Remodeling Kitchen: Minimum required distance between cooktop and venthood?

[SoonerDave]

Is there such a thing as an ordinance or regulation governing the minimum required distance between a kitchen cooktop and the range hood (or vented microwave, etc)?

We're looking to install a vented microwave over our kitchen cooktop, removing our vent hood, with the idea of replacing the current in-built microwave and oven in the adjacent cabinet with a double-oven unit. I wasn't sure if there were rules about stove-to-hood height.

Thanks.

[Pete]

^

If you are replacing a current vent hood then you should be fine because adding a micro-hood only lowers the distance by the height of the microwave and that's what those appliances are specifically made for.

I did this exact thing in my last home and it was super easy to do and worked great. And not only a great spacesaver but it put the microwave at eye level which was very convenient.

[SoonerDave]

Awesome info, Pete - nothing like the voice of experience!!!! Thanks!

[SoonerDave]

One practical downside I'm discovering is that most new over-the-range microwaves are 16" high (minimum). Our cabinet height leaves us only about 15" distance from the oven to the stove, very nearly rendering the back burners inaccessible. Ovens with 16"+ height just weren't around when we built our house in '99, but now ovens *less* than 16" don't seem to exist.

I'm pretty handy with the carpentry skills, have built some small cabinets, so I *could* adjust the heights myself, but I'd have to get some new doors and stain them to match. That gets tricky.

*sigh*

[foodiefan]

. . .may want to check some specs. . .I understand the otr micros with vents are not as efficient/effective as a regular vent hood. Also, there are certain cfm's recommended for gas depending on btu output.

[SoonerDave]

. . .may want to check some specs. . .I understand the otr micros with vents are not as efficient/effective as a regular vent hood. Also, there are certain cfm's recommended for gas depending on btu output.

I had already read that the microwave vents weren't quite as efficient as the full/conventional hoods, and I'm willing to live with that. We have an electric cooktop, so the gas issue isn't in play for us.

I did a bit of a "forensic" analysis on my cabinet, and I'm cautiously optimistic I can do the wood surgery to shave off about three inches from the bottom. It'll take some careful cutting and trimming, but I think it's possible. Fortunately, Estey Cabinet Doors still sells/manufactures the exact profile of our cabinet doors, so I know I can buy two new doors exactly three inches shorter than what we have now.