We asked HVAC experts to weigh in, and heres what they had to say.
Gas ranges, in particular, release a lot of extra gaseous material into the surrounding environment.
Turning on a stovetop fan while cooking reduces the buildup of these cooking byproducts in the kitchen.
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The factor that determines how this is done is whether your stovetop fan is ductedorductless.
They merely operate as fans, recirculating the air back into the kitchen.
Range hoods can be either ducted or ductless, as can microwave fans.
The other thing that can affect how a stovetop fan deals with polluted air is the presence of filters.
Most ductless fans that recirculate air back into your kitchen have a filter of some kind.
Can theyimprove the air qualityin your home?
The experts agree that it depends.
In that case, Mitchell recommends investing in a high-quality air purifier with HEPA filters.
After all, that is whatrange hoodsare designed for.
The fans effectively vent away cooking byproducts, including large particles and pollutants.
