Ventilation
Sizing a hood by CFM
A range hood moves air, and its rating is given in cubic feet per minute (CFM). Size it to the heat below it. A common starting point for gas is roughly 100 CFM per 10,000 BTU of cooktop output, so a high-output pro range needs far more extraction than a standard 30-inch cooktop. A hood should also be as wide as the cooktop, and ideally a few inches wider on each side, so it captures the plume before it spreads. Wolf, Zephyr, Vent-A-Hood, and Best build across the range from modest under-cabinet units to high-capacity pro hoods. If your cooktop is a wide pro range, the 48-inch range guide shows the BTU loads that drive hood sizing.
ThermadorDucted vs recirculating
A ducted hood pushes air outside through a duct run, carrying heat, grease, and moisture out of the house. A recirculating hood filters the air through charcoal and returns it to the room, which is used when an exterior duct run is not possible. Ducted is the stronger performer for heavy cooking because it actually removes moisture and combustion byproducts rather than only filtering odor. Duct diameter and run length matter: a long run with several elbows drops effective airflow, so a higher-rated blower and a short, smooth duct path work together. Plan the duct route early, since it is far easier to solve on paper than after cabinets are set.
Make-up air and why it matters
High-CFM hoods pull a large volume of air out of the house, and that air has to be replaced. When a hood exhausts more than a home can naturally supply, it creates negative pressure that can backdraft a water heater or fireplace and make doors hard to open. Many jurisdictions require a dedicated make-up air system once a hood passes a threshold, often around 400 CFM, that brings in outside air to balance what the hood removes. Treat make-up air as part of the hood decision from the start, not an afterthought, and confirm the local code threshold before you pick a blower size.
ThermadorHood styles and mounting
Hoods mount several ways, and the cooktop location decides which. A wall-mount chimney hood sits against a wall above the range. An island hood drops from the ceiling over an island cooktop and needs a higher CFM because the plume is exposed on all sides. An insert, or liner, is a blower and filter unit built into custom cabinetry or a decorative mantel so only the hood interior shows. Under-cabinet units tuck below a wall cabinet for tighter spaces. Baffle filters in stainless are the usual pick for pro cooking because they are dishwasher-safe and hold up to grease. Seeing hoods running over cooktops under load makes the airflow and noise differences clear, at the Roseville showroom in the Sacramento metro. In the Inland Northwest, the Post Falls showroom desk near Spokane and Coeur d'Alene carries Wolf and ZLINE ventilation.
Hear and see range hoods running over cooktops under load at the Roseville showroom and match a blower and style to your cooking.