Venting an oven range microwave
 

This seemed like the best section to post this question, but forgive me if I was mistaken..

I'm thinking about installing an oven range microwave and of course my preference would be to vent it outside (I find the idea of recycling in room to be strange..)

The problem is this: The kitchen that I'm redoing has an existing vent to the outside, but it is only a 4inch diameter vent. Perhaps it was once used for a dryer, or maybe their previous range hood was really crappy. I understand though that for most modern oven range microwaves 4 inches is rather inadequate.

Can anyone comment? Just how inadequate would 4inches be??

If your options are vent outside with 4inches or not vent outside at all...then perhaps 4 inches is better than nothing?

What do you guys think? I appreciate any advice you can offer here.

For a range microwave a 4" pipe will be fine.

Look at the instructions provided for how to connect.

check the requirements of the microwave. i just redid our kitchen and ran a 6 inch line for the vent hood as per the microwave installation instructions.

I am assuming that this is a fan assist vent? If not, maybe you should tell us where this vent goes & exits?
While 6 " makes for a quieter fan operation, 4" is better than nothing and the requirements for venting a microwave range isn't that high.

The vent would go from the back of the microwave through my brick wall and outside.

I'm tending to agree with the better than nothing appraisal.

Thanks for all the help

I've installed at least 20 wall mount microwaves and not one had an outside vent. And 0 complants from customers.

If the microwave is going to vent the main cooking range below it, I would stick with a regular range vent and use a built in or countertop microwave. The vent fans in over-the-range microwave ovens are worthless.

If your talking about a micro hood microwave (fits above range with a vent fan inside) these are most often rated at 300 CFM and require a 6" or a 3 1/4 x 10" vent to the outside. They work fine for venting.

I think this is the kind of microwave I'll be getting. I have a 3 1/4 x 10" vent but i would only be able to pass it through a 4" pipe to the outside. I know that they often require higher but I'm wondering if this 4" will just squeeze by and at the very least be better than not venting at all.

It may work or may not. Could overheat and overwork the motor and will be louder.

but it will be better than nothing at all.

Thanks for the tips. I may just have to make do with the 4inches and consider it better than nothing as I'm not sure how comfortable I am enlarging the hole through my brick wall - unless some of you can convince me that it's a relatively easy and stress free job!

I'm not sure how easy it will be to convert from the square 31/4" x 10" opening in the microwave to a 4" round in 31/2" or so? Is there a transition fitting made to do this readily available?

I really don't like that better or nothing thougth....4" is to small ..as mentioned 3 1/4 x 10 or 6" round....is what is required... anything less is anybody's guess......how about code....

no because it won't work...well not right anyway...:no: