You can tell if it's the case by going outside and looking at the wall to see if there's a wall cap. This allows the escape or exit of vented air from the kitchen. Naturally, the range hood probably won't be vented outdoors if it isn't mounted on an outside wall.
There is no requirement that your Over The Range (OTR) Microwave be vented to the outdoors. All OTR microwave ovens can be set up to either allow the fan to recirculate the air back into the kitchen or be vented to the outdoors.
It's possible, though, that the range hood is vented straight through the wall to the outside. To tell if that's the case, go outside and look at the wall to see if there's a wall cap to allow the vented air to escape. Of course, if the range hood isn't mounted on an outside wall, it probably wont' be vented like this.
Over-the-range microwaves have a light and fan built into the bottom of the appliance. 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.
In many cases there are visible vents at the top of the microwave face frame, or a top panel that opens as a flap when the exhaust fan of the microwave is activated. In either example, the cooking by-products are filtered through the filter medium, which is important.
An externally vented microwave uses a fan to draw air through the microwave's vents and into an exhaust duct leading to the exterior of the building, which means that most of the moisture, heat, odor and particulate matter generated by cooking goes directly outside.
Vented microwave hoods are much more efficient at removing contaminants from your kitchen air. A recirculating microwave hood recirculates the air through charcoal filters and back into your kitchen.
Cost to Vent Range Hood Outside
The cost of installing the ductwork needed to vent a range hood outside is about $500, depending on the labor it requires and the cost of the new ductwork.
A ducted range hood must be connected to a duct with pipes that carry the airborne particles away from the kitchen to the outdoors. This is what differentiates it from a ductless range hood, which instead just recirculates through a filter and then back into the kitchen.
They do a better job of extracting toxins and smoke (although not at the same level as a range hood). A vented option will remove these fumes and vent them to the exterior of your home. A recirculating OTR microwave uses charcoal filters to neutralize air before it is pumped back into your kitchen.
Unvented range hoods do filter some grease and cooking odors from the air, but the general consensus is that they're nowhere near as effective. Nor do they remove heat and humidity, so they won't help keep your kitchen cool while you cook.
Does Home Depot install range hoods? Home Depot does not install range hoods. Instead, your best option is to hire a renovation contractor to install your hood. Or, you can install the hood yourself.
No, you should never vent your range hood into the attic. The excess buildup of grease and moisture in your attic will ruin it and over time may cause mold damage. Instead, vent your hood through an interior wall or through the ceiling all the way outside of your home.
If the microwave vents out of the house, this will be hooked up before the microwave is slid into the brackets. If a vent installation is required, you can expect to pay anywhere between $150 and $500, depending on the complexity of the project.
Available in a range of sizes and wattage; usually over 800 watts. Different venting options: External venting sends the smoke through an outside exhaust vent, whereas a recirculating venting microwave pulls air through a charcoal filter then vents it back into the house.
Home Depot microwave installation cost
Over-the-range microwave installation from Home Depot costs $100 for replacements. Replacing an old range hood with an over-the-range microwave costs $400. Hauling away and disposing of the old microwave costs $25. Delivery costs $60* or is free with purchases over $400.
Range hoods can be both hardwired and plugin. If your hood came with a plug, it doesn't require hardwiring. If there's no plug, it is meant to be hardwired. Depending on the manufacturer's specification, hoods that come with a plug can be hardwired, and hardwired hoods can be made to plug in.
A ductless (or ventless) range hood does not vent out of the home, instead, it carries the debris and smoke form the air and filters it through a charcoal or carbon filter before releasing it back into the room. While many times this method is not as functional as a vented hood, it does work.
Ducted extractors need access to an external wall so that air can be removed from the building via a pipe (or duct) to the outside.
For an external exhaust the vent is located on the back of the top of the microwave to vent out the roof. If you are venting back into the room it appears to come out of the top at the front.
A recirculating kit is an accessory for converting ducted range hoods to ductless or recirculating. It consists of a stainless steel vent and charcoal filters. Install the kit on top of your range hood to vent or recirculate air back into your kitchen.
Range hoods with external venting require an air duct to be installed from the length between the range hood and the exterior vent on the outside of your home.