RANGE HOOD BASICS

Most people don’t think about kitchen ventilation until something goes wrong. Smoke lingers, grease builds up, or a product spec sheet reads like a foreign language. CFM, sones, baffle filters, makeup air, ducted versus ductless: these terms appear constantly, and none of them come with a plain explanation attached.

This category covers what a range hood does, how different hood types work, what the key specs tell you, and why ventilation matters more than most homeowners expect before they start shopping. Start here, and the rest gets easier.