Guides
Kitchen extraction in Dubai
Extraction is decided by where the air can go, long before it is decided by which hood looks right.
A cooker hood is the visible part of a system whose real work happens in the duct behind it. A ducted hood moves cooking moisture, grease and odour out of the property, and its effectiveness depends on the route: length, number of bends, duct diameter and the outlet position. A short, straight route to outside works; a long, twisting one may never perform, however capable the hood claims to be.
Element pages explain one part of a larger renovation in detail: what is being chosen, what the installation involves, and where the cost and time usually sit.
The route also has to be decided early, because it lives in the ceiling void or the wall, and both are closed during first fix. Planning extraction after the ceiling is finished usually means accepting a recirculating hood instead, which filters the air and returns it to the room rather than removing it.
What matters most on this page
The duct route is a first-fix decision
Where the duct runs, its diameter and where it discharges are fixed while the void and the walls are still open.
Bends and length cost performance
Every elbow reduces airflow. A route with fewer turns and a shorter run delivers far more extraction for the same hood.
Air has to be replaced
Extracting air from a sealed kitchen creates a pressure imbalance. Make-up air — a vent, an undercut door or a window — has to be part of the plan.
Ducted or recirculating, and how to choose
Ducted where a route exists
Removing the air is always more effective than filtering it. Where a route to outside can be found, it is the better option.
Recirculating where it genuinely cannot
In an apartment with no external route, a recirculating hood with a good filter is a reasonable compromise — provided the filter is maintained.
Downdraft and island options
Where a hood above the hob is impossible, downdraft and ceiling-mounted options exist, each with their own duct and depth requirements.
Check these before the ceiling closes
Agree the route on the drawing
Route, diameter and outlet position should appear on the services drawing, not emerge on site.
Check the outlet is usable
A discharge point into a shaft or a facade needs to be permissible, not just convenient.
Plan the make-up air
Decide how replacement air enters the kitchen, particularly in a closed or internal kitchen.
Questions we are often asked
Can extraction be added after the kitchen is finished?
A ducted route cannot, because the ceiling and walls are closed. A recirculating hood can, at a lower level of performance.
Does a ducted hood need a bigger duct than a bathroom fan?
Yes. Kitchen extraction moves far more air, so the duct diameter and the route have to be sized for it rather than shared with a small fan.
Why does a kitchen feel damp after cooking?
Usually because the air is not leaving. Cooking produces a lot of moisture, and without an effective route out it settles on the coldest surfaces.
Related guides
- Kitchen cabinetryThe next component to decide in the same room.
- Kitchen worktopsThe next component to decide in the same room.
- Kitchen renovation costHow this element sits in the overall budget.
- Kitchen renovation timelineThe next question people ask about the same work.
Start from kitchen renovation, browse the guides, or see all renovation and fit-out services. We work on homes and commercial premises across Dubai.
Tell us about the property
Tell us which room, which element and what is being replaced. We will confirm the measurements and the sequence that follows.
Phone
+971 56 181 0106Good for talking a job through and arranging a visit.
WhatsApp
Send a messageUseful for photographs, floor plans and measurements.
Next step
Plan the extract route before first fix
Send the kitchen layout and where the external walls and shafts are. We will tell you whether a ducted route is realistic.