How do I vent my range hood or microwave from my brownstone kitchen

How can I vent my over-range microwave (or range hood) to the outside of my brownstone? We’re installing a new kitchen on our parlor floor and the range is near the door to the outside, and we have tin ceilings I don’t want to disturb and our chimney is on the wall near the range – so I’m not sure how we vent to the outside without an unsightly vent cable going through the cabinets (and we need all the cab space we can get) or up OVER the cabinets, and around past the chimney and out the wall between chimney and door. It seems like a logistical and visual challenge to do the vent work. Any suggestions? Photos showing how you did it, would be helpful as well.

jeanmarine2

in Renovation 11 years and 9 months ago

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downtowndame | 11 years and 9 months ago

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That’s totally different than a stove vent. Your kitchen must not have a window to bring in fresh air fresh air (not to expel air to the outside. You need to bring in a certain amount of cfm (cubic feet per minute) to satisfy the ventilation code. Your architect or contractor should be able to help with fan size and design.

Amym718 | 11 years and 9 months ago

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downtowndame: We are putting a kitchenette into our garden-floor accessory apt., and DOB is requiring us to add mechanical vent to the outside. OP may not be filing, but for anyone who is, know that city may require ventilation.

downtowndame | 11 years and 9 months ago

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Over the range microwaves don’t typically need to vent to the outside. Range hoods can be self vented (inside) or to the exterior. If you are planning a restaurant style range made for home use, you may want to vent it to the outside. Another consideration is how you cook – do you do a lot of frying or grilling? (3-4 week) If not you may not need to vent outside. People who grew up in the suburbs where it is relatively easy to vent a range think it is the only way to go. Thousands of apartments in Manhattan use internal vents for their Viking ranges. I have not been impressed with downdraft vents. An outside vent is hole to the outside and even with the best insulation/damper cold air will bring winter air into the house.

sethamin | 11 years and 9 months ago

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Venting through a chimney flue is generally a bad idea – vents are a lot more efficient running horizontally rather than vertically; that’s a long distance for the vent to run; and the grease will build up on the bricks if it’s unlined. Maybe if you’re on one of the top two floors and have a stainless steel flue liner it may be feasible. I think the best option is to build your cabinets almost to ceiling height; add crown molding; and run the vent in a soffit behind the crown and above the cabinets. You could also try to put a downdraft in the framing behind the stove (assuming you’re on the ground floor) – but again, you wont get good ventilation because of all the turns it has to make. If all else fails, build a soffit or a drop ceiling.

cate | 11 years and 9 months ago

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Through the chimney or hidden in a soffit that LOOKS just like it is part of the cabinetry.