QA

Question: How To Vent A Range Hood

The best option is to vent vertically through the roof if possible, since hot air rises. But this is not required. Vent through a side wall if you cannot vent directly above your hood. To have a smooth installation, find a great contractor to install your ductwork.

Do range hoods have to be vented outside?

Range hoods do not have to be vented to the outside. But, ducted range hoods are almost always preferred over ductless hoods. They remove all the smoke and cooking exhaust from your kitchen, while ductless hoods recirculate your cooking exhaust back into your kitchen.

Is it OK to vent range hood into attic?

No, you should never vent your range hood into the attic. The excess buildup of grease and moisture in your attic will ruin it and over time may cause mold damage. Instead, vent your hood through an interior wall or through the ceiling all the way outside of your home.

What is the best vent pipe for a range hood?

Rigid duct is the best type of duct to vent your range hood. It requires a one-time installation and little to no maintenance as long as you clean your range hood filters. Most rigid ductwork is made from durable stainless steel, as opposed to rigid ductwork which is aluminum or flimsy plastic.

How do you vent a range hood on an interior wall?

How to Vent a Range Hood on an Interior Wall Determine where you want to vent your range hood. Install your ductwork in the shortest unobstructed path to the outside of your home. Cut a hole 1-2 inches larger than your ductwork where you’ll run the duct from your hood. Attach the range hood to your ductwork.

Should I vent my range hood through the roof?

If a roof is not vented, then grease, dirt, smoke, and chemicals will build up inside your attic. It can be dangerous to your health to keep these contaminants inside your home. Venting your range hood into the attic essentially defeats the purpose of having a ducted range hood.

Do downdraft vents work?

Limited Effectiveness. The experts at Reviewed consider downdraft vent systems inherently flawed. Because of their design, downdraft vents work harder than updraft systems to remove air, and are usually ineffective at drawing steam, odors and smoke from burners that are farthest away, and from tall stockpots.

Can you vent range hood through soffit?

You must not vent into the soffits, or even under the soffits unless you are more than a foot and a half below the soffit to allow the wind to dissipate the moisture before it rises back up into the attic.

How long can a vent hood duct be?

How far can you vent a range hood? Your range hood duct should not exceed 30′ for a straight run, 25′ for a run with one elbow, and 20′ for a run with two elbows. The shorter the duct, the better. If your ductwork is too long, your kitchen air may not reach the outside.

Are ventless hoods any good?

Unvented range hoods do filter some grease and cooking odors from the air, but the general consensus is that they’re nowhere near as effective. Nor do they remove heat and humidity, so they won’t help keep your kitchen cool while you cook.

Can I use PVC pipe to vent a range hood?

The code does not allow this material. Range hoods shall discharge to the outdoors through a duct. The PVC duct extends not more than 1 inch (25 mm) above the indoor concrete floor surface. The PVC duct extends not more than 1 inch (25 mm) above grade outside of the building.

What is code for a range hood?

Although the international CFM code for range hoods is 100CFM, some local authorities allow for range hoods with slightly lower or higher CFM than this, depending on the type of your cooking, and the square footage of your cooktop.

Where does a downdraft vent to?

Downdraft vents are usually either built into a cooktop or installed as an accessory to the cooktop that operates independently, often even telescoping up for use and back down when out of use. Overhead venting can either drop from the ceiling as its own unit or can attach to wall space above the cooktop.

Do downdraft vents need to be vented?

Downdraft ranges have built-in vents between the burners, and suck smoke and steam through an exhaust pipe or filtration system. That means they don’t need an external vent hood—a trait that makes them popular in open kitchens, and kitchens with cathedral ceilings.

Can you vent a range hood down?

There’s no great way to vent your range hood, but you need to ensure that you have sufficient space behind walls to run the ductwork before proceeding with the installation. Also, it’s a great practice to decrease some elbows in the ductwork. This maximizes the efficiency of airflow, making a path of least resistance.

How do you vent an exhaust fan through soffit?

You need to install the soffit exhaust vent in the right location and then mark the area of the soffit where you want to draw the hole. Use a tin snip or jigsaw to cut out the soffit along the hole you marked. Then place the vent hose to the hole you made in the soffit.

How does a ductless range hood work?

A ductless range hood works by sucking greasy kitchen air through mesh or baffle filters. Once the air passes through these filters, it moves through carbon filters that trap dirt and neutralize strong cooking odors.

Does kitchen exhaust duct need to be insulated?

You can insulate your vent hood duct, but it’s not required. Insulating your vent hood duct will keep the noise down and keep your greasy kitchen air from escaping into your joists and attic.