How a Hookah Works

A hookah works through various parts completing a task in order to transfer the tobacco from the bowl into smoke in the hose for the user to inhale.

How it Works

The hookah is first prepared by filling water in the vase so the hookah stem is submerged at least an inch deep. Afterwards the bowl will be covered with a screen or foil with poked holes. The lit coals are put above the screen or foil in order to heat the tobacco up and turn it into smoke.

Once the user inhales through the hose the smoke will be drawn through the hookah as the heat from the coals will suck in as well. The heat transfer quickens when inhaling from the hookah hose and will quickly turn the tobacco to smoke.

After about two minutes of using a hookah the smoke will be easier to inhale as the hookah will already be heated up a bit. If your hookah has an air release valve you don’t have to use it but it can be very helpful. The air release valve can be used to remove stale smoke that you don’t want to inhale. To do this the user will have to blow through the hose so the smoke returns to the vase and then open the air release valve.

When the air passes through the valve the metal ball bearing will raise and this will let the smoke escape the hookah. The ball bearing is located in the check valve and is used to keep an air seal all through the hookah when inhaling smoke.

The way a hookah operates is as simple as mentioned in this article. Different hookah designs may offer additional features like the ability to add ice, alcohol, and other liquids in the water jar to further cool the smoke down and make it easier to inhale but this is how a basic hookah works.