Can You Vent a Range Hood Into the Garage?

A range hood can be a useful appliance in your kitchen and can help keep your home clean, but can you vent a range hood into the garage?

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Installing a venting range hood in your kitchen involves more than selecting the appropriate range hood. Arranging where the duct will go also needs to be planned. For example, there are some homes where the garage and the kitchen are divided by nothing more than a wall. Since cutting a hole in the wall and running some short ducting into the garage would be very simple, you might wonder if you could vent the hood there instead. So, can you vent a range hood into the garage?

This article will teach you what a range hood is, how it works, and whether or not you can vent your hood into your garage so you can stay safe.

No, a range hood cannot be vented into the garage. Cooking exhaust and harmful gases from your stove will build up inside, which is dangerous for your health. As heavy grease and oil accumulate, your garage will become a fire hazard. In addition, your garage will be difficult to clean, and the hot, greasy air may damage your car or equipment.

What is a range hood?

A range hood is a kitchen appliance that traps airborne particles and vapors such as cooking fat and smoke. This helps to enhance the air quality in the kitchen while also protecting people and property from dangerous elements.

Image of a tan garage door outside a home. Source: john paulsen, unsplash
Image of a tan garage door outside a home. Source: john paulsen, unsplash
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My favorite range hood (at the moment):

COSMO COS-63190S Wall Mount Range Hood

Can you vent a range hood into the garage? | 71ddmbmvgwl. Ac sl1500 | range hood homeland
My favorite range hood (at the moment):

COSMO COS-63190S Wall Mount Range Hood

This is one of the best hoods available at this price point. Reasonably strong CFM for the cost, and it has received rave reviews (over 3,800 reviews!). It looks great, and the LED lights provide a pleasant brightness. For the price, its performance and style are outstanding. Highly recommended!

What are the benefits of a range hood?

Upgrading to a high-quality range hood can be an easy way to enhance your kitchen. 

1. Improved air quality

The range hood’s most significant function is to improve the air quality in your kitchen. Hoods are intended to remove odors, smoke, oil, and other impurities from the air when cooking. The dirty air is drawn in by a motorized blower and either taken outdoors or filtered and recirculated.

2. Maintain your comfort

Cooking generates a lot of heat, which may be uncomfortable in the kitchen. So another significant advantage of range hoods is that they remove excess heat and steam, making the cooking atmosphere more pleasant for you and the rest of your family.

3. It reduces kitchen orders

Nothing smells better than a delicious meal. Cooking odors, on the other hand, can linger long after dinner is finished. Turning on your range hood assists in sucking out undesirable aromas and stuffiness, leaving your home smelling clean.

Can you vent your range hood into the garage?

No! You can not vent your range hood into the garage. This is extremely dangerous. Below are reasons why venting to your garage can be problematic and hazardous.

1. Airborn grease stains everything it touches.

There are certainly several items in your garage that can stand up to a little dust and grime. It may be anything from a tool to a paint can, a piece of wood, or a metal sheet. But is it something you want to have all over your garage’s contents, especially your cars?

A range hood is an investment that will last for many years, if not decades. But, if you vent your hood into the garage, picture all the grease and grime that need to be cleaned up. This will be a terrible experience!

2. It may expose you to harmful pollutants.

A range hood must expel the stale air and harmful fumes from cooking outside the home. However, your hood’s functionality will be compromised if you direct the exhaust into the garage because grime and pollutants will build up in your garage.

And a potential hangout for you is the garage. You do not want to be exposed to that stale, filthy air for days. Grease and chemical buildup is of most concern. In most cases, garages have poor air circulation. Because of this, pollutants will continue to build up gradually over time.

But can you just leave the garage door open? Unfortunately, no. In the long run, leaving your garage door open won’t help. However, it’s effective in blocking out several potentially dangerous substances. However, heavy oil accumulation and fire risk will still be issued.

