Is it mandatory to have a kitchen hood?

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November 11, 2024 - Updated at November 21, 2024
Tiziano B.
Guides
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Is your home missing a kitchen hood? Here’s what could happen to you and your home without this appliance.

Many people consider a kitchen hood as an optional, non-essential feature. However, it serves a purpose far beyond merely eliminating odors: it prevents moisture buildup, protects furniture from condensation, and ensures the quality of the air we breathe.

The kitchen hood, therefore, plays a vital role. But what if you don’t have one or it hasn’t been installed? Be aware that its absence can compromise the healthiness of your environment and affect the longevity of your kitchen. Keep reading to understand the potential consequences of this choice and whether it’s truly possible to live without a kitchen hood.

The Importance of a Kitchen Hood for Ventilation: Health and Comfort

The kitchen hood plays a fundamental role in ensuring proper ventilation, improving both air quality and living comfort.

When you cook, fumes, vapors, and grease particles are released into the air, and the hood's task is to extract them, effectively purifying the environment. Without a hood, these particles remain suspended and settle on surfaces, leading to long-term hygiene and health issues.

Cooking emissions come from various sources:

Grease: Vaporized during frying or high-temperature cooking, it spreads through the air and forms a film that deposits on furniture and walls.
Combustion fumes: Gas cooktops release potentially toxic fumes, such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide, which are harmful to health.
Odors: Foods release unpleasant smells that, if not extracted, accumulate and spread beyond the kitchen into other rooms.
Water vapor: Cooking generates moisture, which, without proper ventilation, turns into condensation, contributing to mold growth and surface damage.
Burnt food particles: High-temperature cooking, especially on electric or induction cooktops, can produce tiny particles from food combustion that linger in the air.

Without an adequate ventilation system, the buildup of harmful substances and increased humidity can make the air unhealthy and the environment less comfortable, exposing you to potential long-term health risks. Let’s explore these risks in detail.

What Risks Do You Face Without a Kitchen Hood?

The negative impact on health is one of the most dangerous consequences of not having a kitchen hood. As mentioned earlier, cooking releases fumes that may contain harmful substances such as carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), formaldehyde, and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). If these fumes are not properly removed, they can lead to:

Respiratory issues: Regularly breathing air filled with fumes can cause respiratory irritation, nausea, headaches, or worsen pre-existing conditions like asthma. These problems are linked to:
- Inhalation of toxic fumes: Gas cooktops release ultrafine harmful substances during combustion.
- Exposure to carcinogens: Cooking, frying, and grilling at high temperatures can produce potentially carcinogenic substances like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines.
Buildup of pollutants: Fine grease particles and fumes can degrade indoor air quality and promote the proliferation of allergens.

An efficient extraction and/or filtration system is therefore essential to prevent these substances from lingering in the air and causing discomfort to both household members and guests.

What Damage Can the Absence of a Kitchen Hood Cause to Your Kitchen?

The lack of a hood affects not only health but also the environment, damaging your kitchen's furniture and surfaces. Here’s how:

Grease buildup: Kitchen surfaces, including cabinets and walls, accumulate grease residues over time, which become increasingly difficult to clean. These residues can seep into materials, shortening their lifespan and accelerating wear.
Mold formation: Without proper ventilation, cooking-related humidity leads to condensation, which, over time, encourages mold growth.
Damage to furniture: Steam and fumes can damage kitchen furniture, causing warping, discoloration, and premature wear and tear.

Don’t risk jeopardizing your home! Implement solutions to protect your furniture and ensure good air quality. Let me explain more below.

Are There Alternative Solutions to a Kitchen Hood?

If you’re in a situation where, for various reasons, you cannot install a kitchen hood, there are alternative solutions to improve your kitchen’s ventilation and ensure a healthier environment. Here are some options to consider:

Window or ceiling fans: These devices can help partially remove fumes and vapors, although they’re not as effective as a hood.
Opening windows: Keeping windows open during and after cooking is a good practice, but it’s not always feasible (e.g., in winter).
Air purifiers: These devices filter the air by removing suspended particles but are not effective against grease and humidity.
Cooktops with integrated ventilation: Some cooktop models are equipped with built-in ventilation systems that extract fumes and odors directly from the cooktop, serving as a substitute for a traditional hood.

These are just a few options to maintain a healthy and comfortable kitchen, even without a conventional hood.

Italian Regulations and Requirements Regarding Kitchen Hoods

If your home lacks a kitchen hood, be aware that this could pose a legal issue under Italian law.

There are specific regulations governing the installation of kitchen hoods, depending on the type of home and cooking system.

The key reference is the UNI 7129/2015 standard, which updates the 2008 regulations on extractor hoods, aligning them with new European rules regarding installation and materials.

According to the standard, a kitchen hood is mandatory when using a gas cooktop, provided it is connected to a dedicated flue (with a diameter between 120 mm and 150 mm).

For electric or induction cooktops, the installation of an extractor hood is not mandatory, but it is strongly recommended. In apartment buildings, the use of an extractor hood with a non-return valve is advised to prevent fumes from other kitchens from entering your apartment.

The regulations also stipulate:

The hood must be installed 65–90 cm above the cooktop.
It must be connected to the electrical system via a switch, allowing it to be disconnected when necessary (e.g., during cleaning).
The hood’s extraction capacity must equal at least six times the volume of the room where it’s located.

No External Ventilation System? Try a Recirculating Hood

Recirculating hoods, also known as filtering hoods, don’t require an external duct. They use activated carbon filters to purify the air, which is then recirculated back into the room. In the absence of a flue, this filtration system is an ideal solution for maintaining a safe and healthy environment.

However, even with this type of hood, Italian regulations still require a natural ventilation system with permanent openings to the outside. This is necessary because, while filtering hoods purify the air, they do not completely remove the humidity and fumes generated by gas combustion.

Source: Elica

Recap: When Is a Kitchen Hood Necessary?

Installing a kitchen hood is not just a matter of convenience—it’s a necessity. Here’s a summary of the main situations where having a hood is highly recommended:

Gas cooktops: As mentioned earlier, this is mandatory under Italian regulations. Gas produces more fumes and residues compared to electric or induction cooktops, making an efficient ventilation system essential.
Enclosed spaces and small kitchens: In tight spaces, fumes and odors can accumulate quickly. A hood helps prevent the buildup of humidity and unpleasant smells.
Frequent cooking: If you cook regularly, a hood is indispensable for improving air quality in your home.

These are the three main scenarios where a kitchen hood truly makes a difference. Alternatively, consider the solutions we’ve discussed earlier.

Choose Filtro Cappa for Your Hood Filters and Spare Parts

If you’ve decided to purchase a kitchen hood, after selecting the model that best suits your needs, you’ll also need filters and spare parts compatible with your appliance on a regular basis.

Filtro Cappa provides top-quality filters and spare parts, along with fast and reliable online support via email or WhatsApp in case of breakdowns or malfunctions. Remember, your hood requires regular maintenance, which includes not only cleaning but also replacing old, worn-out parts that are no longer functioning effectively. This will keep your hood in perfect working condition and ensure its efficiency, benefiting your safety.

We also offer replacement parts for older hood models and specialized support services. Reach out to us on WhatsApp or via email—we’ll respond as quickly as possible!

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