HVAC guys didn't place a vent for the range hood!

13 years ago

Hey guys,

I've been a lurker for a while now and have learned many pitfalls to stay away from and things to look for during our own whole house remodel project from this wonderful site.

Disaster has struck 1 week from move in. As the electricians are finishing the punch out list, as they call it, they noticed there is no ductwork to vent the range hood! We had the cabinet guy custom make a cabinetry around the VENTED hood, plans call for a vented hood, and basically everyone knows there should be a hood. Luckily its on an exterior wall, but that exterior wall is on our porch, so the vent would be venting onto our porch.

Really at a loss right now. The contractor is a friend of mine and is trying to figure out if he can get a ventless range hood that will fit the cabinet.

My question, are these things even good? I really don't see how they could be and from what I've read, everyone agrees a vented hood would be better. What do you guys think. I'll post pictures later today.

I've been thinking about it all night, and I think, since it's a covered porch, they could build a "false 2x4 wall", build a chase inside the false wall, and access the attic space above the porch and run a vent out the boxing.

Ventless would be the easiest solution, but I really have doubts about it.

Thanks for any advise you may give.

Nocode

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Comments (6)

Circus Peanut
13 years ago
Hola nocode,

I'd push for a vented solution - you've (presumably) paid for it as part of the bid, and the functionality is really vastly superior to the recirculating hood versions. There are a number of ways to run the ducting -- we created a chase through our mudroom and that works just dandy.

I'm no expert, but I believe there are rules of thumb, like: avoid more than 2 90degree angles, and keep the total less than 15 feet. False walls (chases) are common and as long as it works aesthetically running it along the porch roof sounds OK. Can you run it straight through the ceiling and out above the porch roof?

Others will have more expert advice -- crossing fingers for you!
sue36
13 years ago
Do you cook? Do you have a "professional" range/rangetop/stove? If you answer yes to either of those a ventless hood won't cut it. Not to mention that you planned for it, they need to do it.

The GC scewed up. Lack of supervision. It is up to him to figure out a way to make this work. Even if that means dismantling some things and re-doing them. And it shouldn't be vented to a porch. Make sure they use smooth ducting, not flex duct. They may need to have a sheet metal guy make some for them.
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lazy_gardens
13 years ago
Call them back and tell them to make you the vented hood that was in the plans.
Buehl
13 years ago
Do NOT settle for a "ventless" (i.e., recirculating) hood...all they do is vent the smoke, grease, etc. back out into the room...

Why were the walls even closed w/o your contractor/GC noticing it???? How did they hook up the hood in the first place??? If you're already at the final stages ("punch list"), everything should have been installed, connected, and tested. (I suspect you're not really at the "punch list" stage if you're just finishing up electrical now...and it sounds like they still have to finalize the installation & hook up your appliances.)

Now you have a problem...b/c you're using a friend to do this work, are you courageous enough to be honest with him and ask him to do it right? Your friendship may or may not survive it, depending on your GC's integrity. (I know that's blunt, but I think you need a blunt answer here b/c it needs to be addressed now, not weeks from now after pussyfooting around.) My concern is that he's looking for the easy way out for him, not what's best for you & your kitchen and what meets the requirements (i.e., the specified design, materials, & contract).
User
13 years ago
If you are supposed to have a vented hood, make them put the vent in. You DO NOT want a recirculating hood. My DD has one and they NEVER use it - it doesn't do anything but heat up the kitchen, and then the rest of their condo. It's worse than nothing. It really limits what they can cook, too, since they can't get the heat and smells out of the kitchen.
nocode111
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for the input guys. I really appreciate it! Yup, we are actually in the punch list stage. Cleaners and painters were there. Just had to get the trim kits placed on the refrigerator/freezer and done. This happened to be the only hitch in the whole 2500 sq/ft addition project. I have a feeling it was the 9000lb elephant in the room that nobody wanted to address and was not noticed until the cabinets and countertops were set. A HUGE hitch if you ask me, but, everyone we have used has been top notch and have addressed every issue we have come across.

Talked with the GC today, and my idea was the best solution. We are going to remove the siding on the exterior wall, place a 2x6 fake wall adjoining the existing studs, sheet, reside, and run an insulated chase to avoid any type of condensation issues. This solution would also cover some of the masonry issues we had joining the addition to the existing brick wall and brick patio on the porch. Some of it was chipped up, and the brick wall was needing a patch job. All in all, I think it will come out great. The other solutions of having just a chase punched out and run along the wall outside in the covered porch area would look rediculous, and a ventless hood was not going to work for us. Thankfully, this is the only place where this type of extreme solution would work and nobody would be the wiser. If that range and hood was on any other wall, we could have just punched it out and placed a vent. We didn't want all those fumes vented to the front porch area.

I'll post some pictures tomorrow. You guys have to see the "White Princess" quartzite countertops my wife used. I'm ready for this project to be DONE!

Nocode