Problems With Venting Grills
Grills singe and sear meats creating a ton of smoke. The average BTUs of better grills has increased as well up to 120,000 BTUs.
Together, heat and smoke create a problem for undersized hoods. Most of the time this is not an issue, because you open the grill when you are outside, and the smoke escapes into the atmosphere.
However, enclosing the grill and you have potential issues, especially in a three season porch or even in the house itself with a small pro grill.
Your Patio Is Often Smoky And Its Difficult To Keep The Surfaces And Appliances Clean
If you have had problems in the past keeping your backyard patio clean, invest in a BBQ vent hood. Your new range hood from Proline will pack plenty of power to do the job.
Without a backyard hood, the grease and oil in the air will accumulate on your cooking space and grill. In enclosed patios, your appliances, walls, and ceiling will become dirty over time. A range hood in your backyard will save you time cleaning this space and keep your investment from getting damaged.
How To Maintain Your Outdoor Range Hood
We have several resources available to help you maintain your outdoor range hood. Feel free to browse them at the end of this section. Well emphasize some of the most important things to watch for to maintain your outdoor vent hood properly.
If you use your grill frequently, look inside your range hood at the filters every 2-3 weeks. If grease is building up, remove them and wash them in the dishwasher. Also, wipe down the outside of your hood with glass cleaner to keep it shiny and in good condition.
The most important thing to remember is to be consistent when cleaning your outdoor range hood.
While you can go a month to six weeks without cleaning your filters for an indoor hood , you likely wont be able to go that long without cleaning them for an outdoor hood especially if you cook greasy foods frequently.
Take a few minutes and make a quick schedule or set calendar notifications every 2-4 weeks depending on your cooking style.
For more resources on how to clean your range hood, check out the links below:
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How Do I Convert My Vent Hood From Indoor To Outdoor
Unfortunately, you cant convert a hood from indoor to outdoor use. Outdoor hoods, unlike indoor hoods, are manufactured in a more durable outdoor-rated stainless steel to handle the intense heat and fumes of your grill.
If youre looking for an outdoor range hood, aim for 1200+ CFM, mount it 36-42 away from the cooktop, and be sure it extends 6 past your range on each side.
Use An Appropriately Sized Duct
When considering the power your vent hood should have, youll need to examine your grills BTU output. The general rule is that for every 10,000 BTUs, your vent hood should pull a minimum of 100 CFM .
For a vent hood pulling400 CFM, the minimum duct size will be 4. If you have a larger vent hood capable of 1,200 CFM, you need a large duct that is, at minimum, 10 in diameter. Ideally, most outdoor vent hoods should be rated for 1,200+ CFM.
Its critical to ensure that the duct size you use is appropriate for the vent hoods CFM otherwise, your vent hood cannot operate at its maximum efficiency level.
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Choose Between A Ducted Or Ductless Hood
There are two main types of exhaust hoods, either ducted or ductless. Ducted hoods have conduits that take the smoke away from your kitchen. Usually, these are installed indoors, but they are also useful on outside grills.
Ductless hoods work with filters that clean and recirculate the air back into the kitchen. When building a DIY outdoor grill vent hood, it makes more sense to simply use a ducted hood to take the fumes away from your grilling space. Since your grill is already outside, its more efficient to do a bit of extra work and use a ducted hood.
How To Vent An Outdoor Grill
Steve Sheinkopf | March 12, 2019 | 3 Min. Read
Start finding answers in our Resource Center full of videos, buying guides, and checklists
Love this room, but will it vent?
Imagine you are finishing your three-season porch, and the idea pops into your head. Why not place a grill on the countertop? You are still mostly outside yet protected from the elements.
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Bbq Vent Hood Sizing Guide
Ive emphasized CFM so much throughout this article that you may still be wondering: what size hood do I need for my backyard? Good question! The recommended size for BBQ hoods is different from indoor hoods.
Your BBQ vent hood should have six extra inches of space beyond the range top on each side. For example, if you have a 36 range or grill, youll want a 48 range hood. Why so large?
Well, the extra coverage drastically increases the amount of air that your range hood can pull. If you dont have adequate coverage, the smoke and grease will escape into the surrounding area.
Take a look at our outdoor range hood sizing table below.
| Range Width |
Also, browse our products on this page.
Keep That Smoke From Clouding Your Patio Area
One of the quickest ways to spoil a nice weekend afternoon in the backyard is to have a bunch of smoke accumulate in your lanai or on your patio. Youre trying to cook a delicious lunch for the entire family, but the smoke from your grill keeps clouding the area. With the right outdoor venting hood, you can avoid this issue easily.
