The choice between mounting a hood to the ceiling or the wall depends on several factors, including the layout of your kitchen, the type of cooktop or range you have, and your personal preferences. Ceiling-mounted hoods are often used in kitchens with island cooktops, where there's no wall to mount the hood.
Not all range hoods go to the ceiling. Certain types of range hoods use external venting and push air through ductwork in the wall, ceiling or floor and out of the house. Other types of range hoods use recirculating venting and filter air as it enters the hood and then push it back out into the kitchen.
If you have an electric cooktop, range hoods should typically be 20–24 inches above the heat source. For gas cooktops, your range hood should be around 24–30 inches above the stove.
Obviously, having a cooker hood fitted into the ceiling is not a mandatory requirement, but it is highly regarded as being a lot more visually appealing and more of a modern solution to ventilation. This is because a cooker hood that touches the ceiling creates an illusion of a higher ceiling and draws all eyes upward.
Your range hood should extend to cover all back burners and front burners on your cooking station. For most range hoods, 18-22 inches is deep enough for full coverage.
At a minimum, the hood should extend to about the middle of the front burners. Under-cabinet range hoods are not as deep as wall or island models. A range hood should not extend beyond the outer edge of the cooktop.
If the range hood is mounted too high above the recommended height, it won't be able to extract away the fumes. That means you'll have to clean the range hood, your cooktop, countertops, and cabinets more often. In other words, your range hood won't function as it's supposed to.
Efficiency: Too high, and the cooker hood may struggle to extract all the steam, smoke, and odours effectively. Too low, and it could become a hindrance while cooking and potentially even pose a fire risk with a gas hob.
The practice of venting a range hood exhaust into a ceiling space or wall cavity is not sound. Over time, pollutants such as grease and oil can build up creating a fire hazard along with associated odours and potential damage to insulation and the like.
It should be centered above your cooktop or range, and positioned at a height that allows for effective ventilation. We recommend leaving 24 to 30 inches of space above an electric stove top. For a gas range, you'll need 30 inches.
Ventilation to the Outdoors (IRC M1503. 1): Residential range hoods should vent to the outside to effectively expel smoke, grease, and cooking odors, maintaining the home's air quality. This requirement is crucial for preventing the recirculation of contaminants within the home.
To avoid all these issues, leave a space of at least 1/2 inch between the edge of the wall-mount range hood and the cabinetry.
The standard range hood dimensions for most range hoods follow the 3-inch rule, whereby the width should be 3 inches wider than the range on both sides. So, if your cooktop is 30 inches wide, you would need a range hood that is 36 inches wide.
Ceiling-mounted hoods can provide a sleek, modern look and can be a great focal point in the kitchen. They can also be more effective at capturing smoke and steam from the cooktop since they're positioned closer to the source.
The vent hood manual specifies an installation height of 24”-34”.
So, Is Venting a Range Hood Through the Roof a Good Idea? Roof venting for range hoods works well, especially when other routes are constrained. It prevents exterior wall penetration while providing a direct outdoor path to improve indoor air quality.
Flush Mount Range Hoods offer a seamless integration into your kitchen's design, providing both functionality and style. These ceiling-mounted hoods sit flush with the ceiling, creating a sleek and minimalist appearance while effectively removing smoke, steam, and cooking odors from your kitchen.
The Bottom Line
A range hood shouldn't be vented into your attic. There are many ductless options available that will work great if you don't want to add additional ducting to direct kitchen exhaust outdoors. However, if you want a ducted range, there are many ventilation systems to select as well.
The right distance between a range hood and cooktop depends on the type of cooktop. With a gas cooktop, the range hood has to hang at least 65cm above it. With an electric cooktop, that's 55cm. But don't hang the range hood higher than 80cm above it, or the cooking fumes will escape.
You need to leave a minimum of 65cm for an electric hob and 75cm for a gas hob. What are my options if my ceiling height is higher/lower than average? You've got plenty of options, all cooker hoods are suitable for all ceiling heights, you just need to know where you want to install it.
The minimum height of the range hood above a gas hob is 650 millimetres. Most manufacturers recommend a minimum height of 700 to 750 millimetres. Always consult the user manual for both your cooktop and range hood to find out what height clearance is required between your particular appliances.
For the professional gas cooking ranges, the most common range hood is the 18” canopy wall hood. This type of range hood should be installed at the height of 30” to 36” above the cooktop. A different kind of range hood for professional gas cooking ranges is the vent hood insert/liner.
For a 9-foot ceiling, you'd want to position the range hood about 27 to 33 inches above the cooktop.
The lifespan of your range hood will be dependent on the individual model, quality, and use. Most range hoods last 12 to 18 years, about 15 years on average. Want your range hood to last longer? Follow these simple maintenance tips to keep it in tip-top shape.