Outdoor kitchens have become increasingly popular in recent years as people look to bring their cooking and dining experience outside. But as you design and plan your dream outdoor kitchen, you may be wondering whether you need a vent hood.
After all, outdoor cooking produces smoke, grease, and other byproducts that can be unpleasant or harmful to breathe.
You need a ventilation hood above the grill if your outdoor kitchen is installed under a covered pavilion, lanai, porch, pool house, or any other structure with a solid ceiling.
However, if your grill or outdoor kitchen is completely exposed to the open air and not covered by any structure, you do not require a ventilation hood.
In this article, we’ll explore the ins and outs of vent hoods for outdoor kitchens and help you determine whether one is necessary for your setup. So, grab a drink, pull up a chair, and let’s dive in!
Your plans for designing an outdoor kitchen likely include a vent hood since more than half of all outdoor kitchens now have overhead structures, according to the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA).
A solid roof provides shade and protection from the elements, making your outdoor living area more enjoyable and valuable. In addition to improving the experience, vent hoods help protect your investment.
As well as those reasons, vent hoods are safety devices. Municipal fire codes may even mandate it for grills installed beneath combustible overhead structures in your area.
Why Add Vent Hood to Your Outdoor Kitchen?
The vent hood is an important part of every kitchen. The use of vent hoods in your cooking area is often considered necessary.
When you’re cooking on an electric range, they’re less important. There is no danger of burning dinner unless you accidentally burn it.
The purpose of vent hoods, when used in conjunction with electric ranges, is mainly dispersing heat or dispersing smoke. In addition to removing smoke, they are also vital when using gas.
Gas smells familiar to anyone who has ever cooked with it. Occasionally, there may be a smell of gas.
A large amount can, however, result in unwanted health problems. Dizziness and headaches are common after high levels of gas fumes are inhaled in an enclosed space like an indoor kitchen.
Benefits of Outdoor Vent Hoods
- Covered and semi-covered areas are protected from smoke stains.
- The screens prevent smoke from building up in open-air outdoor spaces. Hence, the smokey flavor will stay in your food and not on your clothing.
- Moreover, they help disperse some of the heat from a grill. Maintaining a feeling of coolness while cooking over fire.
- They collect the toxins you smoke.
Reasons You Need an Outdoor Vent Hood for Your Kitchen
Using a vent hood, you can remove heavy grease and smoke from your grill. In addition to eliminating strong cooking odors, it will keep grease and oils away from cabinets, walls, and countertops.
If you are thinking about adding a vent hood to your outdoor space, you will not be disappointed.
You Enjoy Hosting Barbecues, Get-Togethers, Or Other Social Events
Barbecues are a great way to enjoy the spring and summer months! That means hours and hours of cooking and a lot of smoke and fumes. Lots of it!
Your outdoor vent hood will need more power the more you host parties. By reading on, let’s learn more about the best CFM for your hood.
You’re Looking To Build Or Remodel Your Outdoor Kitchen
A vent hood for an outdoor kitchen is an excellent addition to any new outdoor kitchen. You will reap the benefits of this long-term investment for years to come.
You’ll definitely receive your money’s worth if grilling is one of your favorite hobbies. If you grill only occasionally, an outdoor hood is a good investment.
This helps keep the air clean, so you don’t have to scrub grease off your cabinets and walls so often. As a result, you and your family are in a more pleasant environment. Yesterday’s dinner won’t linger in the air.
The same applies if you’re remodeling. You should plan to cook delicious meals in your outdoor kitchen and enjoy time with family and friends. There is no smoke or grease in a grease-free kitchen.
You Want A WOW Factor
Would you like an impressive statement piece your guests won’t stop talking about? You’ll be the talk of the house whenever you host friends and family with a professional hood mounted in your kitchen.
An outdoor hood provides a great first impression of your patio area. As a matter of fact, they can add a bit of value to your house as well.
You Can’t Seem To Keep The Grease, Smoke, And Cooking Odors At Bay
You should consider an outdoor hood if you struggle to keep strong cooking odors and smoke out of your patio.
In case you’re wondering: why do I even need a hood if I’m already outside? That’s enough ventilation, right?
Smoke is a problem with grills because they produce so much of it. You do not want heavy smoke to get on your ceiling, walls, overhangs, or cabinets because it makes your kitchen look less appealing and will accelerate the ageing process.
