Tips for Installing a Range Hood Vent

The range hood and the vent kit will both have instructions on how to install them. It has been my experience that the instructions are either poorly diagrammed or make some assumptions on your ability to improvise.

I am not going to tell you a different set of instructions but provide some things to consider that might make the task of installing both the range hood and the vent kit (the part that goes outside) a bit easier. AND help ensure the two match up.

CAVEAT: The tips I provide here relate only to the straight vent approach - that is thorough the wall.

The tips:

1) Assemble and dry fit the range hood
Make sure all the pieces at there. Actually install the hood and then mark the hole at the back of the range hood on the wall.

2) Drill four pilot holes
Using the hole you marked on the inside wall (in the first tip above) drill a hole at each of the four corners with a 1/4-inch bit that is as long as your wall is thick. This will likely mean you will need to get a drill bit that is approaching 1-foot in length. Drill these holes as level vertically and horizontally as you can manage.

3) Measure the box on the outside
Ensure the box, on the outside wall, now defined by the four holes you drilled above, have the same dimensions as the inside 'box'. Adjust accordingly.

4) Create the vent hole
Carefully cut the hole in the wall. Use a drywall saw on the inside and a jig saw on the outside wall. Take out only enough insulation in the wall to free the hole.

5) Be prepared to make your own wall tube
Make sure you have some sheet metal on hand to fashion a square tube in the wall. I disoverd that neither the range hood nor the vent kit I purchased were long enough to joint up. Also make sure you have duct tape to seal up all the cracks - we do not want all that bacon grease blowing inside the insulation.

6) Securing and sealing
Make sure you have at least 4 stainless steel screws to secure the vent kit on the outside. two and half inches in length should be long enough to bite in to the wall through the outside covering (like siding). And do not forget to caulk on the outside.

;-)

2 + 3 Tips for Selecting a Good Exhaust Vent

Vents provide a hole for air to be pushed out of the house or cottage. They can also allow unwanted critters to come-on-in...

There are a few tips on selecting a vent to avoid unwanted guests:

1) A self closing flapper
Pick a vent that has a 'flapper' that open when you vent is on but closes when the 'air' is off.

2) Screen
To add to the critter protection get a vent with a screen, but a screen of the right gauge to keep out the critters but also let out the unwanted lint that may collect on a fine mesh screen.

Plus there are a few attributes that just make a better vent

3) Rust Resistant
May sure the vent has either a powder-coated paint or is made of rust resistant material like stainless steel or plastic. I would avoid galvanized and eventually these always seem the rust eventually.

4) Large Opening
The whole idea is to vent your moist air as fast and efficiently as possible. a small opening impedes this.

5) Strong Materials
Being on the exterior the vent is likely to take abuse. Weather it be the weather or branches or humans, it will be hit. make sure it is of a materials that will withstand some abuse. That is why I like metal vents over plastic - plastic gets brittle, especially in the winter

Related Posts:
Installing the Bathroom Exhaust Vents
4 Tips for Installing Exhaust Vents

4 Tips for Intalling Exhaust Vents

Exhaust vents are more likely than not to be in locations that are difficult to service: high up and in tight locations. Furthermore the inside portion is often covered by walls and ceilings. So it pays to install it right the first time.

The following tips are specifically for air vents like those of bathroom and dryer air vents. exhaust vents for the exhaust of hot gases from water heaters and such require additional precautions.

Here are three tips:

1) Cut the Right Size Hole
Cut a hole just big enough for the vent pipe. This save effort on securing and weatherizing later...

2) Secure it well
Secure it from the outside with four screws that bite into solid wood underneath the siding or other exterior finishes. Be sure to use stainless steel screws to avoid those ugly rust marks.

3) Weatherproof it
This involves caulking on the outside and insulation on the inside. When caulking on the outside be sure to out a bead of caulk on the inside of the flange that will go against the wall, AND then caulk around the edge of the flange as well.

Spray foam insulation is the easiest and best form of insulating the hole on the inside.

4) Don't go Cheap
The best insurance policy against having to prematurely replace the vent is to get one of good quality. Our next post will explore the key attributes to look for. Saving $5 only to replace the vent in a year or two just doesn't make sense.

Related posts:
Installing the Bathroom Exhaust Vents

Installing the Bathroom Exhaust Vents

A couple of weekends back I installed the vents for the exhaust for the bathroom vents.

The one for the basement bathroom exists just under the gazebo deck. The main bathroom vent exists out the side of the cottage.

Each location presented different challenges.

The basement bathroom vent posed a position challenge. The hole needed to be positioned so that the vent would fit between the two joists of the deck on the outside and between two floor joist on the inside. Fortunately it worked out! Cutting the hole was a bit tricky. I ended up drilling a center hole from the inside and then using this to measure a circle on the outside. I didn't have a 3-inch hole saw, (or one 3.5" so there would be some play) so I drilled a series of close 3/8" holes around the circle and then used a reciprocating saw to cut between the holes.

The main bathroom vent was routed through the attic and out the side of the attic wall. The key trick here was to ensure the exhaust pipe was sufficiently high enough to clear all the insulation that would be eventually place between and on the ceiling joists. Again without a large enough hole saw I drilled small holes along the circle and then cut the hole out with a reciprocating saw.

Future Posts:
In the next two posts I will discuss tips for selecting a good vent and tips for installation