My
Broan Range Hood Has Weak Suction Power
Question from John Mayson – Over the past few
weeks, my kitchen Range Hood seems to
not have as much suction power as it used to. Do I need a whole new system, or
can I fix it myself?
My
kitchen has always been my pride and joy. It is the center for attention during
the holidays and gets used on a daily basis. Since my kitchen is one of the
most important places in my home, it is important that I keep it clean to
promote a healthy atmosphere. My most important tool in keeping my kitchen
clean is my range hood. My range hood simply vacuums up the hot air and smoke
emanating from my stove while cooking, which helps my kitchen stay fresh.
However, over the past few weeks, the suction power of my range hood has
decreased. It is no longer able to effectively remove all of the airborne filth
as it used to.
Do I
need to purchase an entire new unit? Or can I buy replacement parts? I am not
very mechanically inclined, so discovering the actual issue will be difficult.
I really like my existing range hood because the model fits my kitchen
perfectly, so I don’t want to purchase an entire new unit. I simply would like
to fix the issue to save money, but if I have to buy an entire new unit I will.
John, that is a perfect question that many readers
have. In my home, my range hood is what brings my kitchen’s décor together. It
took me several weeks to find the perfect range hood that made my kitchen feel
complete. I can definitely understand the attachment to your current range
hood. Luckily, range hoods are not very complicated and can be easily fixed.
The first step in fixing your range hood is to
identify which type of range hood you have. There are generally two types of
systems. The first system is a ducted range hood like this chimney range hood. This system takes in
the kitchen air, filters it through an aluminum filter, and then pushes it
through a duct that leads outside. The second system is a non-ducted under
cabinet range hood like the Broan 4142. This
system takes in the kitchen air, filters it through a charcoal filter, and then
releases it back into your kitchen. Identifying your style of system will help
narrow down the possible solutions to your problem.
Chimney Type And Exhaust Duct Systems
If your system is a chimney type, or one that sends the kitchen air through an exhaust duct, there are a few things that need to be checked. The first part of your system to check is the air filter. Since the main purpose of your range hood is to eliminate air pollution, the filter is prone to become overly saturated with grease and smoke residue. If your filter is overly saturated, this will greatly affect your systems ability to move the kitchen air. To quickly see if the problem is a bad filter, simply remove the filter and see if air movement greatly increases. If this solution does not fix your problem, then proceed to check the duct.
Often times, poor air movement can be caused by a
tear in the exhaust duct, or a block at the beginning or at the exit of the damper
flap. To remedy this issue, simply check the outside and inside damper flaps
for possible grease or residue buildup that would cause the flap to not
function properly. If the damper flaps appear to have grease buildup, simply use
a cleaner to remove the grease or purchase a new damper flap.
After the air filter, damper flap, and ducts have
been checked, the last possible solution is motor failure. Replacing a motor is
fairly easy, but it will require the original instruction manual and a new
motor. Replacement parts, including new motors, can be found at our range hood replacement parts website.
Non-Ducted Under Cabinet Systems
If you have a non-ducted system, solutions to poor
air circulation are simpler. Since these systems do not use a duct and damper
flaps, the only possible issues that could cause loss of suction power is the
air filter or motor. Before suspecting the motor to be at fault, check the air
filter and see if it needs to be replaced. If the suction power of your system greatly
increases without the filter, then you need to purchase a replacement part.
However, if the suction power remains low, then a new motor or complete new
unit needs to be purchased.