It may also be necessary to increase ventilation if you cook a lot. Your kitchen could become filled with odors and grease if you don’t clean it regularly.
Let’s say you don’t have an outdoor range hood or vent hood for a few days; you’ll know what I mean.
You Can’t Live Without Your Outdoor Grill
Your outdoor vent hood will be a great addition if you enjoy grilling. Keeping the air in the outdoor kitchen fresh and clean is essential for avid cooks.
When cooking, whether for yourself or a large group, turn the hood on to eliminate all the grime and cooking exhaust.
Types Of Vent Hoods
Yes, you heard it right. There are many different types of vent hoods! You won’t have any problem getting the hang of it. You choose the type of island you want based on its location. We can talk about it.
Wall Mount Range Hood
It is possible to buy outdoor kitchen vent hoods that are wall mounted. Yes, it’s exactly like it sounds! Wall-mounted vent hoods typically come in this style.
The same goes for placing your outdoor kitchen near a wall. You’ll want to look for a vent hood like this. Simple as that!
Island Mounted Vent Hoods
We now move on to island-mounted vent hoods. Whenever possible, avoid placing your BBQ island near walls. If so, then you will need an island-mounted hood.
These hoods will hang directly over your outdoor grill. You’ll see it drop down from the roof of your outdoor space!
For the purpose of venting hot air properly from your built-in grill. There may be a slight increase in material and labour costs with this setup.
As far as the rest goes, there are no differences between them! In conclusion, what are the other factors that you should take into account when purchasing an outdoor vent hood?
Venting Hoods
If you are entertaining guests outside, the last thing you want is smoke building up on your patio or lanai, which can ruin the experience.
In some cases, additional venting may not be required depending on the location of the grill. Unless your outdoor kitchen is in an exposed area, a vent hood is unlikely to be needed.
It is, however, important to vent a grill setup that is enclosed or even semi-enclosed, such as under a roof overhang.
If not appropriately vented, continuous grilling against an exterior wall will result in marks and streaking on the wall.
Grill hoods specifically made to fit above them are available on the market. Usually, these hoods are water- and humidity-resistant because they are “outdoor rated.”.
You should consider the fan power when choosing a hood. We recommend using a fan that can move at least 1200 cubic feet of air per minute since it’s essential to have a powerful fan.
Basically, CFM refers to how much air a fan moves, so the more significant the CFM, the more air the fan will move. Keeping an eye on the weather is extremely important when dealing with outside elements.
Additionally, the grill hood should be larger than the grill so it can catch smoke better.
It is recommended that you use an aftercooler that is approximately 6 – 8″ larger than the grill head to catch as much smoke as possible. This will prevent smoke buildup in the area around the grill.
Do All Outdoor Kitchens Need Vent Hoods?
There may not be a vent hood on your list of to-dos or even essentials for your outdoor kitchen. You may not think about many things when you design your outdoor kitchen.
A lot of thought is likely going into location and ease of use. Typically, outdoor kitchens are located on patios or lanais. Outdoor lanais and patios are both covered and uncovered.
Whether you need a vent hood for your outdoor kitchen is something we are happy to help you determine.
A vent hood is recommended for any outdoor space with a roof. The reason behind this lies in a simple but well-known fact. As a result of fire, smoke is created.
The grill is one of the most common appliances used in outdoor kitchens. Our outdoor appliance store offers a wide variety of grills, including electric, gas, pellet, and charcoal grills.
It is possible to smoke food on a charcoal grill, a gas grill, or a pellet grill. If you have a closed-in patio or lanai, smoke stains from a grill will appear.
Long term, smoke stains end up being just another cost or chore. Installing a vent hood can prevent smoke stains in your outdoor space.
Vent hoods will not be needed on patios and lanais without covering. The fact that it is not mandatory does not mean we do not recommend one. Also, the distance between your outdoor kitchen and your home is important.
Your outdoor kitchen can be built against the outside wall of your house, even if you do not have an enclosed space. As a result, we recommend installing a vent hood in this situation.
There is still smoke on the walls even though this area isn’t enclosed. When smoke is exposed for a long time, it leaves a visible soot stain. To remove these stains, you will need to apply pressure washing.
Vent hoods are not needed in an outdoor kitchen that is far afield and unenclosed. This type of outdoor kitchen can be vented by the open air and the wind.
Final Words
These guidelines will help maintain the hood’s performance and help eliminate smoke buildup in outdoor kitchens.
