Kitchen extractor hoods

[FuzzyPuffling]

Do I need one?
Although I have one in my current kitchen I have never ever used it. Not once.

I am now considering getting my kitchen re-done soon and wondered if an extractor hood is a necessity. I think they are pretty ugly things, and much prefer to open a window should that be required!

Opinions please.

karmasic you are clearly my tribe! Shall we start a revolution!?

I'm just re doing our kitchen and am not having one. Both kitchen companies have advised you don't have to have one and for a kitchen our size they're pretty pointless anyway.

So AFAIK (and I really am no expert!) but the ventilation chats we've had with building control on our current renovation all hinge on the point that existing ventilation can't be reduced during works.

So windows can't be replaced with smaller ones; if you have trickle-vented windows you can't replace with non-TV; fans can't be removed if they were there before.

I think the underlying assumption is that moisture and smells in the bathroom and kitchen both need ventilation which is "weather-proof", for those non-hardy souls who won't open windows if it's snowing/raining horizontally, etc!

I guess this must be your situation @forksandknives, that you don't have an existing extractor so don't need one? But the OP has got one so will need to replace like-for-like.

I’m
Happy to have come across this. I was thinking of getting one but the recirculating type as it’s a housing association property and they won’t allow me to faff about with ceilings and walls to get the vented type but now I’m thinking if I should bother. My concern is less about smells but more steam. It’s a good sized kitchen but god help me if I boil anything, and I permanently leave the top of my window open about 6 inches.

That said if it’s building regs then they need to explain why they have not put an extraction fan in my kitchen?!?! Not sure I would want their big ugly one though so maybe I should keep quiet.

@WoolyMammoth55 hmmmm? Ok, this is not what two different kitchen firms have told me and you'd have thought for the price these things can be they'd be pushing it as a definite. We are putting a new kitchen into an existing one that does currently have an extractor hood.
I do however know someone who's in building control so I'll get in touch to see what they say. I'll update this when I have more info.

It's definitely in the interest of kitchen companies to sell you anything even hideously expensive downdraft extractor and feature mantelpieces.
All things being equal, ventilation is A Good Thing. If you have a nice draughty house and open your doors and windows, you might not notice lack of a kitchen fan, but other people could be stuck with a sealed, damp smelly kitchen and that's why building regs require it in new builds and alterations.

How would anyone KNOW whether the old kitchen being replaced had one though?

We had a recirculating one previously in the kitchen fitted when the house was built in 1998, total and utter waste of space and energy. I hadn't turned it on for years.
There was also a wall extractor (just like a bathroom one) which was removed in the early 2000's when a conservatory was added against that outside wall.
There is also a wall extractor in the utility. It stopped working about 17 years ago after the tumble drier was vented through it.

This is my thought @Chasingsquirrels? Work doesn't need signing off by building control and we plan to be here for years to come so does it matter?!
Also agree that ventilation is a good thing, but the size of our space compared to what a extractor can do means it's virtually pointless.

I’ve just had my kitchen done. I hate any type of fan - the noise drives me mad. I’m definitely from the open doors and Windows school of cooking. However, the kitchen guy said if we were to move In the future most people would expect to have an extractor in the kitchen, so we’ve Compromised and had one of the hidden ones put in. I don’t use the fan but the light it gives off over the hob is attractive.

Ps - kitchen guy certainly didn’t say anything about us having to have one. It was definitely our choice.

Ooh this gets more and more interesting. I shall have to have words with any kitchen designers/builders I employ.

I live on top of a hill facing the Atlantic Ocean, so opening a window clears the kitchen of any steam/smells in about two minutes.

Well I'll definitely be interested to hear what @forksandknives hears back from her building control pal.

Meanwhile this link: www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/34/kitchens_and_bathrooms/6
says: "If you are refurbishing a kitchen or bathroom, you will need to ensure that any existing extract ventilation is retained or replaced."

So I think those are in fact the regs - obviously it's up to you if you want to ignore, you rebels! :)