Over the range microwave/hood combo ????
ozbuilder
| Posted in General Discussion on
I am installing my new appliances and have bought an microwave/range hood combo unit. I have often seen these installed between two upper cabinets with a cabinet housing the ductwork above. My unit will be free hanging with a bulkhead above to house the ductwork. My question is this, I mounted my unit 18inches above the finish height of the countertop ( 18 Inches is standard backsplash height right???) but it looks too low, almost like it overshadows the range below it. However the height looks fine as far the convenient use of the microwave is concerned. Those units I have seen mounted between two upper cabinets would have been 18 inches above the countertop, right?????
Replies
your microwave/vent should be 6 feet at the top, this allows for a small 12" cabinet over the top, if you are usiong 42" cabinets, then a 24' Tall cabinet would work.
good luck
jwinko
It should be at least 6" higher
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What brand diod you buy? I may have a need for one soon.
Check the mfgr instructions for the cooktop. The Thermador I installed last year specified a minimum clearance on all sides, including above.
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I agree with Piffin, either a 12 or 15 inch cabinet should put it about 6 inches higher that the 18 inch bottoms.
oz, if the bottom of the micro is about 18'' above the counter and cooktop, you are ok.
The bottom of the micro should fall just a bit below the bottom of your upper cabs.
If you want to verify, check the cooktop clearance requirements and the installation instructions that came with the micro.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
code legal with the protection plate is one thingbut being able to use the stove is another
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>>code legal with the protection plate is one thing>>but being able to use the stove is anotherYeah, I'd wnat at least 24, possible a shade less IF the stove controls are at the front.I'm not sure I'd want to put expensive electronics above a source of very hot water vapor, though.
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I think that you are all missing the point here.This is OZBUILDER.Shouldn't he be measuring the ceiling down rather the the stove up <G>.Seriously I agree with you. My neighbor is getting ready to do an extensive remodel which will end up with a new kitchen and much, much larger than the old one.There comment was that they will have more cabinets that then need and there will be a bank of about 3 pantry cabinets. Other wise the they would just have a section of unusable blank wall.But they are putting the MW over the stove.
code legal and common sense is another Paul.
38'' to top of grate-15'' clearance at back of micro-15'' upper cab = 84'' soffit ht.
Use 12'' upper, 18'' clearance at back of micro but you look at a portion of the side cabs.
24'' clearance and you have room for a 6'' upper above the micro.
I haven't done thousands of kitchens as you're apt to read here on occasion, but 24'' is way too much.
All bets are off on a btu spewing Viking. In all cases, following the clearance recommendations of the range and micro manufacturers is the ticket.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
No real cooking with big pots on that
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I forgot, you stuff lobsters in a 5 gallon pot.
Plenty of room for soup, pasta and every other thing we put on there. You've got a different idea for sure on room needed to cook.
As we are apt to say.........must be regional differences.
Show me a pic of the 24'' distance and what you put up on top of that unit with a 7' soffit?
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Edited 9/15/2005 6:38 pm ET by calvin
Later, Gator - Camera's on the job tonight
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Ya'll know that you throw out the first batch of ice from a new ice maker, right?
Well, you also need to throw out the first meal you cook in a new microwave. You see, the loose electrons from the factory settle into the food, and you can get radiation sickness.
It's one of those tough situations.
You want the micro/vent unit high enough so you can use the stove but low enough so you can use the micro. For a vent hood without the micro I would prefer 27" but in your situation like Pif said 24".
I have put up a ton of these between cab and I have looked at the manf. specs and 18 seems to be the design number--I know what the others are saying about clearance but how many units project far enough to restrict you useing the front burners for soup pots and such--
Trade off is a little less clearance and more conv. and safe to have it in the 18 range (no pun intented)--
Just look at your specs--there are some unit with materials that can't handle the heat ---and spec out higher---
Now get that sucker in so you can heat up last nights pizza...
And Welcome aboard---
Mike
" I reject your reality and substitute my own"
Adam Savage---Mythbusters
I have a slightly similar install, but I won't have a soffit at all, rather stainless steel bar shelves on either side aligned with the top of the microwave (where pots hang). I set it at 24" above, in fact all the upper cabinets are 24" above the counter. The ceiling is 12' high at the wall where the stove is and the exhaust duct has been buried in the wall. Peculiar installation I know.
Among other things, the installation instructions should quote minimum clearance to the cook surface.
If memory still serves, the installation instructions for my unit called for 18" - 20" and I went with 20" to get the additional space.
A separate issue is the noise level. I have a GE unit that sounds like a jumbo jet on takeoff when it's on high speed. It's quieter on low speed, but still pretty annoying. Because of the noise, the exhaust fan is seldom used.
Yeah, we replaced our old exhaust hood (harvest gold) with a new GE unit, advertised as "quiet". I'd hate to hear what they call "loud".
Are your GE's that loud? I was about to get one thinking they were supposed to be quiet - so called squirrel cage fan.
The thing is very poorly balanced and sets the entire hood to shaking.
Thanks everyone for your advice, I have decided to mount it at 18 inches above the finsihed counter and cooking surface. It still seems to overshadow the cooking surface below but it seems to be the most convenient height to access the microwave controls. The manufacturers instructions were very vague so the advice I recieved was great.
A squirrel cage fan should be fine - they usually run much quieter. Mine has a bladed fan.
That's what I thought and I think that's the only type GE is using. The previous posts got me concerned though.
Yeah, and GE is about all anyone around here sells, unless you go to the expensive lighting stores. So you're kinda stuck.
Yeah, you'd think it would be quieter, but it isn't. IIRC, it's a crummy plastic fan that is imprecisely molded, so it tends to wobble quite a bit on its axis. You may, by the luck of the draw, get a quiet one, but no guarantee.