The daily preparation of various dishes is certainly accompanied by the appearance of a variety of smells, which, if spread throughout the home, create certain inconveniences. Cooker hoods cope well with such troubles.
Such devices trap air above the stove, quickly removing it together with various odors from the apartment through the ventilation system. The most important element of any modern hood is the grease filter, without which the device’s engine would very quickly fail.
The principle of operation and the design of filters for hoods
All currently existing hood models are capable of working in one of two modes:
- air exhaust along with odors;
- air recirculation.
Consider these modes of operation in more detail.
The first mode involves the presence of a ventilation shaft. At the same time, pipes that exhaust air from the kitchen are connected to the hood. The motor of the device through its work creates traction, thanks to which fat and combustion products are quickly and efficiently removed into the ventilation shaft.
In this case, pressure differences occur, as a result of which new air enters the room. Old air is removed and new air gets from one ventilation duct, therefore it is difficult to call it clean, but at least it does not contain any unpleasant odors. Hoods operating in this mode are flow-through.
Devices operating in recirculation mode are more complex in design. From the kitchen, air with odors and grease is sucked into the hood, where it is first cleaned with a grease filter and then with a charcoal filter. After that, the air cleared of smell and various particles returns to the kitchen again.
It is clear that the disadvantage of such equipment is the lack of fresh air. The advantage of this type of hoods is the ease of installation, as well as the absence of various pipes that exhaust air. Therefore, such a hood should simply be installed above the working surface of the stove, and it does not matter at what distance from the ventilation hole it will be located.
A fat filter for drawing is used in each model of such treatment equipment, regardless of its operating mode. Such an element cleans the air of fat particles so that it does not cover the moving parts of the motor and all internal surfaces of the device.
Disposable filters
Filters in cooker hoods can be disposable or reusable. It is clear that the second type is more qualitative, but the first one is quite common.
For the manufacture of disposable treatment devices, some synthetic materials are used:
- synthetic winterizer;
- non-woven;
- acrylic and some others.
In their appearance, these grease filters resemble a small thin rug. They are usually used in budget models of suspended hoods installed on a kitchen cabinet. They are called flat.
Replace synthetic filters as they become dirty. Some housewives even manage to wash such devices, using them repeatedly. It is not recommended to do this, because at the same time, the initial cleaning properties of synthetics cannot be returned, and even with each next use, air filter cleaning will be less effective.
Reusable filters
Reusable grease filters for hoods are used throughout the life of this household appliance.Such treatment devices are installed in devices of medium and high price category.
This type of filter is made of metal; in operation it is more durable and reliable in comparison with disposable models. Replacing them is not necessary at all, but it is important to periodically remove the filter and clean it.
Reusable filters are usually aluminum, in appearance they resemble a cartridge. Structurally, it consists of a metal frame and a filter element, which is used as many layers of foil - perforated or mesh. In this case, the perforation may be asymmetric or symmetrical.
The filter freely passes through itself air currents, but particles of fat settle on its surface. Reusable cleaning elements are most often made of aluminum foil or mesh, but sometimes galvanized steel or stainless steel models are also found.
But often you can find cleaning elements from some other materials. For example, Elica brand products are often made from anodized aluminum. The surface of such a material is a very thin layer of metal that prevents oxidation.
The products of the manufacturer Elikor perfectly capture the particles of fat contained in the air in the kitchen after cooking there thanks to a five-layer filter of the same type of aluminum. Despite such a large number of layers, air flows as freely as possible through the element.
Devices of medium and high price categories in most cases are equipped with not one large, but 2-3 small cassettes, which allows you to simply and quickly remove them, wash and put them back in place.
Semi-Professional Filters
New to the market are reusable exhaust filters, the basis of which is stainless steel. Such elements are easier to maintain than aluminum models. In addition, they are more durable and do an excellent job of air purification.
Among such new products, the products of the Elica brand deserve attention, which represents a lot of cells arranged asymmetrically. The air moves through such cells as in a maze, which helps to retain the maximum amount of fat particles in the filter.
Grease Filter Care
As already noted, grease filters do not need to be replaced, but it is important to clean them periodically. This is done as follows:
- A filter is removed from the hood.
- The cleaning element is immersed in a normal detergent solution. It can also be washed in a dishwasher, while it is advisable to install it vertically.
- For manual washing, use a brush while holding the filter under the pressure of warm water.
- Dry metal filters at room temperature.
- After complete drying, the cleaning device is installed in its place and the hood can again be used for its intended purpose.
In the process of washing grease filters, it is not recommended to use soda, as it leads to the formation of brown spots on the metal. When washing in a dishwasher, do not use high temperature mode - while aluminum can oxidize and darken.
In the case of cleaning the filter with a dishwasher, it is recommended to do this once every 2-3 months, in the case of manual washing, cleaning should be carried out once a month.
Thus, the grease filter is one of the main parts of modern hoods, which protects the motor of the device from pollution.
