Range Hood Installation & Repair
What Does a Range Hood Do?
A range hood is a ventilation appliance that removes smoke, fumes, particles, and odors from the air in your kitchen.
It’s far more than a simple fan, especially in a commercial kitchen!
It typically consists of a fan, ductwork, and a filter placed over the stove. The fan draws air from your kitchen and vents it outside through the ductwork. The filter eliminates airborne particles, such as grease and smoke, from the air before it’s vented.
A range hood does essential work that few people understand — like the quiet office worker who’s never appreciated until gone.
Why Is a Range Hood Important?
A range hood dramatically improves the air quality in your kitchen. It also slows grease and particle buildup on your walls and ceiling. It draws heat away from the stove to keep your kitchen cooler — something you’ll be grateful for when the next big heatwave hits metro Los Angeles.
Why Installing a Range Hood Can Be Complicated
Many older homes in Los Angeles aren’t configured for range hood installation. Most hoods need ductwork, and they also need a power source.
Commercial range hoods are complex machines with advanced filtration systems and extensive ductwork. Experienced professionals must install them to the manufacturer’s specifications to work correctly and meet local building codes.
Chief’s Range Hood Repair & Replacement Service
A range hood may last 14 years or so, after which replacement is probably your best option. This is especially true in a commercial kitchen, where the hood endures heavy use for hours and days on end.
Signs that it’s time for repair or replacement include:
- The range hood isn’t working as effectively as it used to.
- The fan won’t turn on.
- You can see or smell grease and smoke in your kitchen, even when the stove is off.
- Excessive vibration or noise is coming from the range hood.
- You see evidence of water damage around the range hood.
If you’re experiencing problems with your kitchen ventilation, call us. The issue may lie with your range hood or HVAC system — and we can troubleshoot both!
We’ll give you an honest assessment and advise you on the best course of action.
Why Chief for Your Range Hood Installation & Repair?
West Coast Chief specializes in appliance repair. We don’t do anything else — just appliances and HVAC.
We’re better equipped than most repair companies to troubleshoot appliance problems, especially in a busy commercial kitchen. We’ve been installing and repairing appliances in the kitchens of greater Los Angeles since 1995! Almost without a break!
- We back every job with some of the best warranties in the business.
- All Chief technicians are licensed, certified, and experienced.
- They’re also friendly and professional. We’ll treat you and your business with the utmost respect.
- We don’t charge travel fees, and rates are always the same regardless of the day or time of day.
We understand that a broken range hood can stop your business in its tracks. That’s why we offer same-day service in many cases.
What to Expect from Chief
When you call us for hood installation or repair, here’s what you can expect:
- A licensed technician will arrive on time.
- The technician will assess the problem and give you a written estimate of the cost to repair or replace your range hood.
- If you need a hood replacement, the technician will review your options with you.
- If you approve, the technician will get to work right away
- The technician will clean up when finished.
- You’ll be invoiced for the work after it’s completed — no surprises!
Types of Range Hoods We Install & Repair
Most range hoods have three components:
- The collection hood
- The fan
- The filtration system
The collection hood gathers fumes while the fan drives air through the system.
The filtration system removes grease and other particulates.
Range hoods can be either vented or ventless; vented models release cleaned air to the outside, while non-vented models recirculate cleaned air back into the room.
Residential Range Hoods
- Under-cabinet range hoods mount directly to the bottom of kitchen cabinets and are typically vented to the outside.
- Wall-mount range hoods are another popular type. They’re well-suited for kitchens with high ceilings. As the name suggests, wall-mount range hoods attach directly to the wall above your stove.
- Island range hoods are designed for kitchens with island cooktops. These range hoods hang from the ceiling and are usually vented to the outside.
- Ventless range hoods don’t require any ductwork. They recirculate air back into the kitchen, so they’re not as effective at removing smoke, grease, and odors as vented range hoods.
- Downdraft range hoods are installed in a kitchen island, not above it, and pull air down into the filter.
Commercial Range Hoods
Small commercial kitchens use simple range hoods similar to residential units. In high-volume commercial kitchens, range hoods are much more complex.
They have several fans and filters and can be massive. They’re designed to remove large amounts of smoke, grease, and odors.
Airflow is critical in commercial kitchens; therefore, range hoods may connect to ductwork integrated into the HVAC system.
- Type 1 range hoods are designed for light commercial cooking applications, such as in a restaurant with a pizza oven or fryer.
- Type 2 range hoods can handle medium-duty cooking appliances, such as griddles and char broilers.
- Type 3 range hoods are made for heavy-duty cooking equipment, like ranges with multiple burners.
- Makeup air units bring fresh air into a commercial kitchen to replace the air exhausted by the range hood.
Turbo Swing Range Hoods
Turbo swing range hoods are a commercial type that’s becoming popular in residential kitchens.
They have a powerful fan mounted in the center of the hood. The fan pulls air through the filters and up into the hood, where it’s discharged to the outside.
The advantage of turbo swing range hoods is that they’re very effective at removing smoke, grease, and odors because they filter out finer particles. This advanced filtration also allows for heat energy recovery — heat that can be recirculated and not wasted out of the flue.
Cooking generates a lot of heat! Heat exchangers can collect it, but only if that heat is clean and not saturated with grease and grime.
Cyclone Hoods
Cyclone hoods are another commercial type that’s gaining popularity in residential kitchens.
They work by using centrifugal force to separate smoke and grease from the air. The heavier particulates fall into a grease trap, while the lighter smoke is discharged to the outside.
Cyclone hoods are very effective at removing smoke and grease, and they’re also quieter than other types of range hoods.
Ultraviolet Hoods
Ultraviolet hoods use UV light to kill bacteria and viruses. They’re effective at reducing bacteria and viruses, but they don’t do anything to remove smoke or grease.
High-end hood equipment uses UV technology with other filtration methods, like a cyclone. A cyclone hood removes particles like dust and dirt; then, the UV light breaks down grease, fat, and oil into smaller parts carried away with the exhaust.
The UV light also produces ozone, which helps break down the shorter molecular chains. A heat pump is often included in the process. The scrubbed air can be vented safely and unnoticed into a communal area.
Contact Us for Range Hood Installation & Repair
When it comes to range hood installation and repair, you want the job done right. That’s why you should contact West Coast Chief.
We’re experts in range hoods and can help you choose the right one for your kitchen. We also offer repair and maintenance services to keep your range hood in top condition. Call us today to learn more!