If you’re somewhat new to commercial kitchen ventilation, you may not have heard of or know what the difference is between Type I Hoods and Type II hoods.
Commercial kitchen exhaust systems all consist of the same basic components: vent hood, hood filters, ductwork, upblast fan, and for Type I hoods, a make-up air supply. They also all have the same basic purpose: to remove heat, steam, odors, and grease or oil vapors out of the kitchen, and then return fresh, clean air back into it.
Commercial kitchen vent hoods are classified into two main categories: Type I hoods and Type II hoods. Choosing the right type of hood for your ventilation system will help ensure you keep your kitchen safe, clean, and in compliance with the law.
To determine which type of hood you’ll need, you must consider the type of air you are exhausting as well as the type of equipment that will be located under the hood. Learn more about the differences between Type I hoods and Type II hoods and find out which one is right for you.
Type I Hoods
Type I ventilation hoods are required to be installed above cooking equipment that produce grease or smoke. They are specifically designed to remove condensation, heat, smoke, and grease and oil-laden vapors produced by cooking. They are commonly referred to as grease hoods and it is required for these hood ducts to be fully welded.
Type I hoods are typically used to capture and exhaust air from above cooktops, wok ranges, open-flame stoves, deep fryers, and solid fuel applications such as grills and broilers. The International Building Code also includes pizza ovens in this category but some municipalities will allow a Type II hood to be used.
Conveyor style pizza ovens usually require a Type I hood but pizza deck ovens typically allow for Type II. If you’re interested in using a Type II pizza hood, be sure to check with your local codes to confirm you are meeting regulations.
The main benefit to using these types of hoods is that a bank of grease baffle hood filters helps to contain grease and other contaminants before they enter the rest of your exhaust duct system. This keeps your ducts and upblast exhaust fan cleaner between servicing and maintenance. It also helps keep your system running smoothly and efficiently.
Type II Hoods
Type II hoods are often called oven hoods or condensate hoods. They are not intended for use above grease producing appliances. Type II hoods are exhaust only hoods meant to remove heat, moisture, and odors and are primarily used over non-grease producing cooking appliances.
The main goal of this hood is to create a more comfortable environment for those working in the kitchen by removing excess heat and moisture from the air. Instead of a bank of hood filters, Type II hoods have a duct collar that exhausts the contaminated air. Type II hood ducts do not need to be fully welded.
Type II canopy hoods are required to be installed where cooking or dishwashing equipment produce heat, or steam. They are not typically required for under the counter dishwashers, pot washers with water vapor exhaust systems, light-duty convection ovens, holding/warming ovens, toasters, microwave ovens, hot dog cookers, rice cookers, egg cookers, or steam tables.
As we noted earlier, Type II oven hoods are often used for pizza ovens, particularly deck pizza ovens. This type of hood is appropriate for use with small non-grease producing ovens and appliances to exhaust heat, vapor, and odors. Type II condensate hoods are used to capture and drain condensation as well as to exhaust heat and odors.
A Bit More On Hood Configurations
Whatever hood you choose you also have some additional choices available regarding configuration. Let’s take a quick look at some of those options.
The most common configuration for Type I hoods is the wall-mounted style. Wall canopy hoods are finished on three sides and have a front supply plenum. They are used for cooking equipment that is located against a wall. You can place them next to each other for wider cooking areas.
Another Type I hood configuration is the proximity or backshelf hood. Backshelf canopy hoods are shorter in both height and depth than typical hoods. Their compact design makes them good choices for mobile kitchens, food trucks, concession trailers, and smaller kitchen spaces. Smaller kitchens with little clearance may also opt for a Type I low ceiling hood.
If you have an area with four exposed sides that you need to vent, you may need to do a single or double island hood set up. In a double island hood set up, two hoods are placed back to back to create four finished sides. A wall canopy hood can be installed as an island hood but is not recommended. If you don’t require a Type I hood, a full perimeter Type II condensate or pizza hood may work well for your needs.
Style and Sizing Options
There are a wide variety of style and sizing options for vent hoods. They can be purchased individually or as a package along with a roof mounted exhaust fan, fan curb, and a make-up air supply unit. Not sure what a fan curb is? Check out this short video.
Vent Hoods and More
In addition to these types of canopy vent hoods, we also carry a full range of hood accessories, hood filters, and hood cleaning supplies from hood system parts and duct access doors to power washing products.
If you need any assistance in selecting a vent hood, just give us a call at 877-394-9731, or send an email to info@HoodFilters.com. Our product specialists can help make sure you get exactly what you need – and for the lowest price guaranteed.