Kitchen ventilation and airflow

trustyourself21 · 2024-11-02T10:58:09+00:00

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Hello . I recently came across this forum and found it helpful.

I have posted some pictures of my kitchen. I reside in an apartment which has a small kitchen . It is surrounded by walls from all 4 sides with an entrance door as the only opening.

Ventilation and air flow is the main problem. It gets very hot and humid especially in summers . I reside in Pakistan and it usually has hot climate most of the year around.

Previously I did try installing exhaust fans and a wall fan but they did not do much in solving the issue .

I would really appreciate your advice or suggestions regarding it. I can remodel or make significant changes based on it.

Thank you.

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Comments

DanielaAraya

Hi Usman — So happy you've found our community helpful! Appreciate you sharing your design dilemma here

I don't have as much experience in this department, but typically with kitchen ventilation, you want to have 1) a range hood that can help move the air or 2) a window or ceiling fan to create more airflow. Is it possible to add any of those things with your existing layout? What is outside of the kitchen beyond the entrance door you mention? Is there a way to create a cross breeze from one room to another? I would also consider adding a dehumidifier to the kitchen for those stickier summer days. Best of luck and keep us posted!

trustyourself21

Hey Daniela

Thank you so much for writing in. I appreciate your advice and suggestions. I have installed the hood for removing the hot air from the stove but it didn't help much. Furthermore, I have seen that installing a ceiling fan tends to affect the flame of the gas stove. The stove turns off or the flame extinguishes soon. A dehumidifier seems like a very good option.

Additionally, entrance door links to the living room. One suggestion I received from a friend was to break the wall linking the living room to the kitchen. I don't know if that would work as its a big renovation idea to invest into.

What are your suggestions?

DanielaAraya

https://community.apartmenttherapy.com/discussion/comment/2646#Comment_2646

Gotcha! It's tough to say without knowing the ins and outs of your space, but I'd think that the possibility of creating an open kitchen/living area would definitely help with the airflow! Especially because your kitchen looks quite compact right now

trustyourself21

Thank you so much for your advice. I would like to inquire whether it's better to make a small window in the wall or break the whole wall?

DanielaAraya

https://community.apartmenttherapy.com/discussion/comment/2655#Comment_2655

Do you have a local architect or structural engineer who can look at your space? You'll need to know whether the wall is load-bearing before doing any work, and it's always best to speak to a professional that's familiar with local rules. That said, I think a larger opening would help you most with ventilation (if it's possible!). Something like this if you can't open everything up:

I'm not sure if this would work with your exact layout, but hopefully it gives you some inspiration!

trustyourself21

Thank you so much for sharing. That looks very elegant. I would definitely keep that in mind when consulting with the local architect.

heyjudith

Hello!

If there is any way possible, you need an exhaust fan that is vented to the outside. Typically, this is mounted over the stove, and has powerful enough suction to draw hot air and grease outside. Occasionally, these are vented into a wall or attic space. At the very least, can you get a powerful floor fan or box fan and place it at the kitchen door? Is it possible to have a window installed that would bring in fresh air from the outside? If so, you could get a small fan (which could be moved out of the way if needed) and somehow point it in the direction of the stove, where it would blow air out the window. Could you put in a ceiling fan overhead? Another idea is a toaster oven - I use mine in the summer months to reduce heat in the kitchen from a full-sized range. I also recommend a biodegradable degreaser, usually available in grocery stores in a spray bottle. I keep one on hand to spray the stove, backsplash, and floor area around the stove, for after I cook; makes for easy clean up. Grease jumps everywhere! Very best wishes to you.

trustyourself21

Hey! Thank you for your wonderful suggestions. I appreciate you writing in. I have installed the kitchen exhaust hood but it didn't seem to resolve the issue.

F urthermore, I did try to place a floor fan. However, doing so led to the stove not burning properly and the gas flame extinguishes soon . A degreaser would be helpful. I would try using it.

Any suggestions on how to prevent the gas flame from turning off while at the same time being able to use the fan?