Project details
Skill
3 out of 5Moderatecutting and fitting together the ductwork can be tricky
Cost
$100 and up, depending on the range vent
Estimated Time
2 to 3 hours on average
In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva installs a new range vent hood.
Steps for Installing a Range Vent Hood
- Use a 6-inch-diameter hole saw to cut a hole through the interior wall surface, directly above the range. Collect the dust with wet/dry vacuum while cutting the hole.
- If the hole saw can’t cut through the interior wall in one pass, stop cutting, remove the plaster from the hole, and continue drilling.
- If necessary, use a multi-tool to cut wood lath from the 6-inch hole.
- Replace the hole saw with a ¼-inch-diameter bit and drill through the backside of the wall sheathing to the outdoors.
- From outside, use the 6-inch hole saw to cut through the siding and wall sheathing.
- Make a mounting plate by cutting 6-inch-diameter hole through a piece of PVC trim.
- Hold the PVC plate against the house siding, and trace around it with a pencil.
- Use an angle grinder to cut the siding along the pencil lines.
- Apply bead of silicone adhesive around the hole in wall. Press the PVC mounting plate tight to the wall, and secure with screws.
- Use duct tape to attach a 6-inch-diameter elbow to the vent cap.
- From outside, slide the vent cap into the hole and secure it to the mounting plate with self-tapping screws.
- From inside the kitchen, slide an elbow through hole and onto vent cap elbow. Secure with duct tape.
- Screw the vent-hood mounting brackets to kitchen wall; be sure to drive the screws into wall studs.
- Slide the vent hood into the brackets and secure with screws driven into wall studs.
- Make the electrical connections to provide power to the vent hood’s light and exhaust fan.
- Install the vertical cover to conceal the exposed ductwork.