How do you maintain a range hood?
Updated August 2026
A range hood needs one job done faithfully: degrease the metal mesh filters every month, either in the dishwasher or a hot, soapy soak, and on recirculating hoods swap the charcoal filter every 6 to 12 months. Confirm the exterior vent damper opens freely too. A grease-loaded filter is both a fire hazard and the reason a hood quits pulling smoke, and clean filters let a hood run its full 10–15-year life.
| Task | Interval | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Degrease the mesh filters (dishwasher or soak) | Monthly | 15 min · DIY |
| Wipe grease off the hood body and controls | Monthly | 5 min · DIY |
| Task | Interval | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Replace the charcoal filter on a recirculating hood | 6–12 months | $15–40 · DIY |
| Task | Interval | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Check the exterior vent damper opens and closes | Yearly | 10 min · DIY |
| Clean grease from inside the duct opening | Yearly | 20 min · DIY |
| Vacuum the fan blades and housing | Yearly | 15 min · DIY |
| Swap a dim or dead hood light bulb | As needed | 5 min · DIY |
What neglect costs
Grease is the whole story. A saturated mesh filter drips back onto the cooktop, strangles airflow so the hood stops clearing smoke, and forms a fire risk directly above the flames, the exact scenario the grease-caked-filter breakdown walks through. Grease also cakes inside the duct, where a stovetop flare-up can ignite it. Making the fan labor against a clogged filter shortens the motor's life, and a replacement hood installed runs $150–600, versus a mesh filter you can wash for free or a charcoal cartridge at $15–40.
Leave these to a pro
Cleaning is fully DIY, but installing a hood, running fresh duct to the outside, or hardwiring one is an electrician-and-installer job, commonly $150–400 in labor. A seized fan motor or a dead speed switch can be swapped by a handy owner, though on a budget hood the part and time often outrun a replacement. If the hood is vented yet still smoky after clean filters and an open damper, have the whole duct run checked, since a crushed or grease-blocked duct upstream is a duct-cleaning job at roughly $100–300.
This whole checklist ships as reminders in OnOtto: every task above, on the right schedule for your home, snooze-proof.
Load this checklist as remindersFrequently asked questions
How do I clean greasy range hood filters?
Pop the mesh filters out and either run them on the dishwasher's top rack or soak them 10 to 15 minutes in hot water with dish soap and a scoop of baking soda, then scrub and rinse. For baked-on grease, add a degreaser to the soak. Dry them fully before reinstalling. Doing this monthly keeps the filters from ever reaching the caked, hardened stage that becomes a fire risk.
Do ductless range hoods need filter changes too?
Yes, and more of them. A recirculating hood relies on a charcoal filter to trap odors before it blows the air back into the kitchen, and that filter cannot be washed, so replace it every 6 to 12 months. You still degrease the metal mesh pre-filter monthly. A ducted hood that vents outside skips the charcoal filter and needs only the mesh cleaned.
Why is my range hood not pulling smoke?
Start with the filters, since a grease-clogged mesh or a spent charcoal filter kills airflow fastest. Next check the exterior damper, which can stick shut or get blocked by a bird nest or debris, and make sure the fan is set high enough for the burner in use. A hood that is undersized for the range, or vented through too long a duct run, will always struggle no matter how clean it is.
How long does a range hood last?
Usually 10 to 15 years, with the fan motor and speed switch as the typical wear points. A solid vented hood cleaned monthly can beat that, while a cheap recirculating unit run against clogged filters burns out sooner. Keeping grease off the blades and filters is the single biggest factor, as the lifespan guide explains.