grade cooking equipment in a home setting

 

[Kaido]

Makeup air is pretty much the territory of commercial or restaurant kitchens. Many make up air systems filter the incoming air and in some cases are tied into the HVAC so the incoming air is heated or cooled to match the season. You might be able to find a make up air unit for a residential application but I know most commercial grade equipment is not meant to be installed in a residential setting, some vendors even voiding the warranty or not even providing support to equipment installed in this fashion.

Or you can just open a window.

P.S. Read this article: http://ths.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/appl/2004064556019303.html Even though it is about stoves, it details the headaches that can be expected when attempting to use commercial grade cooking equipment in a home setting

Yeah, but I still need to setup fans to push the smoke out of the windows (assuming the wind isn't blowing back into the house).

I smell a Kickstarter project :awe:

 

[NetWareHead]

I also need to look into this for my next house. How real is the danger issue of reversing the airflow? Honestly I've never even thought about that. I'm assuming this would pull carbon monoxide from the furnace gas burners or fireplace into the house instead of venting out so it's more an issue during the winter? Summer with A/C shouldn't be issue right? I love steak on the cast iron pan but have to do this outside instead of indoor or I'd smoke up the house big time. And popping the window for make-up air is not a good option when it's 100 degrees outside during summer time.

Thats why professional makeup air systems exist and alleviate all of the problems you described. My dad has a restaurant and without makeup air, the hood vents would create a draft that would pull air from the dining rooms and into the kitchen. Even the swinging doors the the waiters use to enter the kitchen are actually pulled open and kept open by the strong current of air produced by the suction effect of these hoods. Makeup air is critical for the proper operation of the kitchen. We have a large double decker pizza oven that has a hood over it, but passively vented (heat just rises naturally up to a roof vent, there is no fan). Without makeup air, this oven wouldn't properly ventilate and air would be seeking all kind of routes to enter the kitchen, even centering through passageways that were designed as exits, something that could be deadly if it interferes with the natural draft of a chimney or heating system and exhaust gases cannot be properly ventilated.

 

[Kaido]

Thats why professional makeup air systems exist and alleviate all of the problems you described. My dad has a restaurant and without makeup air, the hood vents would create a draft that would pull air from the dining rooms and into the kitchen. Even the swinging doors the the waiters use to enter the kitchen are actually pulled open and kept open by the strong current of air produced by the suction effect of these hoods. Makeup air is critical for the proper operation of the kitchen. We have a large double decker pizza oven that has a hood over it, but passively vented (heat just rises naturally up to a roof vent, there is no fan). Without makeup air, this oven wouldn't properly ventilate and air would be seeking all kind of routes to enter the kitchen, even centering through passageways that were designed as exits.

Interesting. I could use a system like this at work...when we kick on the vac systems on our CNC machines, you really have to push to get the front doors open :biggrin:

Interesting link btw. Sounds like getting a commercial burner/vent combo is a real headache. If the vent could be purchased separately it might work. I do use a cast-iron Wok to cook, which is another source of smoke, so a good makeup/vent air system would be killer.

This also relates to the type of construction I want to do, which is ICF (concrete block) based. So the house is much more airtight than a typical wood-framed house, and I've been reading about fresh air ventilation systems that builders typically recommend for keeping the air fresh & clean in that type of house. Since (someday!) I'd like to do new construction, I could build in any sort of system I wanted. I would also have room in the attic, since it's a 1-story design with an attic truss for storage above the first floor.

 

[TXHokie]

I'm thinking maybe some kind of custom construction enclosed kitchen/cooking room attached to the house with just the stove/cooktop and massive exhaust system just for that room. That way I can do my cooking there and not smoke or smell up the whole house. Probably expensive but I do love food. I have some friends who has outdoor kitchens and does quite a bit of cooking outdoor, tho it sucks during wintertime.

 

[RossMAN]

Yeah, but I still need to setup fans to push the smoke out of the windows (assuming the wind isn't blowing back into the house).

I smell a Kickstarter project :awe:

If you launch a Kickstarter project let us know, who knows you may get half your backing from ATOT

I'm seriously tempted to back The Pebble especially after reading this update. 10 days left to decide.