Choosing a hood for your outdoor kitchen can be difficult, especially if you dont know what youre looking for. The professionals at The Outdoor Appliance Store can help you make not only a cost-efficient selection, but also the right one based on the grill and features you have in your outdoor kitchen.
There are outdoor range hoods that are made specifically to go above your outdoor grill of choice. Keep the following recommendations in mind when making a selection:
Does your hood need additional modifications? Such as enclosing a nearby opening or creating a buffer to the outside elements? Having a powerful fan is very important. We usually recommend nothing lower than 1200 cubic feet per minute . The hood should be larger than the grill youve chosen so that it can catch the smoke a little easier. Always follow the manufacturers recommendations on proper venting size.
At The Outdoor Appliance Store, we want to make sure every customer finds the perfect options for his or her new outdoor kitchen. If you need a new vent hood so that your backyard cookouts dont get too smoky, shop with us today!
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How To Install Your Outdoor Vent Hood
The installation process for outdoor vent hoods is the same as indoor hoods. Youll just want to be mindful of the location of your hood because you need to make sure that you have room to vent the air away from your range or where people will gather.
You may be wondering: why would I need to pull air to the outside when its already outside?
Think about it this way if you are hosting a party, or even having dinner with your family outside, you dont want all that smoke and grease sitting in the air. Youll want to enjoy clean air.
Your ductwork will filter the air to another space outside your home where youre not cooking and relaxing.It also keeps those same chemicals from staining your home or outdoor kitchen. Cooking exhaust damages and prematurely ages the surfaces it builds up on. An outdoor hood will keep your ceilings, walls, and other appliances free of this damage.
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It seems that every appliance review has nothing but glowing comments about almost every product, yet you read customer reviews and they are almost universally bad.
We are here to fill in the disconnect. We’ll give you the best features, and the drawbacks as well, including reliability based on over 37,000 calls performed by our service team just last year. Our goal is to give you ALL the information so you know what’s right for you.
Please consider subscribing or adding to the conversation in the comments below. We appreciate you stopping by.
Steve Sheinkopf
Steve is the third-generation CEO of Yale and a lifelong Bostonian. He currently resides in Boston, one mile from where he was born. Despite being one of the worst goalies of all time, he is a huge hockey fan of college hockey and the Boston Bruins. The love of his life is his daughter Sophie.
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Stainless Steel Outdoor Bbq Hoods
Trade-Wind® outdoor BBQ hoods come in various sizes and styles to fit your dream outdoor kitchen. When choosing an outdoor BBQ vent hood, it is important to consider the size of your grill, the location of your grill, and the amount of ventilation you need. We offer the widest selection of sizes in 304-grade stainless steel vent hoods that will enhance your outdoor oasis.
High Performance At An Affordable Price
The last thing you want when youre grilling is to have a bunch of smoke accumulating in your lanai or back porch, clouding your grilling experience and impacting your guests enjoyment of your backyard. Choosing a vent hood for your outdoor kitchen can be difficult. Especially if you dont know what to look for. You may need to speak to a professional to help you make not only a cost-efficient selection, but also the right one based on the grill and features you have in your outdoor kitchen. Outdoor vent hoods can make all the difference.
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There Are Outdoor Vent Hoods Out On The Market Made Specifically To Go Above Your Grill Of Choice Keep The Following Recommendations In Mind When Making A Selection:
- Determine if your hood location needs additional modification such as enclosing a nearby opening or creating a buffer to the outside elements.
- Having a powerful fan is very important, so we usually recommend nothing lower than 1200 CFM.
- The hood should be larger than the grill you’ve chosen to be able to “catch” the smoke a little easier.
- Be sure to follow the manufacturers recommendations on proper venting size.
If you are replacing an existing hood, make sure the venting that exists is as specified by the outdoor vent hood manufacturer. Also, check that the roof vent cover is sized correctly to receive the new venting. You dont want your outdoor grill hood to underperform because of small venting. The bottom of your venting hood should not exceed 36″ above the countertop. If the hood is placed any lower, you may hit your head on the corner, and if it is placed any higher, the slightest breeze could affect the ventilation hoods performance .
Do Not Overlook Outdoor Kitchen Ventilation
When your grilling setup is used under an enclosed or even semi-enclosed overhead structure, it is advisable to install a vent hood to control the grease and smoke. A vent hood can also help to control smoke that may otherwise reach other zones of your outdoor kitchen, disturbing your guests.
Apart from avoiding smoke build-up, continuous grilling on a cooking appliance that is installed against an exterior wall will produce streaking and marks on the wall from the smoke if not vented properly.
Also, natural gas and propane-fueled grills need to be properly ventilated to ensure that there is enough air for combustion and to dilute the products of combustion to a safe level.
