What is a downdraft?
It's how many cubes of airflow through the vent in one minute. Downdrafts can vent quite a bit at 1500 CFM max. That is one small room of air per minute, every minute. Capture: Smoke is not expelled immediately after reaching your vent. It is captured, then vented. It's why you see huge hoods in the middle of restaurant kitchens.
Do downdrafts work well for smoke?
It will do absolutely nothing for smoke , odors and very little for grease. Many people spend thousands on venting hoods, and downdrafts, most do not work well for many reasons. Mainly incorrect sized blowers ,or too long duct runs, too small diameter ducting.
Why are downdrafts used in kitchen hoods?
Downdrafts became popular for a number of reasons. It is easier to vent a downdraft through the floor than a hood through the roof. Typically in construction, there is much easier access. Secondly, downdrafts look different than a larger hood aesthetically. You can see the whole kitchen.
What are the best uses of downdraft ventilation?
Best Uses. While downdraft vents aren’t the ideal ventilation system for all kitchens, they can be an effective solution for certain situations. For example, downdraft ventilation is often used when an overhead hood isn’t possible, such as in kitchens with cathedral ceilings, where the ductwork would be so long it wouldn’t be able to vent...
Are pop up vents effective?
Pop-up vents are particularly useful in kitchens with high ceilings, where a bulky range hood would be otherwise in the way. They provide more control of the design of your kitchen because they can be hidden when not in use, making the ventilation system a purely functional detail.
Do you really need a downdraft?
The first obvious benefit of having a downdraft range or cooktop is that you no longer need to install a hood above the stove. This not only frees up space for more cabinetry and storage, but allows you freedom of placement—especially with a cooktop.
Do stove down vents work?
In general, downdraft ranges get a lot of complaints because it's impossible for a downdraft's airflow to be as effective as traditional ventilation. For one thing, they can't move much air without extinguishing gas burners. As it stands, customers often complain of flickering flames when the fan is on.
Where does downdraft vent to?
Downdraft vents are usually either built into a cooktop or installed as an accessory to the cooktop that operates independently, often even telescoping up for use and back down when out of use. Overhead venting can either drop from the ceiling as its own unit or can attach to wall space above the cooktop.
How much does it cost to install a downdraft vent?
Downdraft range hoods pop up vertically behind your stove and usually cost $1,500 to $3,000 for materials and labor.
Do they still make downdraft stoves?
You are not alone. Jenn-Air and Kitchen Aid are the only brand that makes a downdraft range in electric, gas or dual fuel and only a few brands make a center downdraft cooktop.
Are downdraft hoods any good?
A ceiling extractor hood works great on low ceilings. A downdraft hood sits closer to your hob than any other type of extractor. If you have limited ceiling height, installing a downdraft is a perfect choice. Odour and smoke will be instantly sucked into the extractor as soon as it escapes from the pan.
What is a downdraft and who would need it?
A downdraft range or cooktop integrates the ventilation system directly into the cooking surface, eliminating the need for an overhead vent. These systems help capture smoke, steam, grease particles and odors at the cooking surface, pulling them down and out of the kitchen before they can escape into the air.
Do you need a downdraft with an electric cooktop?
While a range hood is best when cooking with fuels, it is still important to ventilate when using an electric cooktop—especially for those who cook regularly. But if a range hood does not fit in your kitchen, many companies now offer downdraft systems incorporated into the cooking surface.
Does a downdraft stove need to be vented to the outside?
Downdraft ranges have built-in vents between the burners, and suck smoke and steam through an exhaust pipe or filtration system. That means they don't need an external vent hood—a trait that makes them popular in open kitchens, and kitchens with cathedral ceilings.
How do you vent a kitchen without a hood?
10 Things to Do If You Don't Have a Range Hood or VentUse a window fan. ... Use a portable HEPA air filter. ... Use a fan in another room, like the bathroom. ... Get a grease splatter guard. ... Wipe down your kitchen cabinets frequently. ... If you paint your kitchen, use a satin or semi-gloss finish, or choose scrubbable paint.More items...•
Do you need a vent above a cooktop?
Yes. A range hood keeps cooking exhaust, chemicals, and smoke out of your kitchen. It improves your indoor air quality and streamlines your cooking experience. Depending on where you live, a range hood may be required by your building codes.
What is a downdraft and who would need it?
A downdraft range or cooktop integrates the ventilation system directly into the cooking surface, eliminating the need for an overhead vent. These systems help capture smoke, steam, grease particles and odors at the cooking surface, pulling them down and out of the kitchen before they can escape into the air.
Does a downdraft stove need to be vented to the outside?
Downdraft ranges have built-in vents between the burners, and suck smoke and steam through an exhaust pipe or filtration system. That means they don't need an external vent hood—a trait that makes them popular in open kitchens, and kitchens with cathedral ceilings.
Do you need a vent for a gas cooktop?
Generally, in the U.S., you don't have to vent a residential gas range to the outside. But, we recommend that you buy a range hood to vent contaminants from your gas range to outside your home. It will dramatically improve your indoor air quality and reduce the risk of long-term respiratory problems.
Do you need a range hood?
