When asked whether there are hoods in the kitchen without an air duct, you can immediately answer – yes, there are. The pipe spoils the appearance of the kitchen and disrupts natural air circulation. After all, it has to be installed in a standard ventilation window, blocking its cross-section and reducing natural draft. The absence of an exhaust pipe will not negatively affect the air quality in the kitchen.
What types of household ventilation systems are there?
The essence of any ventilation is to supply fresh air from the street and remove exhaust air from the street. The word “street” in this context should be understood as a term denoting the space outside the walls of the apartment. On the streets of large cities, the street air is far from the concept of “fresh”, but still, with the distance from the asphalt surface in height, it will differ from the air in the apartment.
Experts distinguish ventilation systems by purpose and by the method of organizing airflow. According to the first sign, they are supply and exhaust; their task is to supply fresh air to the room. The old one will be replaced by it. Exhaust systems take care of removing old air, and new air will take its place. According to the second criterion, forced and natural ventilation systems are considered. Natural air movement occurs due to the difference in pressure indoors and outdoors. The air will move towards the low-pressure zone.
Ventilation systems can be called centralized and autonomous. The first type works on a common building ventilation pipe; each apartment has an entrance to this duct. Autonomous systems do not need this channel; they clean the air inside their ventilation device. These ventilation units operate without an exhaust pipe.
You need to know that ventilation pipes, both the common one and your own in the kitchen, become overgrown with debris over time, their cross-section decreases and the efficiency of ventilation decreases. This comfort indicator also drops when replacing wooden window frames with plastic ones. Wooden frames, due to all sorts of cracks, connected the room with the outside world, and there was, albeit a small, renewal of the air in the room.
Ventilation system without exhaust pipe
An autonomous hood without connecting the apartment to a common pipe is installed precisely when it is not possible to connect to this pipe. Such hoods are also called recirculation or coal hoods. This name corresponds to the principle of operation of the ventilation device. There are filters inside, including carbon filters. The air taken from the apartment goes through a filter system, is cleaned of dust and odors, and is returned to the same room. This is recycling. Such an autonomous hood is cheaper than a centralized one but is inferior to it in the efficiency of removing odors.
Recirculation models do not take air from the room; their quantity remains unchanged. Simply, polluted air is sucked into the device, undergoes filtration, and is returned in the same amount, but now clean. But the filter does not refresh the air, it only cleans it. Therefore, when installing an autonomous filter, it is advisable to regularly ventilate the room.
Possessing such a rather complex technical product, its owner must at least in general know its structure and understand the principle of operation. The air cleaner housing contains a 220V AC electric motor, and a fan “sits” on its shaft. The same housing contains carbon and grease filters.
There are models with two electric motors and two fans with one motor. When planning to make a new purchase, you need to inquire about the level of noise produced. This indicator depends on both the power of the device and the build quality of the mechanics. You also need to see if it is convenient to get to the filters when they need to be cleaned or replaced. The carbon filters themselves vary in shape, but they are always cassettes filled with activated carbon. There is also an anti-grease filter that catches drops and microparticles of fat rising along with the steam. These filters are a metal mesh that needs to be washed with warm water at intervals of 30–40 days. The technical characteristics of the device provide recommendations on the maximum volume of the room that the unit can effectively serve.
Modern models have different control systems – manual and remote. When purchasing a new hood, you need to look at the specifications, design, and brand. Very often, a promoted brand is charged a higher price, although its advantages are no higher than those of its neighbors. In the struggle for competitive advantages, companies equip their models with functions that they can do without increasing the price for them.
Conclusion
If there is not enough natural air exchange for the apartment, you have to install an electromechanical hood. In principle, it does not matter whether it will be with or without a pipe. Ventilation will still be a little more efficient with a pipe, and a little prettier without a pipe.
