Proper ventilation and air flow are important for any room, and they are particularly important in rooms with a lot of activity, moisture, temperature changes, and more. With all of the appliances and activity in the kitchen, having enough ventilation and the right types of it you need are essential. Here are a few ways to improve kitchen ventilation:

1. Use The Range Hood

Heavy use of the oven and stove can create a lot of heat, steam, and moisture in your kitchen. Depending on what you’re making and how much, it can even become difficult to see what you’re doing if you don’t have the right ventilation.

The range hood is a small kitchen detail that can make a big difference. Not only does a good extractor hood provide ventilation where you need it, but it can also enhance the look and feel of your kitchen. Decorative range hoods, custom range hoods, and more can add interesting visual details to your kitchen while providing necessary function as well.

Make sure your range hood also has the corresponding exhaust fan and ductwork (or is a ductless exhaust hood) to create the exhaust system you need for proper kitchen ventilation. If your kitchen is missing any of these things, or they are outdated or no longer working well, replacing or upgrading is a way to update your kitchen that improves the look, feel, function, and ventilation.

2. Clean The Exhaust Fan Filters

Using the range hood is the most common way to improve kitchen ventilation, but it’s also important to make sure you are cleaning the filters regularly. Clogged or dirty filters can make your exhaust hood work harder and less efficiently. By cleaning filters regularly, you can keep your range hood working in top condition and providing the ventilation you need in your kitchen.

3. Open the Windows

If you are cooking or baking and having to deal with steam, smoke, or strong smells, opening the windows can be a great way to instantly improve air flow and provide extra ventilation. In addition to natural light, opening a window also lets fresh air in and automatically creates more circulation in the kitchen.

Depending on the temperature and weather outside, you can also use kitchen windows to help with temperature control inside the kitchen. This is why making sure you have the proper light and the right windows is an essential kitchen remodeling tip.

4. Add, Replace, or Upgrade Kitchen Windows

Lighting, windows, ventilation, and more are all things to consider when remodeling a kitchen. Even if you’re not planning to remodel your kitchen, it’s important for all of these things to be right. You could be happy with your current kitchen, but still need to do something about the windows.

If you don’t have windows in the right place or the current windows aren’t what you need, consider adding windows, replacing windows that are outdated or damaged, or upgrading your current windows to bigger windows or different types of windows that work better for you.

There are several kitchen window styles to choose from. Double-hung windows are some of the most popular, but other types of windows also work well in kitchens. Siding windows, garden windows, bay windows, bow windows, picture windows, and more can all be a great fit for kitchens.

5. Use a Splatter Screen When Cooking

Most range hoods come equipped with some sort of splatter screen built in to help protect the surfaces, fans, and filters. You can also use one with your cookware when you’re cooking. Although a splatter screen is mostly for keeping liquid or food contained in cookware and reducing mess on surrounding surfaces, it can also supplement other ventilation methods.

When cooking on the stove, splatter screens can help reduce the splatter of grease and other food particles that can gunk up your exhaust fan filter. Not only does this help keep your exhaust fan clean and working efficiently, but it can also mean that you can stick to a lower fan setting and still get the ventilation you need.

6. Use an Air Purifier

If you want to improve air quality in addition to ventilation in your kitchen, you can consider adding an air purifier. There are plenty of portable options available that you can bring in and use when you need it.

Air purifiers equipped with HEPA filters can remove 99.97% of harmful air particles and any particles that are 0.3 microns in size, including dust, pollen, mold, bacteria, etc. If you’re prone to allergies and want to use the windows for ventilation in warmer weather, an air purifier can help cut down on the amount of allergens you’re exposed to.

7. Remodel the Kitchen

Ignoring proper ventilation is one of the common kitchen remodeling mistakes to avoid. If your kitchen doesn’t have enough ventilation or the right types of it where you need it, there may be minor fixes you can do to improve it.

However, if you’ve already done what you can to improve kitchen ventilation and there are other things that aren’t working about your kitchen, it may make sense to explore a kitchen remodel. In addition to fixing ventilation issues, you can also get other benefits of kitchen remodeling, like increased home value.

Not only can you ensure you have the right ventilation, but you can also explore kitchen remodeling trends, rework your kitchen to have a better layout, improved flow, and the features you need where you need them. You can make sure your new kitchen provides what you want and need.

Remodel Your Kitchen With Zephyr Thomas

These are just a few ways to improve kitchen ventilation. If your kitchen just isn’t working for you anymore, this is a big sign that it’s time to remodel your kitchen. Remodeling your kitchen allows you to rework the layout, storage, counters, floor, etc. to get the kitchen you want and need.

Whether making some general updates for a refresh or overhauling everything with a complete kitchen renovation, Zephyr Thomas can help! Give us a call at 717-399-4708 to schedule a free estimate for your new kitchen.