Synthesis rangehood by Faber: a traditional canopy hood with style and flair

The Synthesis rangehood as seen in this modern and stylish New York condo project is the perfect addition to this kitchens overall appearance. Without the perfect rangehood focal point in this kitchen, for example if a cabinet was used above the stove instead, this kitchens overall appearance would be much less dramatic. Additionally, stainless steel is used on multiple surfaces including the appliances, drawer handles, accessories on the counter, the sink and the sides of the glass cabinetry. Therefore the stainless steel Synthesis matches these surfaces in the kitchen. With a traditional / pro style range like the Viking, the Synthesis matches up perfectly with the front nose of the range which is also flat like the front of the Faber hood. The edging of the Synthesis with pointed angles also picks up on the edging of the Viking product. With 500 cfm and high quality mesh grease filters, this rangehood can handle the cooking by-products that even the most demanding chef will produce in this kitchen. Visit the Faber website for more information

Kitchen Ventilation 101 - Ductwork, Taking the Mystery Out

Ventilation is a tough category in kitchen appliances. We always include general ventilation training in our training presentation because it is a tough category. Which brings us to today’s topic: ductwork.

Ducting is a complex topic for many since there are so many details and points to remember: how long is the duct run in your kitchen vent pipe, what is the cfm (cubic feet per minute of air movement) of the hood, how many elbows do you have in the duct, what is the duct made of, or should I just forget the whole thing and recirculate my hood? Wow that’s a lot to keep track of. We will try to simplify the process and give some pointers from the standpoint of a ventilation company. First off, we‘re not an HVAC company or engineering firm, it is a good idea to have a licensed HVAC contractor or a general contractor with ducting experience to analyze your ducting needs & handle install. This blog entry is simply offering some food for thought on duct work, not an instruction manual.

Short and straight is the phrase to repeat when it comes to ducting rangehoods properly. The shorter and straighter the run, the more effective your hood

will be in the end. Every extra foot of ducting, or every elbow you add to your duct creates more pressure inside of the duct. In our case every Faber rangehood uses a dual centrifugal blower (Picture left) wheel system (or impellers, or fan blades). The motor spins two impeller wheels on either side extracting air from the kitchen and pushing that air thru the ductwork to the outside of the house. The more pressure in the duct run because of extra elbows, longer duct runs and ribbed/ridged ductwork (always use smooth metal ducting - (Picture below - source - theductshop.com) the more the motor / impellers have to work to push that air down the duct run, and the less powerful the hood becomes in the end.

Discussing ductwork types further, typical dryer vent ductwork (ridged,

folds up like an accordion, 4” round - (See Picture - source: www.tlc-direct.co.uk)

should never be used with a rangehood.

The static pressure that dryer ducting builds is enormous. There is no smooth area inside the ducting and the diameter is very small compared to most rangehood ductwork. Most hoods will use 6 inch round ducting, not 4 inch ducting like a dryer uses.

Some general guidelines to help avoid ducting problems:

• Always terminate the ducting outside of the house, using an approved wall / roof cap on the outside of the house. (See Pictures Below Source: Grainger.com)

• Never have a duct end inside of an enclosed area (attic, crawl space, garage, etc). This is a potential fire hazard, and would certainly never stand up to local building codes. If your home is located in an extremely windy environment, like next to water, then venting thru the roof is a better idea. If the ductwork exits the home on the side facing the water, the potential for cold/windy air re-entering the ducting is possible.

• Make the first elbow (Picture left metal elbow - source theductshop.com) as far away from the hood exit as possible (at least 2 feet away). More resistance will be created in the ducting when the elbow is closer to the hood. Think of blowing air thru a bent straw, or pushing water thru a bent garden hose, the flow is reduced.

