How to Vent a Kitchen Hood

Installing a vented range hood that moves air from your kitchen outside is a good way to keep food and cooking odors from becoming overwhelming in your house. Range hoods are available in standard widths to fit either under cabinets or to hang from the wall. Common consumer range hoods can move 200 to 250 cubic feet per minute (CFM) of air. Although good for light cooking, you may need a higher capacity range hood, between 400 and 600 CFM, if you do a lot of frying. Higher capacity range hoods are, however, noisier than lower capacity hoods.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Work gloves (optional)
• Face mask (optional)
• Stud finder
• Pencil
• Compass
• Electric drill
• 8-inch long drill bit, minimum
• 1-1/4 inch drill bit
• Keyhole saw or saber saw
• 6- or 8-inch round ducting, depending on what your hood requires
• Duct tape
• Assorted screwdrivers
• Wall cap
• Insulation
• Range hood and hardware

1. Plan the layout. Most range hoods fit under existing cabinets. Refer to the documentation that came with your range hood for any individualized venting and routing requirements. Sketch the overall layout and vent plan.

2. Turn off the electricity to the area where you will install the hood. This is a safety precaution. It could be possible to accidentally cut into an electrical wire while creating the vent opening in the wall.

3. Use a stud finder to locate the studs in wall where the duct will pass through to the outside of your house. Adjust the position of the hole to avoid the studs.

4. Mark the center of your vent hole with a pencil. Use a compass to draw a circle slightly larger than the vent duct.

5. Drill a small hole through both the interior and exterior walls. Use a long drill bit to ensure full penetration of both walls.

6. Use the 1-1/4 inch drill bit to drill a starter hole on the inside of the circle close to the line where you will saw out the wall. Drill the hole large enough to comfortably fit the blade of the saw to remove the interior wall.

7. Cut out the hole using either a keyhole saw or a saber saw. If your walls have fiberglass insulation, the insulation may catch on the saw. This won't affect the hole but may make sawing a little more difficult.

8. Repeat the above process on the outside of your house. Use a compass to draw a circle using the hole previously drilled as a center point. Cut out the hole.

9. Assemble the duct work. Seal the joints with duct tape.

10. Slip the ductwork through the wall.

11. Connect the cap to the ductwork on the outside of your house. Slip the cap into the outside wall.

12. Add some insulation around the cap and ductwork to help seal the hole, and secure the cap to the wall.

13. Connect the duct to the range hood, and install the range hood as directed by the manufacturer. Connect the range hood to power, and turn the power to the room back on. Your range hood is now ducted to the outside.

Tips & Warnings

• If your walls have fiberglass insulation, keep the insulation removed to run the duct work to seal the cap on the wall. Wear work gloves when working with fiberglass and ductwork. Fiberglass can be irritating to your skin, and ductwork can be sharp. Wear proper eye protection and, if working with fiberglass insulation, wear a face mask or respirator.

References

• Installing a Vented Range Hood
• Installing a Range Hood - Roof Vent
• How to Remove and Install a Range Hood