A chimney is a structure designed for venting hot gases and smoke safely from a kitchen to the outside atmosphere. A good chimney protects your eyes and nose from the smoke and fumes produced from the stove and also protects the ceiling above the stove and the kitchen environment from getting stained with the oily fumes from cooking. Exhaust fans can also be used for more or less same purposes, but there are many electric chimneys available in the market today which do the job much more efficiently.
It’s a good idea to consider installing a good chimney in your kitchen if any of these problems concern you:
- If you don’t want the stove to stain your kitchen ceiling and walls
- If you are concerned about the ill-effects of the fumes and smoke on your health
- If your eyes are oversensitive to smoke
- If you like to keep the kitchen odour-free
Electric chimneys are categorized according to their air suction capacity which is measured in cubic metres per hour. For normal cooking, you could get electric chimneys starting from Rs. 4000 in the market. If your cooking involves a lot of oil and deep frying, you might need to go for a chimney with a high (more than 750 m3 /hour) air suction capacity, which might cost you anywhere from Rs 15,000 to Rs. 1,00,000.
You can choose for a traditional chimney if all you want the chimney to do is ensure that the smoke and fumes from the stove do not damage your health and do not make the kitchen dirty. But you could also use the chimney to enhance the appearance of your kitchen. Special designer chimneys not only do their job of dealing with the smoke and fumes, but also serve as a kitchen decor accessory lending an air of elegance to your kitchen.
Types of chimney filters
Baffle filter
Baffle filter chimneys are considered an improvement on aluminium mesh filters. They’re supposed to be considerably more effective. They are quite useful for Indian kitchens and cleaning them is also easy. Baffle filters are available in both stainless steel and aluminium versions.
Charcoal filter
This filter is mainly used for odour absorption and is usually installed at an extra cost. The absorption and purification capacity of these filters depends upon the thickness of these filters and the charcoal granules used. As this filter is not washable, it needs to be replaced every 3-6 months depending upon the cooking habits of the user.
Ducting
This is a one-time installation alternative to charcoal filters which need periodic replacement. Ducting requires PVC pipes. Since this is a permanent fixture, it might require some carpentry work.
There are also chimneys available with aluminium mesh filters, but these may not be suitable for Indian style of cooking with lots of oil and masalas, as the small holes in them may get clogged by oily and greasy particles.
Number of blowers
The blowers run simultaneously with the motors to ensure effective exhaustion of unwanted smells and oil vapours at different speeds, thus providing optimum operation at lower noise levels. Higher numbers of blowers results more effective removal of unwanted smells and grease. If your cooking involves a lot of deep-frying, then the number of blowers is critical.
Size
Electric Chimneys are usually available in two sizes – 60 cm and 90 cm.
Maintenance
It is very important to remember that fireplaces and chimneys should be examined and swept periodically to ensure safety and proper functioning.
There many auto clean chimneys in the market today. These are suitable for Indian cooking using a lot of oil. Autoclean chimneys require very little maintenance.
Depending on your requirements and preferences you can choose the right chimney for your kitchen to enjoy smoke free cooking and to keep your kitchen beautiful and elegant.
For a list of electric chimneys in the market, see http://www.naaptol.com/buy/home_-_kitchen_appliances/cooking/electric_chimneys.html
