A hood filter is a component of a kitchen ventilation system designed to capture and remove smoke, grease, and airborne particles released during cooking, thereby improving air quality, protecting the ventilation system from build-up, and reducing the risk of kitchen fires. These filters, often made of aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum mesh and are crucial for commercial kitchens to meet safety and health regulations.
- Aluminum Baffle – This filter is the most basic type of grease filter that offers the ability to strip the air of heavy particulates. While this type of filter is inexpensive and achieves the purpose they also have the shortest lifespan and limited capabilities. Cleaning these filters with heavy detergents increasingly shortens there lifespan.
- Stainless Steel Baffle – This filter is the next step up from the aluminum baffle. This filter offers a longer lifespan and is not as prone to clogging due to a heavy grease load. These filters tend to have a better ability to strip the grease from the air without becoming clogged as quickly.
- Spark Arrestor Filters – This filter is the heaviest duty filter for grease applications. All the features of stainless steel filters plus built in flame barrier protection. Always used over solid fuel cooking equipment.
- Aluminum Mesh Filters – This filter is typically the cheapest of all filters to use. A simple mesh filter should not be used in a grease application. This filter is common in uses where the air needs to be filtered of large pieces of debris or in a steam only application. These types of filters are more commonly seen on supply fans where air is being brought back into the building.