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?

Although it is a desirable option, a regular kitchen cooktop does not need to be vented and exhausted to the outside. A downdraft cooktop and grill must be vented from the kitchen to the outside, following manufacturer's specifications.

What is a down draft?

Definition of downdraft

1 : a downward current of gas (such as air during a thunderstorm) 2 : decline sense 1 an economic downdraft.

How does a downdraft 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.

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.

What is a Down Draft Range?

Where does the downdraft vent go?

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 the cooktop, and the vents send the collected contaminated air to be filtered down below the countertop.

Are downdraft vents any good?

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.

Why do you need a downdraft range?

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 vent for a gas cooktop?

It is not safe to have a gas stove without a vent. Although they are not required in America, vent hoods are crucial to improving your indoor air quality. Since Americans today spend over 90% of their time indoors, venting out pollutants and cooking exhaust is all the more important.

Do you need a vent for an electric stove?

Electric stoves are low-powered and should need a ventilation output between 150 and 300 CFM. (Electric deep fryers should be treated as a gas stovetop.

Do you need a hood for a downdraft cooktop?

BENEFITS. 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 I need a downdraft on gas cooktop?

Some stoves come with built-in downdraft vents that rise up from the back or center of the cooktop when a burner is lit. Like updraft hoods, downdraft units must be vented to the outdoors or they are ineffective. On a gas stove, a malfunctioning downdraft vent can allow dangerous carbon monoxide to remain in the air.

Should I put my cooktop on the island?

Installing a range in your island gives you more counter and cabinet space along this perimeter, which can be useful for food preparation and storage. All-in-one cooking: Unlike a separate cooktop/wall oven configuration, kitchen islands with stoves allow you to complete multiple cooking tasks in a single space.

How do you vent a range without a hood?

Does an oven need a vent?

No, convection ovens do not require ventilation because they use a fan to circulate the air inside the oven to help food cook faster and more evenly. As long as your new oven is installed with the correct clearance recommended by the manufacturer, no extra venting is needed.

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.

What gas ranges have downdraft?

Do they still make downdraft cooktops?

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.

How effective are downdraft extractors?

Downdraft hoods need to work harder to make steam go in the other direction, so extraction rates do tend to be a bit lower. They tend to have 80-90% of the same extraction power, but do check to see.

How do you clean a downdraft vent?

Soap, water, and a soft cloth or sponge are suggested first unless otherwise noted. Wipe clean or wash in the sink: Use nonabrasive scrubbing pad and mildly abrasive cleanser. Rinse with clean water and dry with a soft, lint-free cloth. Dishwasher: Use mild detergent.

Do stoves need to be vented?

We sometimes have customers call in asking if they need a vent hood for their electric stove. The truth is that you should consider a vent for your electric stove. Even if you cook one or two times a week, a vent hood can be beneficial for you. It will clean your indoor air and improve your indoor air quality.

How do you vent a stove in an island?

Kitchen Island Upward Venting

Higher-end stove installations in kitchen islands often drape a hood over the stove, with the smoke being drawn straight up a vent and out of the house. Because smoke and steam rise, venting upward tends to be the best option from a functional standpoint.