Extractor Fan Test: How to Diagnose and Fix Kitchen Ventilation Problems

When your extractor fan, a device designed to remove smoke, steam, and odors from your kitchen by pulling air through a duct to the outside. Also known as range hood fan, it's one of the most ignored but essential parts of your kitchen. If it’s quiet when it should be roaring, or if grease starts building up on your cabinets, you’re not just dealing with a nuisance—you’re risking long-term damage to your kitchen and air quality.

Most extractor fan failures come down to three things: a dead motor, the component that spins the fan blades using electricity, often the first part to fail after years of constant use, clogged ducting, the pipe or channel that carries air from the fan to the outside, which gets blocked by grease and debris over time, or a broken switch, the control that turns the fan on and off, which can wear out from daily use. You don’t need a pro to check these. Unplug the unit, remove the filter, and turn the fan on manually—if it hums but doesn’t spin, the motor’s likely dead. If it spins but air doesn’t move outside, the duct’s probably clogged. A simple test: hold a piece of tissue paper near the fan. If it doesn’t pull in, something’s broken.

Many people replace the whole unit when all they need is a new motor or a cleaned duct. Replacing a motor costs less than a third of a new extractor fan and takes under an hour if you’ve got basic tools. But if the fan’s over ten years old, or if the housing is cracked or rusted, it’s usually smarter to swap the whole thing. The key is knowing how to test it before you spend money. The posts below walk you through exactly how to do that—step by step, with real tools, real mistakes, and real fixes people have used in Mumbai kitchens. Whether you’re trying to stop smoke from clinging to your walls or just tired of the constant buzz, you’ll find a clear path here.