Vent Hood

[rlskfoster]

I know the IRC calls for vent hoods But I was doing an inspection recently in a large( 3300 sq. ft. ) home and the house did not have vent hood. The electric cooktop was mounted in an island and the kitchen has 10 foot ceilings. There did not appear to be downdraft type of equipment or piping below the cooktop. Does the AHJ let this go. The home is only 5 years old. When talking to my client about it he stated that after thinking about it none of the homes by this builder had a vent hood when the kitchen had an island cook top.

I wrote it in need of repair but my client was not concerned. We talked about the aesthetics of the kitchen but I still thought it should have some type of vent.

What do ya'll think?

Buster

[Jim Baird]

Wrong, IRC does not call for vent hoods.

In fact, it specifically excludes residences from having to have exhaust ducts on range hood, provided they are are of the "ductless" design.

Check IRC2000 M1502.1

[Tom Barber]

Was there an operable kitchen window nearby?

[rlskfoster]

Thanks for the answers.

Jim, I read M1502.1 but what I have is no vent hood at all and the exception is talking about ductless vent hood not being required to vent outside. This residence has no vent hood, ducted or ductless. Texas Real Estate Commission Standards of Practice say,"report as in need of repair the absence of a range exhaust vent." So that is what I did. But it just seemed unusual in a high end home to not have a vent hood.

Tom, The breakfast nook is next to the kitchen and it has three operable windows. Windows are maybe 15 feet from the cooktop. I hadn't heard of this being acceptable for venting a cook top but maybe that's how they justify it. I think I'll do some checking.

Thanks for the responses,

Buster

[Richard Stanley]

Some (?) years ago the rule was to have an exhaust vent to the exterior or an openable window in the cooking area (kitchen)- just like the rule for bathrooms. Then it became a vent to the exterior unless it was a ductless vent. I'm not sure what the hell good a ductless vent does except kill some odor passing thru a charcoal filter, but, I suspect sometime in the future there will be no requirement at all. Usually cooking islands have vents going under the floor to the exterior. If it didn't, you made the right call.

[Renron]

I think it is an epidemic!

I inspected a home this week that did not have one either, although it looked like it previously had a downdraft cooktop installed.

My local AHJ says it is recommended "write it up" but not necessary.? Yah, thanks. Back to square one. I will report it as deficient and not present. Observe, Evaulate, Report.

Ron

[Jim Baird]

Buster,

If your state standards say to write it up, write away.

I agree with your opinion about the need. IMHO a "ductless" range hood ain't no hood at all, except for a light source. It just blows whatever you're cooking right back in your face.

I always gripe about it in reports when I find it.

In our area only upscale custom builders even think about venting at the range. All the "spec" builders are "economy" minded (cheapskate).

I see it as part of a general decline in the quality of what the market is building. I really have to bite my lip and stifle my urge to comment on the lack of attention to detail and just plain bad taste in new residential construction.

I should have been an art critic I guess.