microwave hood - hate it!!!!

16 years ago

I'm not sure where to post this so I will try here and appliances. We recently purchased a new home and it has a GE Profile Microwave/Exhaust hood over our 4 burner cooktop. I am coming from two Jenn Air cooktops with a downdraft exhaust so I know I am comparing apples to oranges here. I also had a wonderful microwave/hood years ago that worked like a charm. I have been told ours does vent to the outside. Our problem is we end up with grease and splatter everywhere even when we put it on Boost. We have an open Kitchen / Familyroom and those little grease particles are everywhere!!! I clean the filters in the dishwasher weekly. My cabinets are always messy as is the microwave front and the vent that opens up on top. Besides getting rid of it and getting a regular vent does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

pinch_me
16 years ago
I wonder if your duct is plugged by something. When my carpenter took mine apart yesterday he found the vent hole on the outside of the house had been stuffed with rags. I've lived here 6 years so my vent has never exhausted anything outside!
caryscott
16 years ago
Your really going to stir up the GW anti OTR Microwave bias with this one - they'll be popping in droves to assail the OTR Microwave. I hear the stampede.

All kidding aside, I don't know this model but the major problem is that it is a re-circulating fan and not vented to the outside. As you experience illustrates even a vented downdraft is better than a re-circulating fan. Whether it would perform well enough to meet your needs if vented outside is hard to predict but it would certainly make a significant difference.
Related Professionals
Fort Smith Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Hattiesburg Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Elmira Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Milwaukee Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Tampa Kitchen Remodelers · Waycross Kitchen Remodelers · Atlantic City Kitchen Remodelers · Monroe Kitchen Remodelers · Vineland Custom Countertops · Huntington Custom Countertops · Burlington Custom Countertops · Fort Wayne Custom Countertops · Harrisburg Custom Countertops · Ontario Custom Countertops · Cheyenne Custom Countertops
caryscott
16 years ago
Sorry read the does as doesn't. What is the CFM on it? You really need around 400 for an OTR Microwave to be effective because the capture area isn't as good as with a hood. pinch me has a good thought or maybe the run is too long and you need a booster. If it is a duct problem the better capture of the hood isn't going to help much. 400cfm is usally adequate for an electric stovetop (I have under 300cfm on my hood and it's pretty bad)
westsider40
16 years ago
The Samsung micro-hood on the samsung.com shows one for $400 that has 400cfm. Don't know if it's recirculating or outside vent, but is advertised as also being quiet.
elle481
Original Author
16 years ago
My microwave is supposed to vent to the outside, at least that is what my builder has told me several times! I am going to have him come back just to make sure that is correct though. Maybe the vent is there and it's just not connected or something.
jdew1920
16 years ago
If its venting inside you would feel the air blowing out from above the microwave door (thats where most of them vent if venting inside), if it's not blowing out othere then it must be going outside. Or - could be a blockage in the duct, blocked cap damper, etc.
bmorepanic
16 years ago
Moo! Snort, hooves splayed on the ground.
4boys2
16 years ago
There are many things that could be going wrong...
The damper is put in upside down...
The installer did not reverse the blower unit to vent outside..
It can either vent to the back,recirculate or vent to the top...
You might be venting to the back and have a top vent or the other way around...
Check it out...

Here is a link that might be useful: http://products.geappliances.com/MarketingObjectRetrieval/Dispatcher?RequestType=PDF&Name=49-40453.pdf