What you need to know:

Do You Need a Commercial Rangehood? A Kitchen Ventilation Guide

Cooking equipment tends to be the big focus during a kitchen fit-out. It leaves equipment like a commercial rangehood often overlooked, even though it may decide which appliances your kitchen can legally use.

As well as knowing when you need one, it’s also important to know which type is going to do the job. Our commercial kitchen ventilation guide covers what a rangehood does and what to check before choosing one so you tick all the boxes.

Do You Need a Commercial Rangehood? A Kitchen Ventilation Guide

What Does a Commercial Rangehood Do?

The job of a commercial rangehood is to draw heat, smoke, grease vapours and odours away from the cook area to help keep the air clean. Removing contaminants from the air helps to:

  • Keep kitchen staff more comfortable
  • Reduce the amount of grease settling on walls, ceilings and nearby equipment
  • Minimise smoke and cooking odour from reaching dining areas
  • Help your business stay compliant with Australian Standards and building requirements

A lot of rangehoods also include filters inside the hood, trapping airborne grease before it reaches the ductwork. This can help reduce build-up that would be harder to access that can be a fire risk.

Do I need a commercial rangehood?

You may be wondering if you need a commercial rangehood. Australian food premises must have enough natural or mechanical ventilation to remove cooking fumes and vapours. Even with natural airflow, you may still need something like a commercial rangehood depending on the:

  • Type of cooking being done
  • Power input of each appliance
  • Combined output of equipment in the room
  • Amount of steam, grease or smoke produced

Deep fryers, char grills and other grease-producing appliances are the most common cause for needing a rangehood. However, small benchtop appliances or dishwashers and appliances that release enough steam to create condensation can also mean you need one installed.

How to Confirm if You Need a Rangehood.

While Australian Standard and building requirements outline when mechanical exhaust is needed, the type depends on the type of premises and local approval process. You can confirm your design with your local council, building certifier or ventilation specialisation before ordering or installation cooking equipment to make sure you’re getting what you need.

Types of Commercial Rangehoods

As mentioned, there are different types of commercial rangehoods. The one you need can depend on your kitchen design and requirements.

Commercial Rangehood Type Installation Suitability
Wall-mounted canopy Installed against a wall above the cooking line Kitchens with ranges, fryers or grills fitted along a wall
Island canopy Suspended above equipment in the centre of the kitchen Central cooking suites with exposed sides
Benchtop or portable hood Positioned close to an individual appliance Smaller setups where external ductwork isn’t practical and appliances approved for use with local filtration
Condensate hood Installed above steam-producing equipment Dishwashers and appliances producing vapour without grease

Ducted vs Ductless Ventilation

The main difference between ducted and ductless commercial rangehoods is what happens to the air once it enters the ventilation system.

How Ducted Ventilation Works

With a ducted system, the air passes through grease filters and ductwork before being released outside at an approved discharge point, like the roof. Because it removes the air instead of recirculating it, ducted systems are usually needed for high-output kitchens or grease-producing kitchens. The duct route and discharge point also needs to be part of the planned building design.

How Ductless Ventilation Works

A ductless ventilation system filters the air before returning it to the kitchen. It’s often paired with approved benchtop appliances where installing external ductwork isn’t going to work. Keep in mind, it doesn’t remove heat or bring fresh air into the room, and may not meet all mechanical exhaust requirements. So, you always want to confirm approval before ordering or installing.

How to Choose the Right Size

Now you’ve worked out if you need a commercial rangehood and the type that may work, you need to think about the size. To work out which size rangehood to order:

  • Measure the full cooking line rather than one appliance
  • Checked the required overhang for the hood design and equipment
  • Allow space for appliances you plan to add later
  • Match the extraction rate to the cooking load
  • Account for replacement air entering the kitchen

Having a ventilation specialist to come in and calculate the required airflow can help confirm which hood will work with your equipment while meeting your compliance requirements.

Maintenance and Cleaning

The more grease that builds up across the rangehood filters and inside the system, the less it can perform. So, you’re going to want to regularly remove and clean the rangehood’s filters according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This can typically be included into the routine cleaning schedule.

What your team likely won’t be able to reach or handle is the ductwork and other areas of the rangehood. You’ll want to schedule periodic professional cleaning, depending how heavily the kitchen cooks and how much grease gets collected.

Shop Commercial Rangehoods at AGC Equipment

Having all your options in one place can help you easily compare the right ventilation system for your venue. Browse AGC Equipment's range of commercial benchtop rangehoods to compare fixed, countertop and mobile systems.


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