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How do I stop oil dripping from my extractor fan?

Now, I realise that the title of the thread makes me sound like a dirty so-and-so who never cleans, but trust me that on this occasion it just isn't true.

I am very lucky to be in a new kitchen with a new extractor fan. I wipe over it each time I use the cooker. Once a week I take the mesh filter off (very easy, just clicks off and can be scrubbed) and spray it with stardrops and then clean in hot soapy water and it is very clean. It hasn't got a build up of greasy stuff inside.

I couldn't figure out why there could be a drip of oil coming through it even after being cleaned.

Then I realised that the motor had a bit of oil on it at that place.
So I duly cleaned it, and now wipe the visible parts of the motor every week or more often now as soon as I see the oil. There is still a drip appearing at least every few days.

I'm wondering if the oil could be coming from the motor, or is it purely from the air after cooking? Thinking about it, I dread to think how much oil there used to be in the old broken fan before as we would have fried a lot. Now I use the air fryer and don't do much in the pan at all!
Father Ted: Now concentrate this time, Dougal. These
(he points to some plastic cows on the table) are very small; those (pointing at some cows out of the window) are far away...
:D:D:D
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Comments

  • Wookey
    Wookey Posts: 812 Forumite
    It could be oil seeping from a dodgy fan or motor bearing, if this is new i would get back to the supplier about it as it is most likely to fail altogether, probably when it's just gone out of warranty.
    Norn Iron Club member No 353
  • rosie383
    rosie383 Posts: 4,981 Forumite
    Thanks for the reply Wookey. I just need to be sure that it is, in fact, coming from the motor rather than from cooking. I've had a sniff and it smells more like cooking oil rather than a motor oil smell if you get me.
    Just wondering if anyone else has noticed something similar.
    Father Ted: Now concentrate this time, Dougal. These
    (he points to some plastic cows on the table) are very small; those (pointing at some cows out of the window) are far away...
    :D:D:D
  • Artytarty
    Artytarty Posts: 2,642 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I get this too! I'm fairly sure it's cooking oil, not motor oil.
    Its annoying but I now just keep an eye out for it and if I see a drop forming and coming through the mesh I blot it off with a piece of kitchen paper. Then when I've finished cooking, I do as you have been doing.
    Norn Iron Club member 473
  • Jolinar
    Jolinar Posts: 180 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    This might sound daft, but have you checked there is a filter fitted? Same thing happened to me in a new build, dosey so-and-so's hadn't fitted the carbon filter inside the hood.
  • Artytarty
    Artytarty Posts: 2,642 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Thing is, these fans aren't built to,house a carbon filter.
    The mesh is in several layers and the small,perforations are meant to trap the grease. Works to an extent...
    Norn Iron Club member 473
  • rosie383
    rosie383 Posts: 4,981 Forumite
    Just had a look at the link and I've never seen one of those. TBH, I wouldn't want to risk putting something like that in, even if I knew where! As Artytarty says, some extractor fans aren't built for those filters.

    I'm glad it isn't just me then. And if you think it is cooking oil too, then I will just keep doing what I've been doing. In a way it's good, as it does remind me to take it off and clean it very regularly.
    Father Ted: Now concentrate this time, Dougal. These
    (he points to some plastic cows on the table) are very small; those (pointing at some cows out of the window) are far away...
    :D:D:D
  • Mr.Generous
    Mr.Generous Posts: 3,807 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I think some misunderstanding here, a carbon filter is not the same as a grease filter. A carbon filter tries to absorb smells. If the hood vents outside a carbon filter is not required. The mesh grease filters are not as effective at capturing grease as the material type and you do get grease drips forming.
    Mr Generous - Landlord for more than 10 years. Generous? - Possibly but sarcastic more likely.
  • rosie383
    rosie383 Posts: 4,981 Forumite
    Thanks Mr G. That makes a lot of sense. So I will just keep going with what I've been doing up til now.
    Father Ted: Now concentrate this time, Dougal. These
    (he points to some plastic cows on the table) are very small; those (pointing at some cows out of the window) are far away...
    :D:D:D
  • Hello! I have a pretty old matsui cooker hood and extractor fan (about 10 years) and recently it has started dripping oil. We clean the filters regularly and it appears  to be coming from around the fan. It's clearly built up cooking oil so I'm trying to work out whether I need to:
    1. Replace the motor, and is it straight forward enough to do myself 
    2. I understand it's a terrible idea to get water in the motor, but does this mean I can't take the old motor apart and clean it rather than replacing it?
    3. Do I need to call someone out to do a clean of the extractor fan and flue thingy to outside?
    4. Do I I need to replace the entire unit? 

    Thanks in advance! Youtube has so far been totally useless!

    😊😊😊
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