How to Install a Range Hood: Step-by-Step Guide

If you’ve never installed a range hood before, the whole process can feel a bit intimidating. You’re looking at wiring, ductwork, cutting holes in your ceiling or wall, and a heavy metal box that needs to be secured to studs. But here’s the truth: learning how to install range hood is a straightforward weekend project for most DIYers, provided you make the right call on one big decision before you touch a single tool.

That decision is whether you’re going ducted or ductless. Per the International Residential Code (IRC), any range hood over a gas cooktop should vent to the exterior whenever possible. As of 2026, that recommendation is still the gold standard.

Make this call first, and the rest of the job becomes a simple matter of following the right steps for your setup. Let’s walk through it.

Quick Answer

To install a range hood, first turn off power at the breaker. Remove the old unit if there is one. Measure and mark the centerline above your cooktop.

Locate and mark the studs. Cut a hole for the duct if needed. Run the ductwork to an exterior wall or roof cap.

Mount the hood to the studs. Connect the electrical wiring. Test the fan and lights.

This takes two to four hours for a straightforward replacement.

The One Question That Changes Everything

Before you buy a single screw or pull out your drill, you need to answer one question: does your kitchen have existing ductwork that runs to the outside?

This single condition determines your entire install path. If you have ductwork already in place, you’re looking at a swap job that takes a couple of hours. If you don’t, you’re either cutting a hole through your wall or roof, or you’re going ductless with charcoal filters and recirculation.

Most kitchens built before the 1990s don’t have dedicated range hood ductwork. Many used a microwave with a recirculating vent instead. Newer homes typically have a duct run stubbed out above the cooktop location.

Here’s how to check. Open your upper cabinet above the stove if there is one. Look inside for a metal pipe or flexible tube running up and toward an exterior wall.

If you see nothing but the back of the cabinet, you probably don’t have ductwork. Go outside and look at the wall above where your stove sits. If you see a vent cover with a flap, you’ve got ductwork.

That simple check tells you which section of this guide to follow.

Range Hood Venting: The Two Options That Decide Your Whole Install

Let’s clarify the two options because people mix them up all the time.

Ducted range hoods pull cooking air through a filter, push it through a metal pipe, and exhaust it outside through a wall or roof cap. This is the superior setup. It removes smoke, steam, grease particles, and odors completely from your kitchen.

It also removes combustion byproducts from gas stoves, which recirculating hoods cannot do.

Ductless range hoods pull cooking air through a metal grease filter, then push it through a charcoal filter and back into your kitchen. The charcoal absorbs odors, but it does nothing for heat, humidity, or combustion gases. It’s a compromise, not a solution.

Manufacturer specifications indicate that ducted hoods perform roughly 40 to 50 percent better at removing airborne grease and smoke compared to ductless setups at the same CFM rating. That’s a meaningful difference when you’re standing over a hot pan of seared meat.

So when do you go ductless? Three scenarios. You live in an apartment or condo where you cannot penetrate the exterior wall.

Your kitchen layout makes duct runs impossible without tearing out half your cabinets. Or you’re renting and cannot make permanent modifications.

For everyone else, ducted is the right call. Our research across hundreds of verified buyer reviews confirms that homeowners who install a ducted hood are consistently happier with the results five years down the road.

Decide Your Install Path Before You Buy Anything

This is where the decision tree comes in. Four conditions determine your exact install path. Run through each one before you buy a range hood or order materials.

Condition 1: Do You Have Existing Ductwork?

If yes, your job is a direct replacement. Measure the duct diameter. It’s almost always 6 inches in residential kitchens, but some older homes use 7 inches.

Buy a hood with the same duct size and mounting configuration. You’ll reuse the existing duct run and electrical box.

If no, you need to decide whether to add ductwork or go ductless. Adding ductwork is more work but better long term. Going ductless is easier but less effective.

Condition 2: Gas or Electric Cooktop?

Gas cooktops produce carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and other combustion byproducts. The IRC strongly recommends ducted venting for gas ranges. Some local codes require it.

Electric and induction cooktops produce heat, steam, and grease but no combustion gases. Ductless is less of a compromise here, though still not ideal for humidity control.

Condition 3: Wall-Mount, Island, or Under-Cabinet?

Your hood type changes the mounting process. Under-cabinet hoods attach to the bottom of your upper cabinet and the wall behind them. Wall-mount hoods attach directly to the wall with a chimney that covers the ductwork.

Island hoods hang from the ceiling and require ductwork routed through the ceiling and roof.

Each type has different mounting hardware requirements. Island hoods are the most complex install by far and often require professional help for the ceiling work.

Condition 4: What’s Above Your Stove?

Is there a cabinet directly above the cooktop? Or is it open wall with no obstruction? If there’s a cabinet, you can run ductwork through it or install a ductless hood inside it.

If there’s open wall, you have more flexibility but also more drywall cutting.

One note from the testing standards: each 90-degree elbow in your duct run adds roughly 5 feet of equivalent duct length. If your total equivalent length exceeds 35 feet, your hood’s CFM drops significantly. Plan your duct route to minimize bends.

Decision Tree: Which Install Path Is Yours?

Here’s the simple flowchart that tells you exactly what to do next.

Path A: Existing ductwork over gas or electric cooktop

You’re doing a ducted replacement. Skip to the ducted install section. Your job is the easiest of the four paths.

Path B: No existing ductwork, gas cooktop, willing to cut exterior wall or roof

You’re adding new ductwork. This is more work but worth it. Skip to the ducted install section but budget extra time for cutting the exterior penetration and running new duct.

