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Over the Range Microwave Question
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 3:22 am
by VinceBordenIII
Microwave is about to give out. Door kind of busted. It’s a vacation rental property. Fuck people. I digress.
The current unit is 20 years old, ductless. Can’t seem to find too many ductless to replace it. Has there been some construction code changes you’re aware of to stop using them? Installing a vent on a beach house is going to be an expensive pain in the ass. Ladder work. This is in South Carolina.
Talk to me.
Re: Over the Range Microwave Question
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 3:36 am
by Who
start a hurricane, problem solved
Re: Over the Range Microwave Question
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 3:50 am
by spudoc
Pretty sure that most of the newer over the range microwaves come with an outdoor vent option that you don't have to use. If you don't want to go outside with the vent you just leave the supplied covers in place and the microwave will just vent back into the house.
Re: Over the Range Microwave Question
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 3:53 am
by Charliesheen
Yep. They all pretty much do that. Worthless as tits on a boar if they aren't ducted.
Re: Over the Range Microwave Question
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 4:15 am
by VinceBordenIII
I hope so. See nothing about it on Lowe’s web site. The vent on my current model is very obvious.
Re: Over the Range Microwave Question
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 4:21 am
by VinceBordenIII
Here’s the sitch: either sell this house as is, or new kitchen, bathroom cabinets, carpet, some furniture, and exterior paint. As a regular home, you redo the kitchen. For a vacation home, that equation might be different. It’s in great shape, but wear and tear. These homes go fully furnished.
Re: Over the Range Microwave Question
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 12:46 pm
by QillerDaemon
We got ours from Lowe's a couple of years ago, a Whirlpool. It just vents into the kitchen, which is fine, we really only use it to heat up cold food.
Re: Over the Range Microwave Question
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 1:46 pm
by WarmBidetWater
We have an unvented over the range microwave in the beach house in SE Virginia. It can't be more than 4 or 5 years old. And it was done as part of a whole house remodel so I doubt building codes restrict it.
Re: Over the Range Microwave Question
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 2:48 pm
by QillerDaemon
WarmBidetWater wrote: ↑Tue Feb 26, 2019 1:46 pm
We have an unvented over the range microwave in the beach house in SE Virginia. It can't be more than 4 or 5 years old. And it was done as part of a whole house remodel so I doubt building codes restrict it.
When we redid our kitchen a couple years ago, we were specifically told that since we had an electric range *and* a window to the outside that was some small percentage of the kitchen floor area, we wouldn't need a vent up thru the roof. Which was great, that would have doubled the cost. And meant no building permits. Ours is an ancient old Florida Cracker house (if that...), it just wasn't built for all that "new" business.
Re: Over the Range Microwave Question
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 3:10 pm
by AnalHamster
Why do 'Murican microwaves have extractor ducts? They don't make any fumes.
Re: Over the Range Microwave Question
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 3:18 pm
by QillerDaemon
analhamster wrote: ↑Tue Feb 26, 2019 3:10 pm
Why do 'Murican microwaves have extractor ducts? They don't make any fumes.
The microwave, usually not. But when you have a microwave over an stove top, then it can also act as the vent. May have to, in fact. So that's why it might also have to have its own duct to the outside, to be the vent for the stove. In our area, county code allows a window to be the vent, at least for older houses, so we don't need the outside vent duct. Newer construction houses do, and almost all of them have a over-stove microwave with a vent blowing to the roof. It's all very area and construction dependent on what exactly is required.
Re: Over the Range Microwave Question
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 3:23 pm
by CHEEZY17
QillerDaemon wrote: ↑Tue Feb 26, 2019 2:48 pm
WarmBidetWater wrote: ↑Tue Feb 26, 2019 1:46 pm
We have an unvented over the range microwave in the beach house in SE Virginia. It can't be more than 4 or 5 years old. And it was done as part of a whole house remodel so I doubt building codes restrict it.
When we redid our kitchen a couple years ago, we were specifically told that since we had an electric range *and* a window to the outside that was some small percentage of the kitchen floor area, we wouldn't need a vent up thru the roof. Which was great, that would have doubled the cost. And meant no building permits. Ours is an ancient old Florida Cracker house (if that...), it just wasn't built for all that "new" business.
Racist!!!1!1!!1
Re: Over the Range Microwave Question
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 5:49 pm
by VinceBordenIII
Update:
Got a new one at Lowe’s this morning. Turns out the reason you can’t see the vents on the new ones is that they are vented on the top front, instead of the face front. And they don’t show you that in the pictures, for some reason. Consequently, they all seem to be deeper than they used to be.
So now you learned something today. Wasn’t that fun? Isn’t it fun to learn?
Thanks for your input.

Re: Over the Range Microwave Question
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 6:07 pm
by Animal
VinceBordenIII wrote: ↑Tue Feb 26, 2019 5:49 pm
Update:
Got a new one at Lowe’s this morning. Turns out the reason you can’t see the vents on the new ones is that they are vented on the top front, instead of the face front. And they don’t show you that in the pictures, for some reason. Consequently, they all seem to be deeper than they used to be.
So now you learned something today. Wasn’t that fun? Isn’t it fun to learn?
Thanks for your input.
Yeah. I think that the microwaves now are made so that they can act as a vent for the stove under neath. but they don't vent to the outside, they just vent through a filter at the bottom of the microwave and out into the same room. At least the "over the stove" microwaves.
Re: Over the Range Microwave Question
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 8:49 pm
by Burn1dwn
I thought most new hood microwaves had the option of venting up top or recirculating through the front?
Re: Over the Range Microwave Question
Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2019 1:24 am
by Wut
I'm looking for one that vents to a parallel universe, any suggestions?
Re: Over the Range Microwave Question
Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2019 1:26 am
by CaptQuint
Wut wrote: ↑Wed Feb 27, 2019 1:24 am
I'm looking for one that vents to a parallel universe, any suggestions?
WTC's head
Re: Over the Range Microwave Question
Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2019 1:29 am
by Wut
captquint wrote: ↑Wed Feb 27, 2019 1:26 am
Wut wrote: ↑Wed Feb 27, 2019 1:24 am
I'm looking for one that vents to a parallel universe, any suggestions?
WTC's head
The eternal sunshine of the empty mind.
Re: Over the Range Microwave Question
Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2019 1:32 am
by CaptQuint
Wut wrote: ↑Wed Feb 27, 2019 1:29 am
captquint wrote: ↑Wed Feb 27, 2019 1:26 am
Wut wrote: ↑Wed Feb 27, 2019 1:24 am
I'm looking for one that vents to a parallel universe, any suggestions?
WTC's head
The eternal sunshine of the empty mind.
ignorance is bliss