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Clean or Replace Range Hood Filter

Materials Cost: 1
Difficulty Level: 1

Introduction

Clean or replace the filter on your range hood exhaust fan to improve its effectiveness and efficiency.

Why

If your home or kitchen smells like cooking or grease all the time, it may be that the range hood fan filter needs cleaning or replacement. Cleaning or replacing your range hood filter can also save energy by reducing the amount of energy the motor uses to move air.

What You'll Need

  • Dish soap
  • Dish scrubbing brush
  • Dish sponge
  • Dishwasher
  • Screwdriver.

1. Determine range hood fan type.

If your range hood fan ducts or exhausts to outside the home, it is likely that the filters can be cleaned and re-installed. If your range hood is non-ducted (also known as a recirculating range hood fan), the filters are likely disposable and should be replaced every 3 to 6 months. Here are the steps for checking what type of range hood you have and how to clean or replace the filters.

What type of range hood do I have?

  1. Under-cabinet range hood over stove - look in the cabinet above the range hood for a duct. If there is no duct in the cabinet, the fan might still be ducted through a rectangular duct in the wall behind the cabinet. Remove the filters and look for a rectangular opening that goes into a rectangular duct in the wall. You can also check outside to see if there is vent on the exterior wall or in the roof soffit or coming out of the roof above where the range is located. If no exterior vent is seen, either on the wall, in the soffit, or on the roof, then you can assume you have a non-ducted range (or recirculating) range hood fan.
  2. Under-microwave fan located above stove – If there is a microwave oven located over your stove that has a exhaust fan built into the bottom of it, look for a duct in the cabinet above the microwave oven (Figures 1 and 2). If no duct is present, you can also check outside to see if there is vent on the exterior wall or in the roof soffit or coming out of the roof above where the range is located (Figure 3). If no exterior vent is seen, either on the wall, in the soffit, or on the roof, then you can assume you have a non-ducted range (or recirculating) range hood fan.
  3. For a downdraft range hood fan, if there is no cabinet but the duct is visible going to the ceiling and an exterior vent is visible on the roof, then it is ducted. If there is a cabinet above the hood, check the cabinets for a duct. If a duct cannot be found then assume it is a non-ducted downdraft range hood fan (Figures 4, 5, and 6).
Figure 1. This microwave oven is located over the stove and has an exhaust fan underneath it (Source: PNNL).
Figure 2. There is no duct visible in the cabinet above this microwave oven (Source: PNNL).
Figure 3. There is an exhaust duct visible in the exterior wall above the microwave exhaust fan (Source: PNNL).
Figure 4. This down-draft range hood fan pulls kitchen particles, smoke, steam, and odors out of the home (Source: PNNL).
Figure 5. The down draft range hood fan has filters located under the hood (Source: PNNL).
Figure 6. There is an exhaust duct vent visible in the roof above this downdraft range hood (Source: PNNL).

2. Remove the filters.

Range hood fans use various methods for holding the filters in place – some filters just slide into place in channels; some are held in with clips, latches, or screws. Release and remove the filters from the fan housing (Figure 7). 

Figure 7. Remove the filters from the range hood fan housing. (Source: PNNL).

3. Wash or replace the filters.

Washable filters are often made of metal mesh. To wash these filters, place in the top rack of the dishwasher (Figure 8) and run the dishwasher. Or, soak the filters in a pan of warm water with dish soap, then scrub with a soft-bristle brush, rinse, and lay on a towel to air dry (Figure 9). The filters should be washed every 3 months.

Figure 8. Washable range hood fan filters can be washed in the dishwasher (Source: PNNL).
Figure 9. Washable range hood filters can be soaked in a pan of warm water with dish soap (Source: PNNL).

Disposable filters are often used in recirculating, non-ducted range hood fans. Disposable filters should be changed every 3 to 6 months. These filters are made of multiple layers of foil mesh designed to trap grease. Some non-ducted range hoods use filters that contain carbon to capture cooking odors. Filters with this feature are not reusable and must be replaced. Refer to the owner’s manual or search the model number of the range hood to find the model number of the replacement filter. 

Figure 10 shows an installation manual showing the model number of the replacement disposable filters.

Figure 10. This installation manual shows the model number of the replacement disposable filters for an exhaust fan (Source: PNNL).

Additional Info

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Disclaimer

This content is a work created with funding provided by the United States Department of Energy under Contract no DE-AC05-076RL01830 for the operation of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The information and guidance provided by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in the content are intended solely for educational purposes only and do not constitute formal training or certification. It is provided with the explicit understanding that neither the United States Government nor the United States Department of Energy, nor the Contractor, nor any or their employees, nor any jurisdiction or organization that has cooperated in the development of these materials, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness or any information, apparatus, product, software, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof, or Battelle Memorial Institute. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. Viewers assumes full responsibility for all actions that they may take from information provided in this content including ensuring the safety, code compliance, and proper functionality of any products they choose to install. Installation and use of such products should be performed in accordance with local regulations and manufacturer instructions.