Do Over The Range Microwaves Need To Be Vented?

When you have an over the range microwave installed you will have a choice of the addition of a ventilation system to vent steam and smoke or use a charcoal filter to recycle the air. Read on to learn more.

Purpose

As nearly all building codes require a ventilation system, it usually has a light to brighten the stovetop and a fan removing steam and smoke from the air. Microwaves that go on top of the range usually have a fan and light built into the underside of the microwave. Once the steam and smoke have been removed, the fan filters vent the air outside and cleans it before it is released into the kitchen once more.

Ventilation

If your microwave has the physical vent aleady installed the appliances pushes removed air through a whole series of ducts to the outside of your home. It is not an easy installation however and really needs the services of a professional for a successful job.

Charcoal Filters

Often charcoal filters are utilized by microwaves to clean the air. They do this by trappingairborne pollutants before the air is released back into the kitchen. While the filter is not as efficent when comapred to a dedicated ventilation system – it does provide far greater cleaner air than what was removed from the stove.

Pro’s And Con’s

A vnetilation system is not the easiest but is the best way to clean air. hwoever in a pre existing home, the installation of such a system is time consuming as well as expensive. This makes charcoal filters an excellent mainstay as remodeling is not required. However, the filters must be replaced every six months, or maybe sooner, depending on how often they are to be used.