We have a recirculating downdraft extractor in a kitchen island, which just doesn't remove enough cooking smells.
The open-plan kitchen is part of a new-ish ground floor extension and cooking smells easily waft over into living room. I have a velux window right above the cooker, which helps a bit and in summer we can open bifold doors towards garden. In winter however the smells can linger for hours.
When we built the extension the question about extraction only came up after the concrete floor had been laid so the obvious option of ducting out was no longer possible (in hindsight I'd pay more for a proper plan and builders...).
The downdraft extractor is a 90cm cookology model, so rather cheap.
I'm wondering what options we have at this point:
1) Buy much more expensive Bosch or similar downdraft extractor and hope it works better (but as it would also be recirculating might not make a difference)
2) Buy a professional air purifier and have it running whilst cooking?
3) Add an additional extractor, such as an Elica Pearl (extractor integrated in light hanging from ceiling)
I've been struggling to find someone who can advise me on this, who to talk to, electrician, kitchen fitter? Would appreciate any help.
Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?
If you HAVE to have extraction to outside then the answer is to run ducting through the ceiling cavity in which ever direction the joists run, to the outside wall. You'll need a plasterer or good decorator to make good the repairs to the ceiling. You could try doubling up on carbon filters for your extractor? Use aluminium foil tape to lash them together.
Hi, have you been having the same problem from the very beginning or has it become more of a problem over time? Also when doing the extension have they sent a duct from the fan down and to an external vent on your outside wall?
Thanks, Patrick
I’ve come across this a few times when wiring kitchens …. Found that the best ( and easiest ) solution is to fit a fan in the inside of the nearest external wall but use a 6inch fan instead of standard 4 inch one … the extraction rate will more than cope with the cooking smells and it saves ducting through ceilings etc .
You will however need to get a sparky to core drill out the wall and wire in your new fan … at worst you’ll have to fill a chase out to nearest power supply so he/she can get power to the fan .
Hope this helps
Hi!
Extracting outside is always the better option than recirculating downdraft extraction, because this not only spread the cooking smell in the room but it also spread the vaporised oil in the air turning your ceiling and kitchen furniture yellowish.
Running a ducting pipe in the ceiling might weaken your building structure and could be costly.
Installing a 6 inch fan will not solve the problem because this will allow the smell to spread before reaching the fan whereas the cooker hood will be right above the cooker and extracting the smell before it spread.
I think the best solution is to use a flat surface mounted ducting pipe connected to your extractor fan and drill a hole in the outside wall for the outlet, this might not be ideal in terms of cosmetic, but a clever way of hiding the pipe could be use to remedy the cosmetic side.
