CUT YOUR UTILITY BILLS : New Range Vents Quiet, Efficient

QUESTION: The old vent hood over my range is very noisy, ugly and doesn’t seem to draw out cooking odors very well. Are there any new designs of range hoods that are quieter, attractive and more energy efficient?

ANSWER: There are many recent design improvements in range hoods. Several of the newest are downdraft, pull-out and tilt-out. These new designs are very effective, attractive and quiet. Some even have sensors that switch to high speed if food overheats or burns on the range.

These new range hoods have many additional convenience features and are much more efficient. For example, with variable speed controls you can run the blower on a lower and quieter blower speed depending on what you are cooking. In addition to saving electricity, less heated or cooled room air is drawn out of your house.

One convenient feature is infrared warming lights built in under the hood. You flip down a fold-out tray and set the foods under the warming lights. Most of these new range hoods also have totally variable speed controls with electronic memory. The design and special materials make them extra- quiet.

A new stylish downdraft vent design is only two-inches thick and fits behind your range. When it is not in use, it retracts flush with the range top so you cannot see it. To use it, you just touch a button and it automatically comes up and the blower starts.

This downdraft design, like the ones built in new top-of-the-line ranges, is very effective. Instead of trying to capture the heat, steam, grease and odors from several feet above the range, it sucks them down from just several inches above the range surface. This often allows you to run it at a slower, more energy efficient and quiet speed.

The new ultra-slim pull-out range hood slides out horizontally from under the cabinets above the range. When it’s pushed in and not in use, you cannot see it. The section that slides out over the range is very thin and is made of glass. This allows more light for the cooking surface.

The new tilt-out range hood is mounted in the cabinets above the range. Your cabinet front is attached to the tilt-out portion. It is hinged at the top. When it is closed, it looks just like a cabinet. You just tilt the bottom out over the range to start it.

The new conventional-looking fixed range hoods have the variable speeds, heat-sensing safety switch and quiet designs. To be most effective, a range hood should be at least as large as the range top and not higher than 30 inches above it.

You can write to me at the address below for Utility Bills Update No. 022 listing manufacturers of these new designs of extra-quiet range hoods, model numbers, sound levels, maximum blower capacity, product information and tips for energy-efficient cooking. Please include $1.50 and a self-addressed business-size envelope.

How to Check for Air Leaks Into Attic

Q: I have heard of “attic bypasses” as a major energy-wasting culprit. What are they and how I can I find them to repair them?

A: Attic bypasses are air leaks through the ceiling into the attic. This accounts for a significant amount of your utility bills, especially in the winter. These leaks are often around plumbing vents, light fixtures, etc.

They are easy to find. The attic insulation acts like an air filter, so the insulation above each leak traps dirt and is darker. Carefully walk through your attic (be careful not to miss the joists). Lift up the insulation in suspect spots and check the color.

Letters and questions to Dulley, a Cincinnati-based engineering consultant, may be sent to James Dulley, Los Angeles Times, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45244.