Kitchen extrator fan - neighbour smelling cooking?

blackstar

Hi all
We recently moved into a new home and the neighbour in our terraced house can smell our cooking in his bedroom. Even though our kitchen is downstairs and his bedroom upstairs. 
I've had a look at the extractor fan inside but know nothing about them so would appreciate some advice as to how this is happening, is it installed correctly etc.and how to fix the issue?
I removed the cover off the upper part to see the inside. 

Please see photos. H56 1LX indesit is the model. It's not being extraed outside. 

Typhoon2000

Look like it set to extracting mode rather than recirculating with a charcoal filter. The air is going into the void above the false ceiling.

twopenny

And there's a gap around the plaster that leads between floor and ceiling - unless it's a bungalow in which case its the attic.

ThisIsWeird

As suggested above - the chimney section appears to be going into that false ceiling, with the exhaust being trapped in that space, and then presumably finding ways of seeping through into the flat above.

Did the upstairs fellow not smell cooking with the previous owner?! Perhaps they didn't cook...

Various solutions, some better than others. The simplest - but least effective - would be to duct from that round fan opening to a grille or hole in the side of the removed chimney, so it exhausts out above the wall units. You'd then need to ensure you use good grease and carbon filters. You'd also patch that hole in the ceiling, to ensure no more smells get up there.

The SS chimney cover - is there a grille in the side? If not, you'd need to add one.

Better solutions would involve exhausting out through the exterior wall, so is there an external wall either to the side of the hood, or even that back wall? Ducting can be effectively hidden by using 'flat' rectangular type, run along the tops of the wall unit until it can exit. There may even be enough space above that false ceiling in which to run 'flat' ducting, but that would be more work.

External venting is, by far, the best solution - all steam vented out, no need for carbon filters, much more effective fume collection.

blackstar

Thanks all.

What would be the very best solution for not just our neighbour but us? Ie a brand new venting hood extractor fan?

Anyone know of any companies who supply and fit kitchen hood extractor fans. B and q said they just sell them nut install them.

Also would just putting in rock wool where there's the gap between the false ceiling and old ceiling at the top of the extractor fan also work? Atleast temporarily? 

ThisIsWeird

blackstar said:

Thanks all.

What would be the very best solution for not just our neighbour but us? Ie a brand new venting hood extractor fan?

Anyone know of any companies who supply and fit kitchen hood extractor fans. B and q said they just sell them nut install them.

Also would just putting in rock wool where there's the gap between the false ceiling and old ceiling at the top of the extractor fan also work? Atleast temporarily? 

I have explained the options :-)
That hole in your 'false' ceiling just needs blocking - boarding over in the easiest way possible. It doesn't have to be neat, 'cos the 'chimney' will hide it when refitted.
Then either 'convert' your existing hood to 'recycling', or - much better - add ducting to take it to an external wall.
No obvious advantage in changing the hood itself - all the alternative hoods will have the same two venting options.

greyteam1959

The big problem venting to the outside will be the cost of drilling the hole through the wall.

blackstar

What if I just added rock wool to the gaps at the top? Is that as good as sealing the top of that round large chimey? What is best to cover it with? Duct tape? 

blackstar

greyteam1959 said:

The big problem venting to the outside will be the cost of drilling the hole through the wall.

A bigger problem is actually finding a tradesman who either

A) is reliable
 B ) will turn up
C ) will take on the job
D) will do a reasonable job

Now that's a huge challenge and we are in one of the largest cities in the UK. 

diveunderthebonnet

blackstar said:

greyteam1959 said:

The big problem venting to the outside will be the cost of drilling the hole through the wall.

A bigger problem is actually finding a tradesman who either

A) is reliable
 B ) will turn up
C ) will take on the job
D) will do a reasonable job

Now that's a huge challenge and we are in one of the largest cities in the UK. 

Or you could go to a tool hire company and hire a Kango hammer and a core drill to do it yourself.

blackstar

I spoke to an electrician and said it's not possible to vent an extractor fan, in fact let me quote him. "To get pipe out will be a problem, your boiler flue must be min 300 away from any openings to the building inc extractor openings"