What are the most common range hood parts that need replacing?

You rely on the exhaust fan in your range hood to get rid of cooking odors and smoke from your kitchen.

When your range hood isn’t working--leaving smoke and odors lingering in your kitchen--you’ll likely need to replace one of these common range hood parts.

Range hood fan and control parts

Blower fan motor

The blower fan motor is an electric motor that rotates the blower fan blade. The blower fan motor is activated at various speeds by the selector switch or the electronic control board in the control panel. Replace the fan motor when it’s getting power but not spinning the fan blade.

Blower fan blade

The blower fan blade rotates on the fan motor shaft. The fan blade moves air from the area above the cooktop, through the exhaust air duct system and then outside of the home. Replace the fan blade when it’s damaged or broken.

Control panel

The control panel is mounted on the front of the range hood. Selection switches or the user interface control board are fastened to the control panel. Display indicators are also mounted on the control panel. Replace the control panel when switches aren’t working properly.

Electronic control board

The electronic control board activates the lights and blower fan motor in the range hood. The electronic control board receives selection input from the control panel or user interface control board. Replace the electronic control board if it doesn’t send electrical current to the fan motor when you turn on the fan.

Fan selector switch

The fan selector switch is mounted on the control panel. The fan selector switch activates the blower fan motor at the selected speed. Replace the fan selector switch if it doesn’t turn on the fan or it doesn’t regulate fan speed properly.

Grease filter

The grease filter is an aluminum mesh filter that traps grease that’s suspended in the exhaust air. The grease filter is mounted on the bottom of the range hood just under the exhaust fan. Clean the grease filter regularly to maintain proper air flow through the fan. Replace the grease filter if it’s damaged.

Charcoal filter

The charcoal filter is used when exhaust air is recirculated into the kitchen instead of being exhausted to the outside of your home. The charcoal filter removes odors from the recirculated air. Replace the charcoal filter regularly to keep air circulating through the vent fan.

Damper

The damper is a flapper in the exhaust duct system that hinges open to allow air flow in the exhaust direction only. When exhaust air isn’t flowing through the duct system, the damper shuts to prevent backflow of air through the system. Replace the damper if it’s damaged and won’t open to allow exhaust air to flow out of your kitchen.

Range hood lighting parts

The range hood also lights up the cooktop area in your kitchen. When range hood lighting isn’t working, you may need to replace one of these common parts.

Light switch

The light switch activates the light bulbs under the range hood. The light switch is mounted on the control panel of the range hood. Replace the light switch if it doesn’t send electric current to the lights when you turn the switch on.

Light socket

The light socket houses a light bulb that illuminates the cooktop under the range hood. The light socket is mounted on the underside of the range hood. Replace the light socket if the bulb is good and the control sends electric current to the socket but the light won’t turn on.

Light bulb

Range hood light bulbs eventually burn out. Whenever a light on your range hood quits working, replace the light bulb first.

Range hood sentry feature parts

Many range hoods include a temperature-triggered feature that automatically turns on the exhaust fan when the control detects high heat coming from the cooktop area. You may need to replace one of these parts when the sentry system isn’t working properly on your range hood.

Temperature sensor

The temperature sensor detects air temperature in the range hood. A wire harness connects the temperature sensor to the sentry system electronic control board. If the temperature sensor is defective, the exhaust fan may run when the cooktop is at room temperature or the exhaust fan may not turn on automatically when the cooktop gets extremely hot.

Sentry system control board

The sentry system constantly monitors the ambient air temperature above the cooktop. When the air temperature rises above the sentry set point, the sentry system automatically turns on the range hood blower fan on High. The fan runs until the air temperature above the range decreases to a safe temperature. The sentry system is sometimes integrated into the main control board for the range hood. Some range hoods use a separate control for the sentry system. Replace the control board that governs the sentry system when the sentry feature isn’t working properly and the temperature sensor is okay.

Sometimes, it’s not easy to diagnose a range hood failure on your own. When you need help fixing a range hood failure, schedule a Sears Technician to visit your home and repair the range hood.