Yes. A range hood keeps cooking exhaust, chemicals, and smoke out of your kitchen. It improves your indoor air quality and streamlines your cooking experience. Depending on where you live, a range hood may be required by your building codes.
How does a downdraft work?
Where a range hood can work with physics and collect the hot air that rises, filter it, and expel heat out of the house, a downdraft has to work against the natural air flow to pull that hot air sideways, at an angle and down through the ductwork to pull it from the working area.
Why is it important to vent your kitchen?
Every chef knows the importance of proper airflow in the kitchen. Obnoxious smells can cloud the air and some cooking fumes are actually harmful. That’s why every kitchen should have some form of ventilation system near the cooking area directly. Venting or filtering your cooking area keeps the air fresher, and keeps surfaces and kitchen decor cleaner.
How to get the most out of a pop up vent?
To get the most out of a pop-up vent, there are a few common features and traits among the vents to be aware of before you buy. These tips will help you narrow down the best fit for your needs. Height - Check the height of your pots and pans before purchasing a downdraft vent. Whatever is released into the air above the level ...
What is the best way to keep the air fresh?
Venting or filtering your cooking area keeps the air fresher, and keeps surfaces and kitchen decor cleaner. The most common solution is the range hood, which pulls smoke, steam, grease, and food particles up from the stove top and outside through a vent. But the newest up and comer on the ventilation scene is the downdraft vent, ...
Why do we need pop up vents?
They provide more control of the design of your kitchen because they can be hidden when not in use, making the ventilation system a purely functional detail.
Where is the downdraft vent located?
The important and characteristic difference, however, is that downdraft vents are located behind the cooktop, rather than above it. They pull the air horizontally away from ...
What is LED lighting?
LED lighting - Many pop-up vents will now include LED lighting on their vents to help illuminate the cooking surface below. This feature is gaining popularity as low-cost LED becomes more common, and it can serve many purposes, from cooking prep to safety.
What is the advantage of central downdraft?
However, a central downdraft has one distinct advantage: Proximity to where the smoke is being generated. It also can be the last option (as it is in this kitchen), so it is far better than nothing. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.
Why does gravity work in the favor of a hood?
Gravity also works in the favor of a hood because smoke rises.
How does a downdraft vent work?
Downdraft vents work by pulling the air across the cooking surface and drawing smoke, steam and grease down through a filter and into a duct that carries it beneath the floor or along the cabinet kick space and outside your home. Downdraft vents are typically integrated into the surface of your cooktop, ...
What is downdraft vent?
While downdraft vents aren’t the ideal ventilation system for all kitchens, they can be an effective solution for certain situations. For example, downdraft ventilation is often used when an overhead hood isn’t possible, such as in kitchens with cathedral ceilings, where the ductwork would be so long it wouldn’t be able to vent effectively. They’re also useful in an island cooktop for homeowners who want to keep the kitchen open and not obstructed by a hood hanging from the ceiling. Downdraft vents are effective when used for grilling, frying, and other cooking applications where you use shallow pots and pans.
Why are downdraft vents so ineffective?
Because of their design, downdraft vents work harder than updraft systems to remove air, and are usually ineffective at drawing steam, odors and smoke from burners that are farthest away, and from tall stockpots. Steam and hot air produced by cooking typically rises, and a downdraft system essentially fights the natural laws of physics.
How high do downdraft vents go?
Downdraft systems are a venting option that allows you to keep the vent out of view. They pop up only when in use, rising about 8 to 10 inches above the top of the cooking surface, although some models may rise slightly higher than this. In some cooktop models, the vent is integrated into the surface of the cooktop near ...
What is downdraft on a stove?
Downdrafts are a separate item in the back of your cooktop or (heaven forbid) your range. You typically buy them as one piece from 370-600 CFM.
Which is better, ducting or downdraft?
Duct Run: The best ducting follows gravity and where the smoke is naturally headed. So straight up is best. Short horizontal runs of the straight back are ok as well. Downdrafts, however, direct the smoke down against gravity and then transition with an elbow reducing static flow. Most downdrafts are longer runs as well.
Where does JennAir downdraft come from?
JennAir imports their downdraft from Italy. It is a beautiful, stylish piece but is also over $8499.
Is downdraft a good idea?
Downdrafts seem like a good idea but are the by-products of a poorly designed kitchen or as a last resort option only, like a replacement.
Does Thermador downdraft have a recirculating option?
Thermador's downdraft is the only unit with a recirculating option (which is nothing to brag about. It's even less effective).
Is an overhead hood better than a downdraft?
You do not want to vent a long way, but an overhead hood is way better than a downdraft.
Can high CFM downdrafts help vent?
However, your key takeaway is that high CFM downdrafts will not help vent if you like to cook.
Why are downdrafts so popular?
Downdrafts. Downdrafts became popular for a number of reasons. It is easier to vent a downdraft through the floor than a hood through the roof. Typically in construction, there is much easier access. Secondly, downdrafts look different than a larger hood aesthetically. You can see the whole kitchen. Let's look at a few.
How much power is needed for a downdraft?