• Never put two elbows back to back in the run, it is like building a brick wall for the air flow. Have at least 2 feet between elbows, and only use a maximum of 3 elbows total

• Try not to exceed 35 equivalent feet for a 6 inch round ducted rangehood. For every elbow you are adding the equivalent of 5 extra feet. For example a duct run with 20 feet of straight duct and 2 elbows in different parts of the run would equal 30 equivalent feet.

• You can always oversize the duct work to the hood, but never under size. If a hood uses 6 inch ducting, and 5 inch round ducting is attached on the hood, instantly the cfm level is reduced on the hood. On the other hand, over sizing the duct by 1 or 2 inches will maximize the cfm’s of the hood.

Finally, if ducting is impossible or impractical, then the last resort is to install a recirculating hood. This kind of hood will filter the grease and odor before sending air back into the room. For example, If you need 70 feet of ducting to get outside, maybe a recirculating hood is for you. Recirculating hoods, and Over the range microwaves will be saved for another blog entry. Visit the faber website for mote tips and photos.

Stilo rangehood with sleek lines and a thin profile

The Stilo rangehood by Faber with sleek lines, nice curves and a thin profile make this hood the ultimate focal point in your modern kitchen designs. As seen here in a photo provided by the folks at Aeg Canada and Euro-line Appliance, is a great example of a modern kitchen and the effect a beautiful hood can have on the rooms atmosphere. The Stilo comes in 4 widths, 24,30,36 and 48" wide to accommodate many sizes of cooking surfaces. Remember in order to keep the right lines in your kitchen, matching up the same width stove with the same width rangehood is important. You should never undersize the hood to the stove (24" hood to 30" stove). Over sizing the hood to the stove isn't wrong, sometimes it will throw off a design.

With 600 cfm of air movement, heavy duty baffle style grease filters and halogen lighting; the Stilo will provide excellent ventilation to fit the customers needs. One more deisgn element in this kitchen, notice how the sleekness of the cooktop matches the hoods sleekness? Even the tone of kitchen colors, is custom made for a stainless rangehood like the Stilo. To learn more about this hood and others visit our website.

Kitchen Ventilation 101, CFM - what is it?

CFM or Cubic Feet per Minute of air movement is a commonly misunderstood topic in kitchen appliances. There is a belief out there, that like most everything else in appliances, bigger is better, right? Well not necessarily. Using a hood with higher cfm (above what you need for your stove) means more air is being pulled out of your kitchen and your home than needed (like in the ducting diagram to the left). Therefore a lot of cooled or heated air is being pulled out your home, which would lead to higher heating / cooling bills.

Also, a situation of negative pressure could also occur when too much air is pulled out of the home and it is not replaced by air from the outside. In today's construction the homes are becoming more and more air tight and when too much air is pulled out of a home, you need to sometimes "make up" for that lost air by pumping outside air into the home. In colder climates this is a huge issue, in most parts of Canada there are laws in place about maximum cfm's before a make up air system has to be installed (typically 300 cfm is the threshold).

When choosing a hood for your cooking surface, if the hood has too much cfm you're not being energy efficient. A higher cfm hood will consume more energy to operate. The noise level or sone level (the noise measurement standard in rangehoods), is also a consideration. More cfm's = more air being pulled through the grease filters, which in turn creates turbulence and extra noise. If you've ever worked in a restaurant kitchen under the pro hoods they use, you understand the noise level.

The bottom line is buy a hood that properly takes care of the contaminants that are produced by your cooking (steam, grease, odor & smoke). The diagram seen below offers a good way to estimate how many cfm's are advised for your kitchen. Take a kitchen that is 10' high (Z) by 10' wide (X) by 10' long (Y) = equals 1,000 cubic feet. If you have a 500 cfm rangehood in this kitchen, in 2 minutes you will have completely exchanged all the air out of the kitchen (or 30 exchanges in an hour). The National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), recommends 8-15 air exchanges in an hour for proper ventilation, so by this example, we're double the recommended level.

