Range hood fan

[Bigwoodsman]

The range hood fan makes noise, filters are clean, however it won't pull any air out of the kitchen. Any ideas how to repair or get this to work properly?

Should add the fan is part of a microwave set up. Microwave and range light work fine.

BW

[Stinky Buffalo]

Are the fan blades clean?

They get greasy, and then the dust tends to stick to the blades and lump up - throwing the fan out of balance... Worth a look maybe.

Also check the exhaust for blockages... Maybe your exterior vent flap has frozen shut?

[Okotok]

Does it actually exhaust outside? Many cheap installations don't.

[CaberTosser]

Does it actually exhaust outside? Many cheap installations don't.

<---- This, a lot of range hoods or microwaves w/range hoods are not even piped outside, there are optional ways to set them up to merely filter the air and push it back out front rather than to actually exhaust to outside.

[Savage Bacon]

Is it a new microwave with range fan? Or a new issue with an existing microwave range fan setup

[nast70]

You will never move as much air with a microwave/fan combo as you will with a dedicated hood fan.

[wallz]

Yep you are never going to move much air with these combos. Yep I don't recall ever seeing one vented out.

I sooooo hate those combos, that I riped ours out when we moved in. Mounted a standard vent above the range, and vented it outside.

The microwave I drilled some holes in the top corners, (metal housing) and put some of those rivnuts into the holes. Mounted the microwave under the cabinets, hanging there with no shelf under it. Used the rubber feet as rubber bushings between the top of the microwave and the bottom of counter, which helped give me cabinet door space, and no shakes or rattles. Been going good for 4 years now.

[Bigwoodsman]

I will be checking this out on the weekend. Will post what I find.

BW

[CaberTosser]

Yep you are never going to move much air with these combos. Yep I don't recall ever seeing one vented out.


The one in my basement is vented to outside, but you can guess who installed it. It’s output is pretty good, the microwave/hood combo is a Kitchen Aid unit

[KGB]

I will be checking this out on the weekend. Will post what I find.

BW

Most OTRs rated at 170CFM. That is very low to remove anything. Pretty much useless. But it’s there per code etc. Some higher end units rated at 300CFM and this is maximum allowable for a standard 4” vent and no cold air return upgrade to your furnace- again, as per code.
So don’t expect much from your OTR.