Why is my kitchen extractor fan dripping water?

An extractor hood is a kitchen appliance with a mechanical fan installed directly over your stove or burner in order to suck up the steam and odors emitted during cooking. Basically, it filters out the smoke, heat, steam, grease, odors, and other air pollutants. That’s why it’s important that the appliance works well without fail. If you’re wondering, “Why is my kitchen extractor fan dripping water?”, we’ll get to the bottom of the issue in this article. 

Why is my kitchen extractor fan dripping water?

Any of the components of your range hood could be responsible for a water drip. But why is the kitchen extractor fan dripping water in the first place? Let’s find out.

The primary reason this happens is if condensation inside the exhaust duct causes the range hood to drip. When warm, moist interior air comes into touch with a cold metal surface area such as the wall of the exhaust duct, condensation happens. For instance, when you boil water in large quantities. As the steam goes up the pipe, it collects on the pipe and drips back down.

Specific causes for a leaking stove range hood

There could be several reasons for a stove range hood to leak fluid onto your burners and stovetop. You’ll get a good idea if you understand the type of liquid that’s leaking from your range hood. Let’s see the two scenarios. 

Grease or oil 

Your range hood filter is full or dirty in all likelihood. Like most air-filtering equipment, your kitchen extractor captures pollutants such as grease, dust, oil, and other gunk with its filters. These filters become clogged with oil and greasy over time. 

The solution is to remove the filter and clean it with a degreaser. You need to open the cavity and give the range hood system some deep cleaning from time to time. However, before cleaning, remember to disconnect your stove from its electrical source. The last thing you’ll want in your home improvement project is a nasty electric shock.

Another reason why the kitchen extractor fan could be dripping is that maybe the fan is not working properly, and hence the kitchen air is not getting ventilated. If you see a loose or broken fan belt, do the necessary repair immediately.

Water is dripping 

The pipes that vent your range hood are probably not at the correct angle – causing a leak somewhere in your shingles and roof. The best solution is to contact an appliance expert.

Another reason could be that the pipes do not have sufficient insulation. When it’s cold weather, the hot air being vented hits freezing cold piping – resulting in condensation. Good insulation can solve that problem.

Fixing condensation in a range hood vent

It’s not a good idea to put exhaust ducts or range hoods vent through roofs. That can cause condensation and hence water drip for sure. Instead, it should go through a side wall or the basement. If it must go through the roof, make sure there are loops in the ducting.

The best way to stop condensation in a range hood vent is to use insulated ducting, or wrap-around rigid ducting with insulation. Don’t lead the exhaust pipe out through the soffit area as it can cause the hot air to rise. The condensation should be channeled out, not back in. You can use special roof exhaust hoods that provide an airtight seal. 

Make sure your range hood is correctly installed with two metal dampers to stop outside air. These thin dampers or flaps open when the fan’s running at low speed, but they keep the drafts from coming in. That’s why you should check if the dampers are operating properly. If the hood duct has a wall cap, it should have a spring that keeps the damper closed when the fan is turned off. Also, check to see if the hood damper is bent or obstructed. If a cap is not closing the way it should, consider replacing it.

Next, check the damper of the hood. If you see a grease buildup on the flaps, the bar, or its housing, use a degreaser.

Read more: Kitchen exhaust fan maintenance 

Last thoughts

A range hood works hard to keep your cooking space clean. If your range hood is faulty, it will start leaking – leaving your stovetop in grease, cooking oil, or water. It’s crucial that you know why and where the range hood is leaking from. Only then will you be able to fix the hood back to ventilating properly and doing what it’s supposed to do.

Written by Ramona Sinha. March 19, 2022

Ramona is a senior content writer for Kukun. This experienced blogger uses simple and succinct words to decipher the complex phenomenon called life. She has written articles covering a broad range of topics, such as real estate, lending and mortgage, finance, business, taxation, home designs, home improvement projects, decor concepts, and more. An avid traveler, she’s a digital nomad at heart and an animal lover from the depth of her soul.