HDB Renovation Guide Singapore: Ventilation for HDB Kitchens
The HDB Renovation Guide Singapore on air flow is simple: a good hood plus a window beats any fancy layout. For 2025 BTO and resale flats, tropical humidity means poor ventilation grows mould fast, so plan extraction before you choose tiles. Get the airflow right and the kitchen stays dry and smell-free.
Hood, window and exhaust options
A cooker hood is the first line, aim for strong suction around 1000m3 per hour for wok cooking. An openable window gives free cross-flow. An exhaust fan in the wall or ceiling pulls damp air out when the window is shut.
- Wall-mounted hood for the usual HDB run.
- Window fan for extra pull on curry nights.
- Ceiling exhaust for a closed wet kitchen.
Who installs the ducting
Any exhaust ducting tied to plumbing or wall cuts needs a PUB-licensed plumber and, if you hack, a permit from a contractor on HDB's Directory of Renovation Contractors. Electrical rewiring for a new hood point must go through a Licensed Electrical Worker under EMA. Do not let a general handyman wire it.
Light fittings and a hood swap need no permit, but moving the duct through a wall does. Noisy works stay in 9am to 5pm weekdays only.
Plan the licensed trades early. A permit through a DRC contractor takes up to 3 weeks, or 3 to 7 days for simple cases, and a BTO permit is valid only 3 months from issue. If the hood needs a new power point, the Licensed Electrical Worker logs it under EMA and the PUB-licensed plumber handles any drain tie-in, so book both before carpentry closes the ceiling.
HDB Renovation Guide Singapore: stop mould in a tropical climate
Singapore's heat and rain make kitchens damp. After you cook, run the hood five minutes longer to clear vapour. Wipe the window track and the hood filter monthly. I've seen cabinets rot from a hood that never got cleaned.
- Cook with the hood on from start to finish.
- Open the window while the fan pulls air out.
- Wash the aluminium filter every month.
- Keep a small dehumidifier in a closed wet kitchen.
Open vs closed airflow
Open kitchens lean on the hood and a nearby window, since there is no wall to trap smell. Closed wet kitchens need their own exhaust or mould builds behind cabinets. The wet-dry split works best: contain the fry zone, vent it hard, leave the dry side airy.
Smart and quiet upgrades
Smart homes are a 2025 trend, and automated blinds plus IoT lighting pair with a hood on a timer. Keep it practical though, a reliable duct and a clean filter matter more than an app.
Treat ventilation as the thing that protects every other renovation spend. A strong hood, a working window and a clean filter keep your HDB kitchen dry, fresh and free of the mould that ruins cabinets within a year.
Read this HDB Renovation Guide Singapore before you pick tiles or colours, because airflow decides whether the kitchen still looks new in two years. Tilt the budget toward extraction: a S$30k to S$66k 4-room BTO reno should put roughly a quarter of spend on electrical and plumbing, and a chunk of that on the hood and duct. Skimp here and you pay in repainted cabinets and replaced carcasses.
