How to install a cooker hood in the kitchen with your own hands

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Find out how to properly fix the device and connect to the ventilation duct to ensure quietness and not degrade the performance of the main ventilation.

1. Prepare materials

• Hood;
• air ducts;
• flange for ventilation duct;
• sealant;
• edge profile for chipboard;
• clamps;
• screwdriver;
• jigsaw;
• hacksaw for metal;
• drill;
• puncher;
• level;
• roulette;
• pencil;
• awl;
• compass.

2. Decide on the height

The level at which the lower edge of the hood will be located depends not only on your height and the height of the hanging kitchen cabinets. These parameters are also important, but first of all, you should be guided by the recommendations of the device and stove manufacturers.

Depending on the type of the latter, the minimum distance from the hood to the hob is different. As a rule, for induction and electric stoves it is from 45 to 75 cm, for gas - from 55 to 85 cm. The type of hood itself also plays a role: for models with a direct arrangement, the height is greater, for inclined ones - less.

All this is due to the fact that during operation, grease accumulates on the mesh filters, which, if excessively heated, can ignite and cause a fire.

3. Make the markup

Correct marking is essential for a neat and accurate installation. For wall-mounted hoods, the drilling points for the mounting holes are sufficient. In addition, built-in models require cutting out the slots for the air duct in the bottom of the cabinet.

In both cases, the marking is carried out according to the mounting template, which usually comes with the hood. The marking process is described in detail in the instructions. The sequence of operations is approximately the following.

Wall models

Find the center of the slab and mark a vertical centerline from that point. For convenience, stick masking tape on the wall and draw on it with a pencil. Then, at the desired height, draw a horizontal line on which the bottom of the hood will be located.

Glue the stencil with masking tape and mark the points for drilling holes with a pencil or awl. If there is no template in the kit, use the mounting bracket and make marks on it in the right places. Another option is to measure with a tape measure the distances to the holes on the case and transfer them to the wall, measuring from the centerline.

Embedded models

Remove the cabinet from the wall to which the hood will be installed. Dismantle the bottom and glue the stencil to it with masking tape. Mark the attachment points with an awl, as well as the center of the duct slot. Measure the radius of the pipe with a compass using the template and draw a circle along which you will then cut out the chipboard.

If there is no stencil for installation, then push the hood into the cabinet, installing it in such a way that it is flush with the facades, taking into account the thickness of the door. Place a flare on the duct outlet and apply sealant around the contour. Then carefully attach the bottom on top so that an imprint remains on the chipboard, and circle the trace with a pencil.

If the duct passes over the cabinets, then in the same way it is necessary to mark the cut-out for the pipe in the top cover.

4. Prepare the cabinet

If you are installing a wall-mounted hood, proceed to the next step.

Drill a hole for the jigsaw to enter, and then cut a slot for the air duct along the previously marked circle. To protect the cut edges of the chipboard from swelling, glue an edging or plastic profile over them. In extreme cases, treat the ends of the saw cut with silicone sealant. Also make a small cutout for the cable at the back.

Place the hood in the cabinet and fix the cut-out shelf at the required height with screws or confirmations, having previously drilled holes of a smaller diameter in the wall.

5. Mount the hood

Depending on the design chosen by the manufacturer, the installation may differ, so follow the instructions. In general, the algorithm is as follows.

Wall models

At the points marked earlier, drill the holes with a puncher and install the dowels in them. Fix the fixing plate with screws. If it is not there, just screw the fastener into the wall without tightening it by 1–2 mm.

Hang the hood onto the bracket or screws in the wall. Place the electrical cable so that it does not get pinched. Align the housing if necessary and secure it permanently.

Embedded models

If the cabinet where the hood is mounted is massive, immediately install it on the wall and align it with the rest. Then press the device body to the shelf, put the cable in the prepared cutout and attach the hood to the cabinet using screws.

If the cabinet is small, you can screw the hood to it and only then hang the entire assembly on the wall.

6. Consider the design of the duct

To connect the hood to the ventilation duct, use a flexible aluminum corrugation or rigid plastic pipes of a round or rectangular cross-section.

