The purchase criteria for a kitchen chimney are aesthetics, the noise it emits when operating and finally, performance. Manufacturers of kitchen chimneys compete in ingenuity, to the delight of households.

But the chimney still suffers from certain misconceptions. How to choose the right chimney, but also how to maintain it and use it well? Here are 5 misconceptions that you must get rid of to better understand the use of your kitchen chimney.

Misconception n ° 1: No need for a chimney, just open the window when I’m cooking!

FALSE – Opening the window will not be enough to evacuate odors and vapor releases, it will only create a draft. And we are only shifting the problem!

The advantage of having a best kitchen chimney is to remove odors and the release of steam from its hob thanks to the suction. We do not move the problem, we treat it. The air is:

• either filtered and then discharged to the outside: this is called an external exhaust chimney;
• either filtered and then rejected inside: this is called a recycling chimney. In this case, the filters must be cleaned or changed more regularly.

Today, there are also chimneys that not only filter the air coming from the hob, but all the air in the room. They then filter not only fats and odors, but also pollutants. They restore the ionic balance and the air, and thus significantly improve the quality of indoor air.

Misconception n ° 2: The best chimney is the one that sucks the hardest

FALSE – Not all chimneys are created equal. And above all, you have to choose the one that best suits your cuisine.

To know the most suitable power for your interior, a calculation is necessary: ​​you have to multiply the volume of your room by 10, which gives us roughly the necessary power. Then, to choose between two chimneys, it is necessary to compare the pulse / suction ratio of each: the closer the ratio is to 1, the more efficient the chimney.

The style or the noise emitted (in dbA) will guide your choice. Note that many advances have been made in recent years on noise reduction.

Misconception n ° 3: A kitchen chimney can be placed anywhere above the hob

FALSE – An efficient chimney is first of all a good installation and then a good use.

Indeed, there is no point in installing an extractor chimney with an exhaust pipe 15 meters long and comprising three elbows: “that will not work”, specify expert chimney manufacturers. This type of chimney does not require more than seven meters of duct and two elbows maximum. “Be careful to use the right duct diameters: for an 800 m3, the diameter must be at least 150 mm.”

To calculate at what height the chimney should be installed, aim at the highest point of the hob, and then follow the instructions to the letter from each manufacturer. As a general rule, the chimney should not be placed closer than 70 cm from the hob.

Misconception n ° 4: We turn on the chimney when we cook, and that’s it

FALSE – For your chimney to work optimally, it is necessary to create an air cycle.

So, turn on your chimney with windows closed, five minutes before you start cooking, at full power, then lower when cooking.

Finally, do not cut it right away once your plate is extinguished. Let it run for another 10 minutes afterwards, so that all the smells disappear. This is what the “timer” function is used for on several models!

Misconception n ° 5: A chimney consumes a lot!

FALSE – If this remark could have been true 10 years ago, it is no longer the case today, regulations oblige!

Switched on for a few minutes a day, the chimney consumes very little, if we compare it to its refrigerator or even to its hob. With the mandatory display of the energy label, indicating in particular the annual consumption of the appliance, you have crucial information that allows you to choose your chimney with full knowledge of the facts.

But to optimize the energy expended and the operation of your chimney, a few commonsense gestures are essential: do not block the ventilation exhaust grilles, LEDs, or compact fluorescent, and don’t forget to turn off the light if it is not needed!

On the maintenance side, the filters are dishwasher safe or changed regularly! When the grease filter light is on, do not wait. Ditto for the carbon filter which drives away bad odors: some models must be changed every 3 or four months; others are dishwasher safe and then revive by baking them at 200 ° C for 10 minutes every three months – note that these also change every 2 or 3 years.

Conclusion

To fully benefit from the advantages of a kitchen chimney, you must not only choose it well, but also install it well and above all use it well.