When you're designing the kitchen for your commercial restaurant space, one of the most important elements that you'll have to choose is the exhaust hood. Remember that the exhaust hood in your commercial kitchen serves many safety purposes, including smoke and heat removal to keep your kitchen clear and safe. However, it can be difficult to know which exhaust hood is the right choice for your restaurant. Here's a look at what you need to know when you're choosing an exhaust hood for your commercial kitchen.

What Hood Type Do You Need?

When you start shopping for a commercial kitchen range hood, you'll find that there are two primary exhaust hood types. Type 1 exhaust hoods are designed for environments that need built-in fire suppression and grease control. If you're installing an exhaust hood over a flat-top grill or fryer, where there will be grease and smoke, you'll need a Type 1 exhaust hood.

In areas where you'll have heat and steam, but no grease or smoke, a Type 2 exhaust hood is sufficient. These hoods are designed to circulate and exhaust the heat and steam, but they don't have an integrated fire suppression system.

What Airflow Rate Do You Need?

Another feature you need to consider when you're assessing commercial kitchen exhaust hoods is the airflow rate. Usually rated in cubic feet per minute, this rating tells you how much air the exhaust hood can draw out at any given time. It's important to talk with an installation specialist about your kitchen design and square footage, as well as the expected demand of your kitchen appliances, to determine the proper flow rating for your system.

What Style Do You Prefer?

Commercial kitchen exhaust hoods come in a few different styles. You can choose proximity hoods, which are installed low and close to the exhausting surface if you only have a small area of concern. In larger production areas, you should think about a wall-mounted exhaust hood instead. These usually move more air and are installed in the wall and mounted above the cooking area.

If your cooking area is going to be on a center island in the kitchen, you'll want to talk with your contractors about a canopy exhaust hood instead. Canopy hoods are hung directly over an island structure in your commercial kitchen.

Talk with companies like Life Safety Inspections for guidance to choose the right unit for your restaurant.