If you can’t remember the last time you turned on your stove top range hood, you’re not alone.  Most people don’t realize the significance of the hood range when it comes to indoor air quality.  It is usually only turned on to eliminate the smell of something burning, if at all. The New York Times recently ran an article on the importance of this often neglected household item, claiming that microwave and range hoods should be used every time cooking occurs.

While cooking on the stove, particles of grease, smoke and food enter the air. Unless they are eliminated, these particles settle on things in the home, leaving a grimy residue on furniture and often damaging your wood or countertop finish.  Foods prepared in the microwave release the same particles, which, if left alone, will re-circulate into future meals and alter their taste. Gas stovetop ranges also release nitrogen dioxide into the air, which has been known to cause respiratory problems, including asthma.

Such harmful irritants may easily be reduced or eliminated via a microwave filter or hood range filter.  Filters Fast carries filters for both ducted and re-circulating range hoods. Ducted range hoods filter the particles through a ventilation system that releases the air outside the home. Re-circulating, or non-ducted range hoods, filter the particles through charcoal and grease filters and then vent the cleaned air back into the space of your home. These are usually installed underneath cabinets or a microwave.

It is important to change the filter often, at least every three to four months, in order to prevent strain on the unit and maximize its performance and life span. The grease filter must be removed and cleaned regularly.  Filters Fast carries microwave and hood range filters for GE, Whirpool, Broan and Samsung models.