Another good rule of thumb is that 600 cfm is a good round number for use with a gas, all burners (no grill/griddle) cooking surface. Anything more substantial (like a 48" pro gas stove with 6 burners and a grill), then higher cfm's are advised, say 1,000 or above). Anything less than a gas all burner stove, requires less cfm's. An induction, ceran, coil electric cooktop would only need maybe 300 cfm's above it. So there you have it, an introduction to cfm's, and hopefully you can feel comfortable like the person below that your home is being vented properly!

Matrix rangehood - contemporary art on your kitchen wall

The Matrix hood by Faber is a piece of ventilation art for your kitchen. In this stunning red kitchen designed by Dekla Kitchen Cabinets in Toronto with clean lines and glass upper cabinets, the a rangehood by Faber perfectly compliments this kitchen. The Matrix fits very well in this installation with a square smooth top stove and the simple elegance of the four ventilation panels on the Matrix above it. With perimetric suction for advanced ventilation performance, a gallery halogen light bar, and several automatic shut off timers - the Matrix is loaded with features. In addition, the Matrix has a 24 hour mode - where the hood turns on for 10 minutes every hour and acts as a quiet operating whole home air purifier. This is certainly a green idea, but what else would you expect from the leader in green ventilation? For more information visit the Faber website.

Inca Pro 30 by Faber - an attractive and powerful insert with

The Inca Pro 30 by Faber was specified above this Wolf range for its power / design and the fact that the kitchen designer wanted to feature the cabinetry in this kitchen. This is a traditionally styled kitchen with natural wood tones and a pro range stove. The Inca Pro 30 insert fits perfectly into this kitchen style. When you don't want to see the rangehood and would rather focus on beautiful wood, a Faber insert hood is the right choice. You want quality ventilation with superior fit, finish, style and performance, then Faber will deliver. Visit our website for more information.

Faber Inca HC - the hood insert with power and versatility

The Inca HC by Faber is featured in this stunning kitchen in Miami inside of the stainless steel insert on the left side of the picture above the stove(second picture shows a closeup). When your kitchen design calls for an insert / built in hood to go inside your custom wood creation, the Inca HC is the perfect hood. With stainless steel on the bottom of the hood it matches up perfectly with the stainless "cabinet" in this very modern kitchen. With such beautiful cabinetry and the stunning wall of appliances, the rangehood should be hidden to bring the cabinet design to the forefront.

With 500 cfm, 30 inch width, and 15 inch depth: there are many types of cooking surfaces that will be properly vented with our Inca HC.

One of the best features of this hood is the direct rear venting option available out of the box. Simply rotate the blower by removing some screws, and the duct is rotated to the back so you can avoid extra ducting and elbows and get the most cfm's out of the hood. Visit our webpage for more information.

Minimalism in effect

These photos show the Cristal HC by Faber in a beautifully simple kitchen in New York, designed by Modern Kitchens. The Cristal HC can blend into your kitchen with a very short profile. With a white, aluminum or black face plate that comes in the box, or by simply attaching your own custom face to the hood, it is a very versatile product from a design standpoint. With white cabinetry and glass above the stove, the Cristal blends into this elegantly designed kitchen. When you are ready for the hood to take a starring role in the kitchen simply slide out the visor to reveal 2 sets of grease filters and lighting. The Cristal's motor and lighting will turn on when you slide out the 7 inch long visor to help ventilate your kitchen. When you are finished cooking, simply slide the visor back in. Visit our website for more information.

Kitchen renovation (before and after) with Faber

These before and after photos are from a recent Faber rangehood installation in a traditionally styled New England kitchen. The Faber Agio replaced a basic, inexpensive, older recirculating rangehood installed dating back to when this townhome was first built. By installing the Agio by Faber into this kitchen, the look of the kitchen was instantly updated. Not only is the Agio matching the black range with a black glass front, but the Agio is a sleek and elegant hood, compared to the previous hood in the kitchen. With high quality dishwasher safe mesh grease filters and charcoal filters, the Faber hood will also provide better ventilation than the previous hood. When not in use the Agio can be pushed back in, becoming flush with the side cabinets (as seen in the photo), and when you need to turn on the hood, pull the visor out and the lighting comes on and the hood operates at the previously set speed. Just as with the previous rangehood, the upper cabinets are still empty, so they can be used for storage etc.

