I’m a woodworker and was wondering about installing a hood range on an island in the middle of the kitchen. Can someone tell me how to actually install it or do you need an HVAC licensed pro. The stove is currently a really bad jean-air downdraft that has never worked.
Additionally if your stove is 30″ – am I correct to assume I need a 30″ hood range?
Cheers,
A high-performance single-family home builder shares tips from his early experience with two apartment buildings.
Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.
Start Free Trial NowGet instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.
Start Free Trial Now
Replies
Physically installing an island hood on a typical 8 ft ceiling is really no different than installing a bathroom exhaust fan with respect to getting hot humid air out of the house (does the ductwork run through conditioned space or not), or a ceiling fixture with respect to going up through the ceiling and roof. The real problem is deciding what kind of fan is needed to properly exhaust the range and room.
There are a number of other requirements to be considered:
• Current code with respect to the hood CFM
• Room size (CFM)
• Any make-up air requirements
• Type of range – gas, electric, propane, induction
I recommend reading these Fine Homebuilding articles I used in planning what kind of island hood I needed:
Venting the Kitchen, Fine Homebuilding June/July 1995;
Choosing a Range Hood, Fine Homebuilding Fall/Winter 2002;
Breathe Easy With the Right Range Hood, Fine Homebuilding Fall/Winter 2010;
How to Provide Makeup Air for Range Hoods, Fine Homebuilding December 2012/January 2013
If you end up installing a hood that Code requires make-up air, then you’ll need an HVAC installer that specifically has experience installing make-up air systems. Make-up air kicks in when it senses air pressure changes. Some systems require something in the hood to talk to the make-up air system (a wired connection). Some systems don’t need a connection and just sense the reduction in air pressure and kick in until there’s no more air pressure reduction (when the hood is turned off).
I have to use an HVAC installer to calibrate the make-up air system. I am using a Fantech make-up air system because it doesn’t require a connection between the hood and make-up air system. It operates by sensing air pressure and requires the experience of an HVAC installer although actual mechanical installation is simple – a hole in the kitchen wall for make-up air to enter, and a hole in the roof to get the make-up air to the make-up system. It’s adjusting the make-up air sensor that needs the expertise of HVAC installer.
Hood sizes are recommended to 6 inches wider than the cook top/range. A 36 inch hood for a 30 inch range top.
Best wishes