Hosting Thanksgiving dinner at your house fills it with the aromas of the turkey, dressing, and pies baking, along with all the heat the stove and oven generate. Taking a few minutes to assess your kitchen ventilation before the holiday arrives might help you stay more comfortable while you put this celebratory meal on the table.The combination of heat plus the steam that the cooking creates is a recipe for discomfort in the kitchen. It’s the same thing that happens in the summer when the humidity combines with warm temperatures that has you reaching for the air conditioner’s thermostat. Add it all the body heat your guests will generate, and things could get uncomfortable.Fortunately, by Thanksgiving, there’s plenty of cool air outside to use instead of the A/C. Getting inside is all a part of ventilation methods for getting rid of the humidity and the heat. To start, determine if:
Your kitchen fan exhausts outside or just recirculates the air. Look above the fan to see if there a vent pipe that leads up through the ceiling or goes out of a wall. If you see either, your fan exhausts air outdoors.
Does the kitchen have a window that opens? Sometimes builders put in fixed windows or windows can stick over time if they’re not opened periodically.
Is there a door leading outdoors or into the garage? A door that leads outdoors will give you ample kitchen ventilation.
Do you have a portable fan?
This list of ventilation options will provide the basis for your approach to Thanksgiving dinner. If your kitchen fan vents outside, increase its speed from low to high as the heat in the kitchen increases. Opening a nearby window or door will pull in cooler, fresher air. If your kitchen fan recirculates only, place your portable fan inside the doorway or window and exhaust the air outdoors.Home and kitchen ventilation matter even when it’s cold outside. If you find that it’s hard to ventilate your home, contact Air Assurance for expert advice. We provide HVAC services for Broken Arrow homeowners.