A garage door’s primary function is to allow for closure. So, how do you plan to stay warm when the temperature drops significantly during the winter? In such a case, you should probably shut the garage door. However, venting directly to the outdoors is preferable even if you live in a warmer area and can leave your garage door open.

3. Mold and other problems may result from garage moisture.

Moisture may gather in your garage. Mold growth is a real possibility if this continues for more than a few weeks.

4. There is a risk of fire if grease accumulates in your garage.

It’s likely that your garage already contains combustible materials like paint or gasoline, in addition to the oily, greasy air that may accumulate faster than you would expect. As a result, the garage is a potentially hazardous environment. If a fire were to start, all it would take was a spark or a stray flame.

Are there alternatives to venting into your garage?

So, you may be wondering whether there is anywhere else you can go to let off steam. First, to choose between two main options. The first is a direct roof vent that takes the stale air from the kitchen and sends it up and out. This strategy is widely employed because it works well.

The second option is to run the ducts through the wall and out the side of the home. To avoid drilling holes in your roof, you can take the ducting through an outside wall, but this option is only viable if your range and hood are close to such a wall.

Should you vent air out of your garage?

While you should never vent air from your kitchen into your garage, you should try to vent air from your garage to the outside of your home.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends exhaust ventilation if a garage is attached to a residence. Furthermore, they recommend 100 CFM for ducted exhaust fans and 80 CFM for unducted exhaust fans as a standard for continuous ventilation.

Even though detached garages are classified as non-habitable spaces, they are frequently used. Many people, for example, use their garage as a gym, a workshop, and a laundry area.

When putting your garage to practical use, ensure it is properly aired. The EPA also recommends fans as an alternative to an exhaust system, as long as they are operated anytime the garage is occupied and for at least one hour afterward.

If you want even more tips and insights, watch the “Kitchen Rangehood Ventilation Solutions” video from the Efficiency Matrix YouTube Channel.

A video called “Kitchen Rangehood Ventilation Solutions” from the Efficiency Matrix YouTube Channel.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Do you still have questions? Below are some of the most commonly asked questions about range hoods.

What exactly is the function of a range hood?

Hoods are intended to remove odors, smoke, oil, and other impurities from the air when cooking. The dirty air is drawn in by a motorized blower and either taken outdoors or filtered and recirculated.

Is a ducted or ductless range hood preferable?

Ducted hoods outperform ductless hoods in terms of power, efficiency, and lifetime. A ductless hood does not eliminate cooking aromas, smoke, and oil from the air in your kitchen. Instead, it is recycled back into your home. However, a ducted hood will exhaust all smoke and odors outside.

Do recirculating range hoods work?

Yes. The key difference between circulating and recirculating hoods is that instead of being expelled to the outside, the air is filtered and recirculated back into the house.

Conclusion

So now that you know the dangers of painting your kitchen exhaust fumes into a garage, you won’t be tempted to do it, even if it seems more convenient in the short term.

This article covered range hoods, how they work, and whether you can vent them into your garage. Here are some key takeaways:

Key takeaways

  • A range hood is a kitchen appliance that traps airborne particles and vapors such as cooking fat and smoke.
  • A range hood cannot be vented into the garage. As a result, cooking exhaust and harmful gases from your stove will build up inside, which is dangerous for your health.
  • You are encouraged to keep your garage safely ventilated.

So, were you satisfied with the range hood at your home? And did I cover everything you wanted to know? And what do you think of my list? Let me know in the comments section below (I read and reply to every comment). If you found this article helpful, check out my full blog for more tips and tricks for your kitchen. Thanks for reading, and stay safe.

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Written by Roger Harris, Staff Writer

Hey there! My name is Roger, and I've been selling range hoods for over six years. I now run this blog all about range hoods and kitchen ventilation! If you're looking for a new range hood for your kitchen, this is the place for you.

Nick eggert.
Edited by Nick Eggert, Staff Editor

Nick is our staff editor and co-founder. He has a passion for writing, editing, and website development. His expertise lies in shaping content with precision and managing digital spaces with a keen eye for detail.

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