CFM: The max power on a downdraft is 1,000 CFM versus 1,500-1,800 on an island hood. Most importantly, there is a huge difference in capture area. Smoke is first channeled, filtered and then exhausted. An island hood has plenty of capture area, but there is almost none in a downdraft.
What Would I Do?
I like downdrafts because I do not cook much and like sleek contemporary styling. I would ask how you normally cooked.
Can you use a downdraft on an island hood?
An island hood has plenty of capture area, but there is almost none in a downdraft. If you grill or wok, the downdraft will not be able to handle the smoke and grease. In fact, do NOT place a downdraft behind a professional cooktop or range.
What is a downdraft cooktop?
A downdraft cooktop is a stove or cooktop with a fan that sucks the fumes and smoke down through a pipe under the floor instead of having a hood that captures all the smoke. Downdraft cooktops do not have the extractor fan or cooking hood above the stovetop.
Can you use an extractor fan above a cooktop?
Since you do not have to deal with the hood or extractor fan above the cooktop, you can easily use it in an island unit or another unusual position, like under a wall cabinet. You do not have to make the necessary adjustments and installations to accommodate the hood. Continue reading below Our Video of the Day.
Is it easy to install a downdraft cooktop?
Con: Construction and Installation Concerns. Although it is quite easy to place a downdraft cooktop into your kitchen, there are several concerns you may need to address before purchasing one. This type of cooktop requires the air to be vented out of the house from a downward pipe.
Can a downdraft cooktop be used in a small kitchen?
If there is not enough airflow or air circulation in your kitchen, the downdraft cooktop may not work as hoped. You can end up with a kitchen filled with smoke or lingering food smell. However, if your kitchen is small but well-ventilated then a downdraft cooktop ...
Does a downdraft stove have an extractor fan?
Downdraft cooktops do not have the extractor fan or cooking hood above the stovetop. Instead, the downdraft fan of this cooktop sucks the smoke, steam, or fumes down through a tube and out through a vent.
Is a downdraft cooktop cheaper than a full hood?
Since the exhaust or the extraction system is already built-in, there is no need for extra work on the installation. The unit itself is quite inexpensive compared to a full hood cooktop version.
What is a downdraft in cooking?
A downdraft has the CFM but reverses the flow of the exhaust and then adds an elbow. However, the downdraft does not have one of the most important factors to ventilation - Capture. Capture is a fancy industry term for depth. Smoke, especially if you cook a lot, is never immediately exhausted.
How deep do you need to downdraft a range?
Now you can downdraft a range in theory. You will still need 27 inches in depth.
What happens if you vent right or left?
If right or left venting is a requirement, you will lose the adjacent cabinet for the mechanical components
Which way does the blower rotate on a front exhaust?
Front Exhaust With Blower Attached: The blower can rotate left, right, or downward.
Can you use an island hood instead of a downdraft?
Alternative Options. If you want a range or cooktop as part of your kitchen island, opt for an island hood instead of a downdraft. The island hoods are pretty nice. You can even enclose a blower with wood.
Is it better to vent horizontally or straight back?
Venting horizontally or straight back is also acceptable. Refrain from using elbows to redirect the ducting as best you can. They reduce the airflow and efficiency of the blower. You probably know a high CFM (cubic foot per minute) is better for exhausting air faster.
Do downdrafts have a capture area?
As much as you may dislike hoods, downdrafts lack the capture area to vent a range effectively.
What does "down" mean in a downdraft?
The "down" in "downdraft" simply means it's pulling the air downward and out instead of from above. I've only seen wall-mounted, island (both pulling air up and out) and conventional and telescopic downdraft (both pulling air down and out).
Can you fill a crawl space with moisture?
1. No, you cannot fill your crawlspace with moisture and smells! Moisture is what you're trying to get out of your house.
Is a downdraft hood the same as a backdraft hood?
For the record, and not to be obnoxious, technically these are not "Downdraft hoods". They are properly called "backdraft hoods". You can get a downdraft hood for a range (I actually have such a Jennaire), and they are not the same animal as a real pop up (or stationary) backdraft hood.
Is a downdraft a back draft?
Just for the record, it is most technically accurate to refer to these pop up vents as "Backdrafts" rather than "downdrafts". In the world of local exhaust ventilation engineering, this distinction is quite important. Down drafts don't work nearly as well for cooking, although I have to say my 30 year old Jennaire downdraft did the job 75% of the time. Also, our hood exhausts to our somewhat enclosed deck outback via the crawlspace, it works fine, but occasionally, when grilling and making a lot of smoke, the area does get a bit smokey.
Can you vent a dryer into a crawl space?
Most local codes prohibit venting of any exhaust fans or clothes dryers into crawl spaces or attic spaces, must terminate outdoors into open air.
Do two side walls minimize cross drafts?
Yes , that is exactly what I had pictured from what you had described. That set up has a big advantage over many types, in the fact that the two side walls minimize any cross drafts.
Does anybody LIKE the pop-up downdraft vents for stoves?
I've read a couple older posts regarding downdraft ranges and nobody seems to like them. I've been doing a lot of Googling for alternatives and the ceiling mount range hoods are amazing - but way out of my budget.
