Now that you’re planning to give your kitchen some final touches, the appliance you were looking most forward to seems to be giving you a hard time on its placement. Yep, it’s common for homeowners to get confused about where the range hood would fit best in the kitchen. In this particular case, there’s a window right behind the stove. So, will it be a good idea to have the range hood installed in front of the window?
Technically and code-wise there is nothing wrong with having a range hood installed in front of a window. But having a range hood in front will definitely dirty the window, and the grease and grimes will be more visible than on a backsplash. This means you will have to clean the window more often than you would clean a backsplash.
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Cons of Installing a range hood in front of a window
You’ll be facing a couple of drawbacks by having the range hood installed right in front of the kitchen window. Here are some that you need to be prepared for:
Kitchen windows will get dirty fast
If you’re willing to put up with grease and other liquid stains on the window, then you’ve tackled the main drawback of having a range hood installed in front of the window. Depending upon the air circulation, grease emitted from the stove can easily make its way to the windows. You’re looking at splashes and stains that need to be taken care of every once in a while. It’s a must to buy a glass cleaner before you put the range hood in that place.
Compromised View
Now looking outside the window can help ease your mood while you’re preparing food on a busy day, but that likely won’t be happening once you let the range hood become the barrier. Although it depends upon how big of a model you’re buying, you can expect to see less of the outdoors after installing the range hood in front of the window. Furthermore, you’ll be facing loads of difficulties trying to clean the window if the range hood has a large size.
You may need an extended vent
Most building codes require to have around 3 ft of distance between the window and a vent. The IRBC (International Residential Building Code) has stated “The exhaust termination must be three feet away from any window…). This means that if you’re short on space, you’ll have to vent from the attic. Note that it is important to follow a building code as it eliminates possibilities of mishaps in the future. After all, these codes are for your own safety purposes.
These were some of the drawbacks you’ll face if you decide to have the range hood installed in front of the window. Some of these might not be that significant in general, homeowners might consider these to be headaches in certain situations.
How far should a range hood be from the stove?
For optimal performance, range hoods must be at least two feet of height above the stove. You don’t want your range hood to be covering too much of the window and being too close to the stove as well. Having the hood too close to the burner can harm the range hood and cut down its overall lifetime. Even if you have a window right in the front that promotes air circulation, stoves emit a high amount of heat that goes upwards directly. Not having the recommended distance between the burner and the range hood can cause long-term negative impacts on the hood.
Should you have a stove in front of the window?
Before you install a range hood in front of the window, ask yourself why you have a stove in front of the window in the first place. Most building codes strictly advise against having stoves nearby doors and windows. Whether you have a gas or electric stove, the general ruling applies to every kitchen. The reasons behind this prohibition are several, with many of them being justified due to safety precautions. Your kitchen is the most dangerous place in your house so it’s important to plan its layout accordingly.
Here are some of the top reasons why you should avoid having a stove near the kitchen window:
The curtain may catch fire
Windows in the kitchen are rarely without curtains. Having them near your stove is not recommended. A curtain’s exposure to open flames can potentially lead to a house fire. If you do have a stove near the window, get rid of the curtains. It will help maintain the range hood and clean windows.
The gas stove may not light up
When you have a gas stove near the window, you’ll likely face trouble in igniting flames around it. Even if you keep the window closed tightly, it will give you a hard time lighting it up on a windy day.
Window glass may crack
During winter, windows are cold. If hot air is emitted from the stove and makes contact with the cold glass, the chances of the glass cracking are high. So, save yourself from these risks and look for other places in the kitchen for your stove.
Does a range hood have to be over the stove?
Let us assume you cannot do anything about the stove problem and having a range hood in front of the window seems to be out of the question as well. In this case, your best bet is a ductless range hood. Range hoods that vent must be placed above the stove. However, hoods with no vents can be placed nearby the stove and they’ll deliver similar results to vented ones. Although they are not as effective as their counterparts, they’ll save you your view from the kitchen window. For more information regarding the differences between vented and non-vented range hoods, check out our article.
Conclusion
There’s not much of an issue with having a range hood in front of the window, but you shouldn’t have the stove there in the first place. Nonetheless, we’ve given you sufficient information on whether a hood would work in front of the window or not.
