Kitchen Extractor Fan Repair: Costs, Fixes, and What to Know

When your kitchen extractor fan, a vented device that pulls smoke, steam, and odors out of your cooking area. Also known as range hood, it keeps your kitchen air clean and prevents moisture buildup that leads to mold and damaged walls. stops working, it’s not just annoying—it’s a risk. Without proper ventilation, grease and humidity cling to cabinets, walls, and ceilings. Over time, that moisture breeds mold, warps wood, and makes your home feel sticky and stale. And if you’re cooking with gas, poor ventilation means dangerous fumes linger instead of being pushed outside.

Fixing a kitchen extractor fan isn’t always about replacing the whole unit. Often, it’s a simple issue: a clogged grease filter, a broken motor, a blown fuse, or a faulty switch. Some people think they need an electrician, but often, a handyman or appliance technician can handle it faster and cheaper. If the fan is loud or doesn’t pull air well, it’s likely the motor is worn out or the duct is blocked. You might not even realize the duct is clogged—grease builds up inside over years, like a pipe full of hardened oil. That’s why cleaning the fan regularly matters more than you think.

Related to this is the ventilation fan—a broader term that includes bathroom fans and attic vents. But a kitchen extractor fan is built tougher. It handles heat, grease, and heavy use. A bathroom fan won’t cut it in the kitchen. If you’re replacing yours, make sure it’s rated for kitchen use and matches your duct size. Some models come with lights, timers, or sensors that turn on automatically when steam is detected. But even the fanciest model won’t help if the duct isn’t properly sealed or if the fan’s power is too weak for your stove size.

And here’s something most people miss: if your fan runs but doesn’t pull air, the problem might not be the fan at all. It could be the duct running to the outside—blocked by bird nests, crushed by insulation, or just never installed right. That’s why professionals check the whole path, not just the unit. You can test it yourself: hold a piece of tissue paper near the fan while it’s running. If it doesn’t pull the paper firmly, something’s wrong.

Repair costs vary. A new motor might run $50–$120. Labor? Around $80–$150. But if the whole unit is old or the duct needs redoing, you could be looking at $300–$600. Sometimes, replacing it makes more sense than fixing it—especially if your fan is over 10 years old. Newer models are quieter, more energy-efficient, and have better filters.

What you’ll find below are real fixes from people who’ve been there: why their fan stopped working, how they diagnosed it, what tools they used, and whether they called a pro or fixed it themselves. You’ll see costs, common mistakes, and the one thing most people overlook when their kitchen smells like last night’s fried fish. No fluff. Just what works.