Dec 23, 2003 03:46 PM
16510 Views
(Updated May 11, 2005 10:27 AM)
I've been using a locally made electric chimney(though'kitchen hood' seems to be the international terminology) for about two years now and I have mixed feelings about it.
On the positive side, it keeps the kitchen cleaner than natural ventilation through an open window or forced ventilation by a simple exhaust fan.
But this benefit comes at a price. There are three pain areas.
One, the noise is an irritant. Maybe the more expensive branded fans are quieter than my locally made appliance. But the fact remains that an exhaust system placed at about head-height will inevitably sound loud.
Two, the hood does not gather all the fumes while cooking - after a month or so you find the outside of the hood, the duct, and neighboring regions covered in a fine coat of cooking grease. This is over and above the accumulation of goo inside the filter and hood. Cleaning all this requires major effort.
The third problem is that after a while, the duct gets clogged at the outlet. If, like me, you have put a net or mesh at the outer end of the duct(where it exits the wall) to guard against squirrels or birds(or rats!), then be assured that after a while, the grease and dust will partially block it.
For now, I'm starting to be very favorably disposed to the idea of a simple exhaust fan on the wall!
Update, 23 Jan 2004:
About a month ago, I installed an exhaust fan in addition to the electric chimney. The combination works well - the chimney sucks out most of the cooking fumes and the exhaust fan removes the small portion that escapes the hood. The kitchen is definitely a lot more fume and odor free now!