Lastly, since Faber makes a green product with 100% recyclable packaging and 95% product recycling, this customer can feel good about helping the environment. Also, the Agio is so energy efficient, that for $1 per year in electrical costs, the hood can be run for 30 minutes a day, everyday for a year! Now that's energy efficient!

Want a newly renovated kitchen? Just add Faber! Visit our website for more information.

Inca Smart - an insert hood used to create your own custom masterpiece

The Inca Smart hood by Faber shown in this photo is being used to help create a custom wood hood that looks like a canopy wall hood typically made of stainless steel. This work of art on the wall is created by the kitchen/cabinet designer, and the Inca Smart by Faber provides the ventilation. With 2 incandescent lights, and a 250 cfm motor; this hood can be mounted above a ceran, electric, induction, or standard gas (non-pro style) stove. The 30" wide Inca Smart can be put inside of a 30" or 36" custom wood surface and Faber has stainless steel liners available also. For more information on our complete of kitchen ventilation, visit our website.

Tratto - glass and stainless beauty

The Tratto rangehood by Faber is a stunning hood that matches up well with a lot of cooking surfaces and room designs. For instance in this kitchen picture (courtesy of Euro-line Appliances) you see a traditional kitchen with dark counter tops and a gas cooktop, and neutral backsplash tiles. The Tratto which combines glass and stainless steel offers a "light" look in the kitchen because of the curved glass canopy section. As opposed to much larger canopy hoods on the market, the Tratto will still be the center of attention but yet won't detract too much from the wonderful kitchen design because it is a thin unobtrusive canopy. With a powerful 600 cfm pro motor, halogen lights and baffle style filters, the Tratto will perform very well over most cooking surfaces including pro gas cooktops/stoves - as seen in this photo. For more information visit the Tratto page on our website.

The Diamante Rangehood - the diamond shaped hood

Today's entry focuses on the Diamante rangehood by Faber. The Diamante found in this stunning kitchen, designed by Mark Daniels Kitchen and Bath Remodeling ; features a very sleek black ceran cooktop and the equally sleek Diamante hood by Faber. The Diamante's canopy section (before the chimney starts) is under 3 inches in height. The hood has a diamond edge (Diamante means diamond in Italian) on the corners that runs up the entire length of the hood. Notice the additional design elements that incorporate the diamond edge of the Diamante, with the marble tiles on the backsplash that are also diamond shaped.

With a powerful 600 cfm motor, this hood will handle all kitchen contaminents including grease, steam, odor and smoke. This kitchen really demonstrates a few key deisgn elements: 1) making the rangehood the center of attention in the kitchen design and 2) basic is beautiful - this is a basic kitchen design which is very clean, simple and most of all elegant and beautiful! Be sure to visit the website of Virginia based designer Mark Daniels and for more information on Faber click on over to us.

Synthesis rangehood - traditional and contemporary

The Synthesis rangehood by Faber is a traditional canopy style rangehood that features a 500 cfm motor. It is available in 30 or 36 inches widths and in black or white or stainless finishes. The hood has simple angles and a flat front nose that matches up well with a lot of different cooking brands. The Synthesis is shown in this picture over a DCS range which has a bull nose front and matches up well with this hood. Because of the simple lines on this hood, a contemporary kitchen could also match up very well with this hood style.

With 19.5 inches in depth, the hood covers most of a pro surface front to back. As with any of Faber's rangehoods, we recommend that hoods be hung at least 30 inches over a pro gas stove like the one in this photo. For more information visit the Synthesis page on our website.

