Kitchen Exhaust Fan Under Microwave

Over the range otr mounted microwave ovens can save space in your kitchen but the exhaust fan in a microwave often just recirculates the air rather than venting it to the outside.

Kitchen exhaust fan under microwave. If the unit overheats from the stove below the exhaust fan comes on automatically so that the microwave is not damaged. Moreover code watcher advises that since 2009 the international residential code irc includes a section on air replacement for houses with active kitchen ventilation. In consumer reports tests range hoods were better at venting than the fans in over the range microwaves. After the smoke and steam are removed the filtered fan vents the air outside your home or cleans it before releasing it back into the kitchen.

Ventilation systems if your microwave has a physical vent installed the appliance pushes the removed air through a series of ducts eventually porting the air outside. Some state building codes do require mechanical ventilation such as an exhaust fan in the kitchen. Since a range hood protrudes further it also does a better job of capturing smoke steam and cooking odors and venting them outdoors. See below for a shopping list and tools subscribe to this old house.

When remodeling your kitchen take the time and care to install proper ventilation.