Choosing the best custom hood range will depend primarily on the circumstances surrounding the range and the environment that you are trying to create. However, while a good portion of the choices for custom hood ranges is based on looks, the practicality should not be forgotten. A custom hood range is often required because of the size of the range itself, though this not always the case.
Choosing the best custom hood range begins with understanding the way your range operates -- specifically, what powers it. In most cases, this will be either electricity or natural gas. The method for calculating how powerful your stove hood needs to be is different based on how it is powered.
For electric-powered ranges, choosing the best custom hood range is determined by the width of the stove. In most cases the general rule to follow is the hood must be capable of removing 100 cubic feet (30 cubic meters) per minute for every 10 inches (25.5 cm) of width. The contaminants should be vented to an outside area or filtered. Most of the time, venting to the outside is preferred.
For gas-powered ranges, choosing the best custom hood range will depend on the amount to BTUs the stove is capable of producing. For every 10,000 BTUs, the general rule is 100 cubic feet (30 cubic meters) per minute. Figuring out how much power a hood needs is simply a matter of multiplication once the BTU output is known.
Once the power of the custom hood range is determined, the next step is to determine what types of facades would work best in your kitchen. There are many different types to choose from including brick, rock and stainless steel. These three are the most popular and make up the vast majority of kitchen hood ranges. The choice will likely heavily depend on the existing look of the kitchen. However, for those who are doing an extensive remodel, the options remain very open.
Choosing the best custom hood range, in some cases, means choosing a manufacturer and dealer that will be able to install it in a timely fashion. While this is not the only consideration, it is often a very important one. Installation of such kitchen equipment often takes a considerable amount of expertise that most home owners simply do not have. While it will increase the cost of the unit, having it installed will often mean a better, more complete and natural-looking job.