Faber in a Green Building Project

Faber has been used in many LEED ® green certified building projects around the US and Canada. One of those projects is the Cyan located in Portland, OR. The Agio fits in perfectly in this modern, quaint kitchen that is designed for efficiency and minimalism. Basically this wall of appliances has everything you need in a small space in order to prepare your foods while using luxury appliances that are designed with energy efficiency in mind. As you can see with the Agio you have the ability to replace the front face of the hood with your custom drawer front to match your cabinetry. When pushed in the Agio completely integrates with the cabinets, when pulled out the hood turns on and effectively vents your kitchen odors, grease, steam and smoke. For more information visit the Agio product page.

Scirocco - disappearing downdraft

The Scirocco by Faber is a unique rangehood that is placed behind a cooktop and with a push of a button the hood completely disappears except for a stainless top strip. Push the button again and the hood rises 9.5 inches showing 2 dishwasher safe stainless accented grease filters. There are several safety features on this hood that are not found in other brands. When the filters are removed from the hood, the hood will not go back down until the filters are placed back in the hood. That way no accidents can happen with "little" fingers getting caught in the hood. Also to prevent finger pinching, the top trim strip will "pop" off so your fingers will not catch under the trim.

For the money, you cannot buy a better a downdraft rangehood. The value compared to the competition is incredible, check it out yourself. With a powerful 600 cfm motor and a variable speed motor and no brand label on the top of the hood, you can mix and match with any brand cooktop and save money in the process. Click the link below to visit the Scirocco webpage.

Scirocco

The Diamante rangehood - a gem of a hood

The Diamante rangehood by Faber is a very popular model because of its power, fit, finish and impressive design elements. The Diamante (or diamond in Italian) features a diamond cut edging on the two corners of the hood that runs along the edge of the decorative chimney. This slim profile hood is just over 2 inches tall and matches up well with cooking surfaces with a flat nose because of the flat nose on the hood. With a powerful 600 cfm pro motor, metal dish washer safe baffle grease filters, and 22" depth from front to back for adequate burner coverage; this rangehood will perform over pro cooking and look great. For more information visit our website and the Diamante product page

Perla design elements

This photo of the Perla hood by Faber www.Faberonline.com , is an example of how the front nose of the rangehood matches up with the nose of the stove. Our hoods have different front trims in different shapes and sizes to match up with many different brands of cooking. The Perla has always been a popular hood since it can fit well into a contemporary setting like this photo, or into a traditional settting.

Designer Photo - aligned with upper cabinets

The Orizzonte by Faber is a designer hood with multiple fan speed settings, an LED read out screen, multiple light settings and a auto shut down timer. The coolest design feature of the hood is the recommended height off the cooking surface. As seen in the photo, the Orizzonte is installed 18" off the counter, or the same height as the upper cabinets. This creates a fluid design where the hood becomes part of the cabinet lines in your kitchen. See more about this hood at www.faberonline.com

Integrated hoods to show off your cabinets

Using an integrated hood like the Agio shown in the picture to the side is a way to hide your ventilation and show off the designer cabinetry instead. When you want effective ventilation but would rather completely integrate your kitchen appliances, then Faber has a whole collection dedicated to this design. Visit our website for more information.

New design idea in your kitchen

Here is a design idea for your kitchen that is innovative and very functional. Take a canopy hood such as the Stilo by Faber, and create shelves around the chimney stack to give you extra storage space and at the same time make a design statement unique to your kitchen. Visit our webpage for the Stilo product page and 25 other rangehoods from Faber.

First Post of the Day - kitchen designs that revolve around the rangehood

We at Faber like to think that the hood is always the center of the design in the kitchen. We know this will not always be the case. But by seeing this photo above from faberonline.com of the Axia Isola - you can see how a rangehood can completely change the look of a room and make a design impact in the kitchen.