The first option is cheaper and easier to install, since it allows you to lay the duct at any angle without using additional fittings. The disadvantages of corrugation are unaesthetic appearance, as well as high noise and a tendency to overgrowing with fat due to the ribbed inner surface.

PVC pipes look much more attractive, less noisy due to smooth walls, and when choosing a rectangular profile they easily hide under the ceiling. The price to pay for this is the higher price, to which is added the cost of the fittings for the connection and the turns.

Regardless of the material, for the most efficient and quiet operation, the duct cross-section should be the same as that of the exhaust socket of the hood, or differ from it as little as possible. As a rule, it is 125–150 mm. Remember that reducing the diameter not only decreases performance, but also dramatically increases noise.

7. Lay the duct

It does not matter which pipeline material is chosen, it should have the smallest length and number of bends. In this case, all joints must be tight, and the joints must be securely fixed.

To reduce noise, you can paste over the surface of the duct with expanded polyethylene or other sound insulating material. At least in the loudest place - the transition from a larger diameter to a smaller one.

Aluminum corrugation

Stretch the tube as much as possible to straighten wrinkles and reduce air resistance. Put one end on the hood connection and secure with a clamp. If the diameter of the bellows differs from the outlet flare, use the adapter adapter supplied.

Lay the corrugation along the wall or cabinets to the ventilation duct without sharp bends. For better air passage, raise the horizontal section of the pipe towards the ventilation duct by about 10 degrees.

Plastic pipes

Put on the outlet of the hood a socket or branch, depending on the situation, and collect the entire duct to the ventilation duct. Connect elbows and other fittings together with pipes of the required length. Mark them with a tape measure and cut with a hacksaw for metal. Make a slight rise towards the ventilation duct.

First, assemble the entire structure dry, and then coat the joints with silicone to achieve maximum tightness of the joints. Do not use liquid nails or other glue, otherwise it will be impossible to disassemble the duct if necessary.

8. Connect to the ventilation duct

The connection of the duct to the ventilation is one of the most important points. Due to an incorrect connection, ventilation can be disrupted not only in the kitchen, but also in the entire apartment. At the same time, even the most expensive hood will make noise like an airplane and will not cope with its task.

What if there are two channels

In new buildings, there are two ventilation ducts in the kitchen: one for natural ventilation, the other specifically for the hood. If this is the case with you, then all you need to do is remove the grille from one of the channels and connect the air duct instead of it using the appropriate flange.

What if there is only one channel

If there is only one ventilation channel, in no case can it be directly connected to it. The cooker hood does not replace natural ventilation, since it only catches vapors and grease in the area of the stove, without reacting in any way to the stale and polluted air under the ceiling. With a direct connection, the ventilation simply stops working due to the air resistance that filters and turbine blades have.

Therefore, in this case, there are two options: using a flange with a grill or installing a tee with a valve. The first is simpler, but less effective: instead of completely blocking the ventilation duct, a grate is left through which natural ventilation is carried out. The draft will become worse, moreover, during the operation of the hood, some of the steam will fall back into the kitchen.

It would be more correct to install a tee with a check valve on the air duct. When the hood is off, it is open and natural ventilation works as it should. During the operation of the hood, the valve is closed by the air flow, and the fan discharges vapors into the ventilation duct shaft. As soon as the device turns off, the valve will automatically open and the natural ventilation will resume.

The disadvantages of this method are the bulkiness of the structure and the not very aesthetic appearance when the duct is not hidden.

9. Connect to the mains

After installing the air duct, it remains to connect the device to the network. The hood is not a powerful device and therefore does not require a separate line. In most cases, it is sufficient to insert the plug into a nearby outlet, preferably a grounded outlet.

Some models may not have a plug. In this case, you will first have to install it or use a circuit breaker or terminal block for connection.

10. Check the function of the hood

After completing all connections and installation, check that there are no foreign objects inside the hood such as documents, fasteners and forgotten tools. Reinstall filters, lamps and other removable parts according to the instructions. Switch on the hood and make sure it works correctly.