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What's the best way to clean the surface of my hood?
Stainless steel hoods should be washed regularly with a clean cloth, warm water and mild soap or dish detergent. Clean in the direction of the polish lines. Rinse well with clear water and wipe dry immediately. You may wish to apply light oil used for furniture polishing to emphasize its bright finish.
Wiping regularly with mild soap/detergent and warm water should protect painted hood surfaces. Be cautious about using "New and Improved" cleaning agents. Your hood is installed over hot cooking equipment. Most chemicals found in cleaning agents react with heat to loosen paint.
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How often should I clean my filters?
The aluminum mesh grease filters should be washed in your dishwasher approximately every month depending on the amount of usage. Wash often if your cooking style generates greater grease like frying foods or wok cooking. You cannot clean the non-ducted carbon filters; they must be replaced.
Baffle filters, which are used in professional style range hoods products, are designed to operate longer in high grease conditions without loss of performance. Generally, these need to be cleaned with soap and water whenever the surfaces become unsightly.
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How often should the non-ducted range hood filters be replaced?
It depends on the frequency and type of cooking that is performed. Normally, every three to six months is recommended for replacing the charcoal filters. Some charcoal filters are designed with an indicator mechanism that will change color as a signal to replace the filter.
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Can I replace an Over The Range Microwave with a Range Hood?
Yes. Whether your current OTR is non-ducted or ducted, we offer a complete line of range hoods to effectively ventilate your cooking area.
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Which is better, ducted or non-ducted?
Range hoods should be ducted to the outside of the home. While non-ducted filters trap some of the grease and odors from normal cooking, the humidity, smoke and heat will all be re-circulated back into the home. If the non-ducted filters are not regularly replaced, eventually the grease and odor catching effect will no longer protect your home from impurities.
High BTU gas cooking equipment should always be ducted to the outside of the home. If this is impossible, high performance convertible hoods and filters are available in some models. Contact the Technical Support Group.
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What type of duct is best for venting a range hood?
Range hoods must be vented using metal duct. Given a choice between flexible metal duct and smooth metal duct, go with the smooth. The ridges found in flexible metal duct create turbulence and will diminish airflow.
- NEVER use 4" dryer duct or any plastic duct on a range hood installation. The minimum size duct allowed on most range hoods is 3 Ό" by 10" which is equivalent to 6" round. More powerful hoods require even larger duct sizes up to 10" round. Consult the specifications for the model you have chosen.
- When remodeling, changing hoods, or cooking equipment types, do not reduce the ductwork size to less than the size or specified for the range hood. Decreasing the duct size restricts the performance of the range hood ventilator.
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What do the CFM and Sone ratings mean?
CFM stands for Cubic Feet per Minute of exhausting air flow. The higher the number, the greater the amount of air that is exhausted using the Range Hood.
A Sone is an internationally recognized unit of loudness. Sones are a linear measure like inches. Doubling the Sone value is equivalent to doubling the loudness. To get a sense of what one Sone represents, one Sone is equivalent to the sound of a quiet refrigerator in a quiet kitchen. Typically, the Sone level is measured at maximum CFM (speed), however, some newer products are also being tested at normal CFM (speed) settings to provide consumers with typical sound level information.
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How much CFM do I need for my Range or Cook Top?
For conventional electric and gas ranges or cook tops, we offer a complete line of hoods that can fit your cooking needs with features you desire. For high output gas ranges or cook tops, the minimum rate of 1 CFM of ventilation per 100 BTU is recommended.
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What is the CFM and Sone rating on a non-ducted range hood?
There is no national standard for the measurement of CFM or Sones on a non-ducted hood because the air is not exhausted, it is re-circulated.
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How are range hoods ducted?
Hoods are ducted to the outdoors through metal ducting. The size required is determined by the model used and the distance that must be covered.
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What does the term convertible mean?
The term convertible refers to a hood that can be installed in different ducting modes. Typically a "convertible hood" can accommodate: ducted or non-ducted applications available at installation.
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How far can I run my ductwork to exhaust my hood?
For maximum performance keep the duct straight and short. Use the shortest route with the fewest turns possible. 45° turns are better than 90° turns. Be sure to use an external roof or wall cap. If in doubt, consult a qualified designer/installer knowledgeable in ventilation or contact the Technical Support Group.
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Can I exhaust my hood into my attic instead of out the roof or wall?
No. You should never exhaust air into spaces within walls, ceilings, attics, crawl spaces or garages. The humidity and grease collect in the space.
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Can I install an external ventilation fan or in-line fan to boost the performance of my hood ventilation equipment?
Do not install in-line or external fans to boost a hood that has it's own power unit. In general, attempting that type of "boost" will not be effective. Also, most cooking ventilation products are designed with fan switches matched to the original motor amp ratings and would not support the increased amp draw from additional motor installations. This type of tampering voids the original manufacturer's warranty. If you want a remote/extended fan, there are hood products made for that type of installation.
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How high should I mount my hood above my stove?
Most common installations require a range of 24" - 30" between the bottom of the hood and the top of the cook top. This will provide the best capture area for cooking impurities.
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Is a cabinet above the hood required to mount the product?
Some hood models are designed for mounting to the wall and do not require cabinet for mounting. Hoods designed for under cabinet applications need a cabinet or soffit above it.
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My ceiling height is much taller than most kitchens and I want my stove on an island. What do I do about ventilation?
- Drop-in cooking equipment can be vented with one of Best By Broan's Downdraft systems.
- Custom chimney extensions are available for Island hoods for up to 10' ceilings. Contact Technical Support Group if your ceiling is higher than 10'.
- Contact your local Retailer/Distributor or call the Technical Support Group
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Can I remove the hood controls and mount them remote from the hood?
Altering the product voids manufacturer's warranty. Check for models that already offer remote switch options.
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If I have a custom hood built for my kitchen, does Best provide protective liner for their hood inserts?
Yes. Best does provide a number of liners and blowers for custom hoods. See our Accessories and Built-In collection product pages for more details.
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Does Best build custom design hoods?
While we do not build custom hoods, Best provides a number of blower inserts designed to accommodate the ventilation needs of most cooking equipment.
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Can I use a downdraft with a slide-in stove?
There is no way to use downdrafts with stoves or built-in ovens. The units must only be installed with drop-in cooking equipment.
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What power units are available for custom range hoods?
Best offers four power modules. They are model numbers P195, PK22, PIK33 and PIK45.
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