kitchen extractor fan

[diymum123]

I hope this is the right section for this question!

We have a lot of condensation in our house. I've worked out that a lot of it comes from cooking and I do love to cook!

We've got an extractor fan above the cooker, but it doesn't vent outside so I assume it must just recirculatte the air. It certainly doesn't reduce the damp anyway! Can this be easily replaced with one that does vent outside? The cooker is on an internal wall, but is about one metre in from an outside wall.

If that's not do-able, what sort of fan would you recommnend that wouldn't cause too much upheaval to fit? I have heard of passive air extractors, are these suitable?

I do not intend to do this work myself, I just wanted to get an idea of what was possible before I called in the pros!

 

[vv2806]

Not a specialist in extractor fans but is there a window you can open while cooking? I don't have a fan at all at the moment but don't have dump either by keeping the window open if anything is boiling.

 

[diymum123]

vv - I tried that. The window I opened was dry and clear, but the rest of the windows in the house steamed up! (even with the kitchen door closed) I can't open all the windows because we have a large patio door and it would be too cold to eat in there!

 

[RedHerring2]

It sounds like a reasonably simple job.
Possibly one day's work for an electrician, not much more.
You can either fit a new extractor in the outside wall, or modify, or if necessary, change your cooker hood to extract to the outside.

If you have an extractor working i.e. to the outside, leave your windows closed so that air is drawn into the kitchen from the rest of the house.

 

[seasickstevie]

We've got an extractor fan above the cooker, but it doesn't vent outside...

Is it really an extractor fan? Sounds more like a hood that's set to circulate through a filter.

If there's a 4" diameter round blocked-up hole on top of the hood (some don't have one), you just need a 4" diameter duct, either flexible or rigid soil pipe with a bend, to take the stale air to the outside wall and through a plastic vent.

The biggest job is making the hole in the wall.

You can use a round-to-rectangular adaptor, then rectangular plastic duct which can look a lot neater.

 

[diymum123]

Is it really an extractor fan? Sounds more like a hood that's set to circulate through a filter.

how can I tell? can a circulating fan be switched to an extracting one?

I can't tell if there's a hole at the top of the hood as it's boxed in above.

 

[RedHerring2]

how can I tell? can a circulating fan be switched to an extracting one?

I can't tell if there's a hole at the top of the hood as it's boxed in above.

Some have the option of dual functionality.
Either the original paperwork or an inspection as SNM suggested, or contact the manufacturer with the model number.
You'll maybe have to partly dismantle it for inspection.
If you're unsure of doing it, find someone who can.
Remember, there's an electric motor and a light in there.

 

[diymum123]

definitely unsure. I've absolutely no idea! I'll have to get a builder in as I don't have the paper work and am definitely not up to dismantling!