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You Plan To Host Large Parties Socials Or Barbecues
Youre not the only one who will use your patio space. A range hood in your backyard will keep your air fresh and your guests happy.
If you want your backyard to be a place to enjoy delicious food and socialize with friends, then you need to ensure that it is a healthy environment for everyone. Who knows? You may have guests with breathing problems such as asthma or a history of lung complications and smoke and other contaminants will not do them any favors.
A backyard hood is especially important if your kitchen is in a small or enclosed area. Smoke can build up quickly in smaller spaces, so its imperative that you purchase a range hood to keep that space clean.
So You Think You Need An Outdoor Vent Hood
Maybe you do.
Maybe you dont.
Heres the truth.
In the State of Florida there are ZERO building codes regarding residential or commercial vent hoods for outdoor grills. Theres many out there that will cite you a particular state building code and tell you that you must have an outdoor rated vent over your grill. The code they are citing you is a commercial building code referencing only to commercial kitchens where the at large public is at a safety risk. Other competitors will tell you that a vent hood will help in case of a fire. Hog wash! Fire loves moving wind because it loves oxygen. They just want the upsell. However, some municipalities do require outdoor vent hoods over built-in BBQ grills. We’re going to do our best to well, actually try to talk you out of it. Outdoor vent hoods can easily become budget busters and there can be many other things that would bring much greater joy to your life.
Now ask yourself, do I need an outdoor vent hood for my grill?
Your answer must still be,
Maybe I do, maybe I dont?
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Choose The Right Hood Size
When building a DIY outdoor grill vent hood, ensure you are taking proper sizing into consideration. Its important that the hood covers a sufficient area on top of the grill. Its recommended that the range should be at least 12 larger than your grill. For example, if the range of your grill is 48, the range of the hood should be 60.
A ventilation hood that is smaller than the grill or the same size wont work. The smoke will escape and stick to the surfaces of your outdoor grilling area.
Whats Your Kitchen Setup
Maybe you want to cover a grill and a green egg we see this combination a lot in outdoor kitchens at Proline. In that case, youll definitely want a 48 or larger hood. Or perhaps you want to purchase two vent hoods because you own two grills.
Because of the sheer size of grills and the additional space that you have available in outdoor kitchens, larger hoods and double hoods are more common. So, consider this: what setup do you want in your outdoor kitchen?
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Outdoor Vent Hood Options
Wall Mount Vent Hoods
Also known as wall mount chimneys, this is the most popular vent hood option. Attached directly to the wall, this style of hood extends out over your grill.
Island Mount Vent Hoods
Island mount vent hoods are appended to the roof and are designed to be used in spaces where there is not a wall to attach the hood.
Benefits Of Zline Range Hoods
Often the center attraction of a kitchen, ZLINE Range Hoods can add surprising value to your property, by providing both an impressive, aesthetic look to your home, excellent ventilation, and additional kitchen lighting.
We recommend hoods be placed a minimum of 36 inches above the cooktop. A hood’s width should be equal to the range top or up to 6 inches wider, according to personal preference. There are multiple benefits to ZLINE hoods:
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Air Circulation and Air Quality: A kitchen can get extremely hot while cooking. ZLINE hoods are designed to move air away from the kitchen, clearing unwanted particulates. The right type of hood can improve the efficiency of your ventilation system and remove the odors that come naturally with cooking. With a ZLINE hood, the cooler the kitchen will feel, and the better it will smell.
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Improved real estate value: Buyers pay more for a kitchen with a professional hood. Are you looking for an upgrade to your kitchen that boosts your homes real estate value, whether real or perceived? Many buyers find ZLINE range hoods to be an indicator that sellers took their kitchen revitalization seriously.
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Better-looking: Our hoods are designed to be aesthetically pleasingand help ensure a cleaner food preparation area. Cleaning grease stuck to surfaces around your kitchen can be a difficult process. With the right wood vent hood, youll have fewer oil droplets hanging in the air.
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How To Choose A Vent Hood
Look out for a fan of no less than 1200 CFM. CFM is a measurement of blower speed. In other words, it indicates how much air a fan moves.
The vent hood should be larger than the grill so it handles the smoke better. We recommend going approximately 6 8 larger than your grill head to make sure all of the smoke is being caught, thus reducing smoke buildup in the area.
Overall, venting your outdoor grill will improve the airflow in your covered patio, keep you from setting the roof on fire, and remove excess smoke, grease, and heat from your outdoor kitchen.
Whether you need a vent hood or a high-end grill for your outdoor kitchen in Colorado, Hi-Tech Appliance has the best cooking appliances and parts in the area. Please browse our website to learn more about our outdoor kitchen products and major kitchen appliances.
