cleaning a extractor hood - how do you do it?

[ginoT]

my kitchen extractor hood is blocked I think. Air suction is poor/non-existant although it sounds like it's doing it's thing. the filters are clean but the motor is so clogged with grease it drips!

Wanted to stick a screwdriver up there but it's so tight doesn't seem possible. Any suggestions? Call the bosch man to have a look?

ps: this is in a block of flats so it could be linked to some communal ventilation system which is blocked, but before I went down the route of building management wanted to clean up my end, literally!

 

[JohnD]

No doubt the instructions have been lost, but if you find the model number you may be able to download them from the manufacturer.

I wonder if the filters had been correctly fitted.

 

[Steve]

If you turn it on with the cover off, as pictured, does it immediately spin quickly?

Can you follow the extraction pipework from the top of the hood? Where does it go? If you look on the outside wall of the flats is there a vent for each flat? There may be two, one for the bathrooms. It may look like a plastic air brick or be a more obvious louvre type outlet.

 

[Steve]

I wonder if the filters had been correctly fitted.

John, I thought the only filters necessary on a vented hood were the grease traps which are fitted on the bottom of the hood (one is visible in the picture here). These should be removed and cleaned in warm water every so often.

Charcoal filters are usually fitted to the motor itself and should be changed every 6 months, but these are only necessary where the system recirculates, as they trap more grease and smells.

Such is my understanding anyway . . .