How high should a cooktop hood be?

webdeb · ‎04-19-2010

I hit my head on my range hood all the time - I'm 5'7". My mom commented that mine was low. How high should it be? I would like to raise it. Is that even possible?

Deadeye Daisy · ‎01-18-2011

There are a lot of considerations for vent hood installations. Do you have a gas or electric cooktop. Is your cooktop located on an 'island'? Is it vented directly outside? The type of material of the cabinet above.

For the most part, building code doesn't enter into it if you want to raise the hood, only if you want to lower it. In most areas of juristiction, there is a MINIMUM distance that must be maintained between the cooktop and hood unit. However, if you raise too much, you would have to have replace with a fan with a much higher CFM to be able to properly exhaust. Higher CFM WILL mean a louder fan.

In many cases, the vent is attached under a cabinet with a vent that goes directly outside. You might have to 'remanufacture' the cabinet above the vent.

RocketMom · ‎03-09-2010

It depends on the vent hood and manufacturer's instructions should be followed, but it is usually 30-36 inches above the cooking surface.

depglass · ‎03-10-2010

Mine is on the bottom of my over range microwave and it doesn't work with a darn anyway. You might have local zoning codes to consider.

webdeb · ‎04-19-2010

Thanks for your replies! From the top of my cooktop (where the pot sits) and the bottom of my hood is 21 inches. It seems too close. I went to a kitchen cabinetry place that sells the kind of cabinets I have - wood-mode. They said I need to bring in a door. They send it to wood mode and they can custom make a new cabinet for me that is smaller, or higher from my cooktop so my range wont be low. Cant wait to find out what that will cost!!

While I was contemplating the cost (sales associate had no idea and wouldn't even ballpark it for me)I started thinking about backsplash. The vent is on an outside wall and vents to the outside. If I move the cabinet and hood up 6-8, or even 10 inches up, I think I will have a hole in the wall staring back at me. Im thinking i could redo the backsplash, but it is another added cost. Also, do you think they will have to make another hole in the side of my house for the new vent? Hmmm....