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HOODMART BLOG

How a Commercial Kitchen Exhaust System Actually Works: From Hood to Rooftop
• Octubre 02, 2026
Categorías: HOOD FACTS
A commercial kitchen exhaust system is one of those things that gets specified, installed, and then largely ignored until something goes wrong. Which is fine, honestly - that’s exactly what a well-designed system should allow. But understanding how the full system works, from the moment heat and smoke rise off the cooking surface to the moment exhausted air exits the building, makes you a better-informed owner when it comes to maintenance, troubleshooting, and any future modifications. Here is the full picture, from the experts at HoodMart.
It Starts at the Cooking Surface
The exhaust process begins the moment cooking equipment generates heat, smoke, grease-laden vapor, or combustion byproducts. Those elements rise from the cooking surface in a thermal plume, a column of rising air carrying everything the cooking process produces.
• The plume rises and spreads as it moves upward, which is why hood overhang beyond the equipment footprint is required
• The hood is positioned directly above the cooking equipment to intercept the plume before it disperses into the kitchen
• Grease filters inside the hood capture grease particles from the airstream as it enters the hood cavity
Everything upstream of the hood is physics. Everything downstream is engineered to manage what the hood captures.
Inside the Hood
Once the thermal plume enters the hood, the exhaust system takes ove...

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How a Hanging Ventless Hood Works Without Ductwork or a Roof Fan
• Septiembre 14, 2026
Categorías: Ventless Hoods
If a contractor has told you that venting your kitchen is impossible without cutting into the roof, they were working with the wrong hood. A hanging ventless hood handles grease-laden vapors, smoke, and odor capture on its own, no ductwork, no roof f...

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Why Your Commercial Kitchen Loses Heat, Comfort, and Money Without Proper Makeup Air
• Septiembre 10, 2026
Categorías: HOOD FACTS, Hoods
If your kitchen runs uncomfortably hot despite a functioning exhaust hood, your back door flies open on its own, or your energy bills seem disconnected from anything you can identify, there is a reasonable chance the culprit is not what you think it ...

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Kidde vs. Ansul: Which Fire Suppression System Is Right for Your Commercial Kitchen?
• Septiembre 04, 2026
Categorías: Fire Suppression
Every commercial kitchen is required to have a fire suppression system installed above cooking equipment. Choosing the right one affects installation time, inspection outcomes, and long-term reliability. HoodMart carries both Kidde and ...

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Steps To Ensure Your Exhaust Hood Is Running Efficiently
• Agosto 31, 2026
Categorías: Hoods
A commercial kitchen exhaust hood does more than clear smoke from the air; it maintains air quality, regulates temperature, captures grease before it becomes a fire hazard, and keeps the kitchen compliant with health and safety codes. When the system...

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