Extractor Hood Maintenance for Heavy Wok Cooking

High-heat wok cooking aerosolises oil in a way that gentler cooking does not. That oil condenses on every surface in the room, so an underperforming hood does not just smell, it coats your cabinetry and shortens the life of the finishes.

Metal baffle and mesh filters should be degreased monthly under heavy use. Most are dishwasher safe on a hot cycle; for heavy build-up, soak in hot water with a degreasing detergent first. A saturated filter stops extracting almost entirely.

Recirculating hoods, common in Thai condos where ducting outside is not permitted, rely on carbon filters that cannot be washed. They need replacing roughly every six to twelve months depending on use, and a spent one does nothing for odour.

A hood is only as good as its duct. Long runs, flexible hose and tight bends all cut the real extraction rate well below the headline figure. Where possible we specify rigid ducting and the shortest practical route to outside.