A high-quality range hood is a durable appliance that can serve your home effectively for years after installation, but there always comes a day when it’s time to replace it – especially if it was poorly manufactured or made from a fragile material. Here are 5 signs it’s time to replace your range hood with a newer and more durable solution that will become a long-term part of your household.
Your range hood is no longer functioning properly
This one seems obvious, but for many homeowners it can often take weeks to notice there’s something wrong with your range hood. If you’re questioning the performance of your range hood, ask yourself these questions:
- Is there more smoke in your kitchen than there should be? (You’ll notice your eyes are watering more than usual while you’re cooking.)
- Have you noticed grease settling on surfaces after cooking?
- Is your range hood making more noise than it should be?
All these concerns typically translate to an issue with the ventilation of your range hood, which if not functioning properly defeats the purpose of having the appliance in the first place. If cleaning interior components and clearing any blockage from the hood’s ducts don’t fix the problem, it’s time for either a professional repair or a replacement.
Your range hood is no longer serving your needs
It’s not uncommon for the needs of a kitchen to change throughout the lifetime of a home. Maybe you’ve undergone a remodel and are now in need of an island or downdraft range hood rather than your previous under-cabinet or wall-mounted style. Perhaps your range has grown to meet your increased cooking pursuits and you need a larger and more powerful hood to align with that growth. Whatever the reason may be, if your range hood is no longer suiting the functional demands of your kitchen, it’s time to upgrade to one that does.
Your range hood no longer fits the aesthetic of your kitchen
Range hoods are a great way to supplement the visual appeal of your kitchen – if you find the right one that works for your taste. You may be sick of seeing the vents of your wall-mounted or island range hood and be ready to switch to an insert variety. If you’ve recently purchased new appliances and want to complement them with a copper or stainless steel range hood, a replacement may be in the cards, as well. Another aesthetic component important for homeowners that like to entertain is the noise level of your range hood. Your range hood might meet all the visual and functional needs you have in mind, but if it’s consistently too loud and disruptive while guests are in your home, a replacement can take care of this issue and deliver an all-around perfect solution.
Your Vent Hood has a Worn color
If the color of your range hood has changed over time – not due to the natural patina of copper but due to buildup of grease and exposure to smoke – it can be a major eyesore. A replacement to a high-quality range hood will not only fix the issue but will also provide more durability to keep it from happening again anytime soon.
Your Vent Hood has Exterior damage
We know it sounds like a long shot, but we’ve seen it before: Cookware is being quickly moved throughout the kitchen while preparing a large meal and it hits and dents the range hood. This can be just as unsightly as gross discoloration, and the solution is much the same. A high-quality stainless steel or copper range hood is tough against dents and will keep your kitchen looking great through all its trials and tribulations.
Your Range Hood Isn't Powerful Enough
Another reason to replace your range hood is if it’s not powerful enough for your needs. Perhaps you replaced your hob or expanded your kitchen and need a unit that can suck up more air.
The power of range hoods needs to be proportionate to kitchen volume, stove size, and the type of stove you use. Bigger hobs, gas stoves, and large kitchens all require range hoods to have a larger cubic feet-per-minute (CFM) rating. On average, you need around 100 CFM from your range hood per 12 inches of hob width or a 400 CFM range hood if your stove is four feet wide.
Gas-fired stoves may need range hoods with more even power. That’s because they emit toxic gasses that can damage health. These need to be processed quickly to reduce the risk of harm.
Given this information, there are several circumstances in which you might want to replace your range hob if it isn’t powerful enough:-
- When you upgraded your kitchen with an extension or open-plan design
- When you change to a gas hob
- When you install a larger range
You can tell if your range hood isn’t powerful enough if you notice pungent cooking aromas or lawyers of grease on top of your kitchen cabinets.
Your Range Hood Isn’t Made Of The Right Material
You might also want to change your range hood if it is made of the wrong material. Most range hoods are made of inexpensive metals. These work great in commercial kitchens and cheap apartments, but they can clash with high-end kitchen designs.
Fortunately, CopperSmith sells various range hoods made of different materials, letting you find an aesthetic that suits your requirements. Copper, stainless, and brass are available.
Your Range Hood’s Fan Isn’t Adjustable
Another reason you might want to replace your range hood is fan adjustability. Most range hoods come with high, medium, and low fan speeds, depending on what and how much you’re cooking. However, if yours doesn’t, it can affect the usefulness of the unit.
As discussed above, CFM is a critical metric for range hoods. It shows the volume of air they can process per minute. The problem is that range hood fans can be loud, meaning you don’t always want to run them at full speed.
That’s where adjustability can help. Let’s say you’re boiling some cabbage. Usually, the only byproduct is non-toxic steam, meaning you could lower the range hood speed to reduce the noise and cut energy consumption.
Now suppose, you start frying some steak and butter in a pan. This cooking method produces more potentially harmful gasses and smoke, meaning you need a higher CFM. Having an adjustable hood fan lets you increase the cubic feet-per-minute your hood can process, keeping the air pollution-free.
Your Range Hood Is The Wrong Type
Another reason to change your range hood is to benefit from a new type. For instance, suppose you currently use a ductless range hood that uses a charcoal filter. You may want to swap it out for a ducted version that exhausts all cooking gasses out of your home.
Ducted hoods have longevity, efficiency, and power advantages. These include:-
- Powerful blowers that remove all cooking odors, hob gasses, grease, and smoke
- Option to upgrade with in-line or remote blowers for quieter operation
- No requirement to replace filters – a simple cleaning will suffice
Some homeowners may prefer this type of range hood for these reasons. However, ductless hoods also offer substantial benefits. These include:-
- Easy installation for apartment-dwellers
- Lower cost than conventional ducted hoods, requiring fewer materials and less installation time
- No requirement for ductwork
Therefore, you’ll need to weigh up your options.
Your Range Hood Requires Frequent Filter Replacements
You might also want to try a new range hood if you discover you are replacing your filter often. Manufacturers usually recommend swapping out ductless filters every three to six months, depending on usage. However, you can wind up changing them more often if you cook a lot of fried foods.
Ducted range hoods eliminate the need to change your filter regularly. Usually, the only job is to wash the grease-catching grill every three months or so.
Your Range Hood Is Too Powerful
Lastly, you might need to replace your range hood because it is too powerful. Having a unit that extracts too much air from your rooms and out of your home can lead to energy inefficiency by drawing in the cold winter air and forcing up your energy bills.
Find your dream range hood at CopperSmith
CopperSmith partners with the world’s greatest artisans, manufacturers, and industry-leading brands to deliver the highest-quality range hoods on the market. Browse our catalog to find the perfect addition to your kitchen and give us a call at 1-888-431-4677 for prompt and reliable customer service.