Exhaust system in kitchen

A proper exhaust system is very essential in kitchens to ensure that they are odour free and grease free. Also gas cook tops add three unwelcome gases to the environment,these gases are carbon dioxide,carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide. It is necessary to get rid of these from the air in the kitchen for a safer and fresher kitchen.

Kitchen ventilation falls into two categories –updraft and the downdraft. The updraft system is installed directly over the cooking surface in the form of a vent or an exhausting hood. This may be installed along a wall or over an island as per the layout of the cook top in a particular kitchen. The updraft system is housed in the vent hood and it gathers contaminated vapours that rise during the cooking process. The contaminated vapours are then blown out using a blower that further pushes them through a series of ducts. The downdraft systems on the other hand are integrated into the surface of some cooking ranges and cook tops. These function by pulling dirty air across the cooking plane and through an exhaust duct that leads outside the home.

For both the updraft and downdraft systems to function at their best it is essential that the width of the updraft and downdraft systems should be the same width as the cooking surface. For instance if you have a cook top that is 30 inch wide,then the downdraft hood or vent should be at least 30 inch wide. However it is recommended that an extra six inch width is essential i.e. a three inch on either side. If the hood or vent is on an island cook top it would need a more powerful motor compared to a vent or hood over a cook top along a wall,since cross currents of air move heat and pollutants in multiple direction. Therefore making the process of air suction more tedious. In a house or apartment having up to three rooms and possibly an open kitchen,a chimney having a suction power of 500 meter cube per hour is required. In a bigger apartment with more than four rooms a chimney having a suction power between 650 meter cube per hour and 1000 meter cube per hour would ideally be required.

In terms of finishes stainless steel hoods in kitchen ventilation systems are the most popular. However,decorative as well as custom made hoods are also an option. As far as the filters are concerned there are two options available the conventional aluminium cassette filters and the baffle filters. The aluminium filters are better in the long run,since they are cheaper and low on maintenance. They are required to be cleaned with soapy water every 15 to 30 days. Also they last up to 3 years.

With summer approaching and the increasing number of power cuts,please guide us on how we can save power so that our electricity bill comes down.

Rita Nangia,Delhi

The question you are asking me pertains to a very relevant issue of power conservation,since scenario power shortages and interruptions are a routine affair in Delhi. Reducing wastage is the cheapest,easiest and quickest way of mitigating the problem. Keeping in mind the following simple tips can make a very big difference to the electricity consumption in the house. Switch off lights,fans etc. when exiting a room and turn off appliances when not in use. Switch to lower wattage lights wherever possible,in fact use compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) instead of regular incandescent bulbs. CFLS are energy efficient and use two thirds less energy compared to incandescent bulbs. They give out fewer emissions and last 15 to 20 times longer than regular light bulbs. The only deterrent is the high initial cost which pays for itself in the long run. Use Light Emitting Diodes (LED) instead of Halogen Lighting. LEDs require less power,last much longer and don’t emit much heat. Dimmers can also be used with light switches to vary output based on requirement. Task lighting should be used wherever required as it focuses on the area to be lit instead of lighting the whole room. Lighter colour lampshades should be used where more light is required. Light bulbs should be regularly dusted and cleaned with a damp cloth as dust and grease reduce the light output. Lastly use natural light as much as you can. Now let us talk about conservation of electricity while using various home appliances. While using air conditioners set the thermostat at the optimum temperature as recommended by the manufacturer. The air conditioner would work more efficiently at this temperature and every degree below this increase the cost substantially. Clean the filters of the air conditioner regularly for efficient cooling. While using refrigerators and freezers keep the thermostat at higher temperatures in winter and lower in summer. Clean the condenser coils of the refrigerator located at the back or the bottom of most models. Check the seal for openings and cracks as this leads to unnecessary wastage and leakage of energy. Regarding usage of washing machines use the cold cycle of water whenever possible and wash in full loads as it is more energy efficient. Switch off geysers when not in use. These small tips would go a long way in reducing the power consumption at your residence and that in turn will result in smaller power bills. l

The author is an architect

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