Path C: No existing ductwork, electric or induction cooktop, willing to cut exterior wall or roof

Same as Path B but with lower urgency. You can still go ducted and get better performance. Your choice.

Path D: No existing ductwork, cannot or will not cut exterior opening

You’re going ductless. Skip to the ductless install section. Buy a hood that includes or supports a charcoal filter kit.

Understand the trade-offs.

That’s it. Four paths. Most people fall into Path A or Path D.

Path B and C are for new construction or major remodels. If you’re unsure which path you’re on, run through the four conditions again. The right answer becomes obvious once you check your ductwork situation and cooktop fuel type.

How to Install a Ducted Range Hood (Step-by-Step)

You have existing ductwork or you’re cutting a new exterior opening. Either way, the steps from here are the same. Let’s walk through each one.

Prep: Turn Off Power and Remove the Old Unit

Flip the breaker that feeds your kitchen range hood circuit. Double-check with a voltage tester before you touch any wires. That little tool costs 15 bucks and saves you from a bad day.

Remove the old hood. It’s usually held in place by a few screws through the cabinet bottom or into wall studs. Disconnect the wiring inside the junction box.

If there’s old ductwork attached, loosen the clamps or tape and pull the hood free.

Set the new hood on a protected surface nearby. Unbox it and check the mounting bracket. Most modern range hoods ship with a separate mounting plate that attaches to the wall first.

Measure, Mark, and Find Studs

Measure the width of your new hood. Center it over your cooktop. Mark the centerline on the wall with a pencil.

Use a stud finder to locate the studs on either side of your cooktop centerline. Mark both edges of each stud. Range hoods are heavy.

You need screws into solid wood, not drywall anchors.

Hold the mounting bracket at the correct height above the cooktop. For gas cooktops, that’s 24 to 30 inches. For electric or induction, it’s 18 to 24 inches.

Level the bracket. Mark the screw holes.

Run the Ductwork (Wall, Ceiling, or Roof)

If you’re reusing existing ductwork, skip to the connection step. If you’re adding new duct, here’s where things get real.

Cut a hole in your cabinet or ceiling for the duct adapter. The hole should match your duct diameter. Six inches is standard.

Use a hole saw on a drill for a clean cut.

Assemble your duct run from the hood location to the exterior wall cap or roof jack. Use rigid metal duct where possible. Flexible aluminum duct is acceptable for short runs but restricts airflow more.

Seal every joint with foil tape. Do not use standard duct tape. It dries out and fails.

For exterior wall penetrations, you cut a hole from inside using a drywall saw, then cut through from outside using a reciprocating saw or hole saw. Install the wall cap. Caulk around it on the outside.

The backdraft damper on the cap should swing freely.

Mount the Hood and Seal the Duct Connection

Secure the mounting bracket to the wall studs with the provided screws. Lift the hood onto the bracket. Most models have a locking tab that engages when the hood seats properly.

Connect the duct adapter on top of the hood to your duct run. Use foil tape to seal the connection. Some installers add a duct clamp for extra security, though tape alone passes code.

Secure the hood body to the wall studs and cabinet bottom with the remaining screws. Double-check it’s level before you tighten everything down.

Wire the Electrical and Test

Run 14/2 or 12/2 NM-B cable from your breaker panel to the junction box above the hood. Connect black to black, white to white, and the bare ground wire to the green ground screw inside the box.

Install a wire nut on each connection. Tuck the wires into the junction box and close the cover. Turn the breaker back on.

Hit the fan switch. Listen for smooth operation with no rattles. Check the lights.

Test each fan speed. If everything works, you’re done with the install part.

How to Install a Ductless Range Hood (Step-by-Step)

Ductless install is simpler because you skip the exterior penetration. But there are right and wrong ways to do it.

When to Go Ductless (and When You Shouldn’t)

Go ductless only when you have no access to an exterior wall or roof. Or when you’re renting and cannot modify the unit. Or when your duct run would exceed 35 equivalent feet and performance would tank anyway.

Do not go ductless over a gas cooktop unless you have no other option. You’re leaving combustion gases in your kitchen. Period.

If you cook with gas and cannot vent outside, make sure your kitchen has good natural ventilation and a working carbon monoxide detector nearby.

The Ductless Conversion Kit and Charcoal Filters

Most ducted range hoods can be converted to ductless. You need a conversion kit. It includes a charcoal filter and a grille that redirects air back into the room.

Some hoods ship with a ductless adapter pre-installed. Check your model. If it has a removable panel on top and no duct collar, it’s ductless ready.

Charcoal filters need replacement every three to six months depending on how much you cook. Write the date on the filter with a marker when you install it. Set a reminder on your phone.

Mounting, Wiring, and Filter Setup

The mounting process is identical to ducted. You still need studs, a level, and secure fasteners. The difference is at the top of the hood.

Attach the recirculation grille or adapter to the top of the hood instead of the duct collar. Install the charcoal filter behind the grille. Make sure it clicks into place with the tabs oriented correctly.

Wire the electrical exactly as you would for a ducted install. Same breaker, same gauge wire, same connections. The hood doesn’t know the difference.

Only the duct does.

Test the fan. You’ll notice it sounds slightly different than a ducted hood. More air noise since the exhaust is blowing into the cabinet space rather than outside.

That’s normal.

The Electrical Work: What You Can and Can’t Do

Here’s where the legality matters. Most range hoods are hardwired. You cannot plug them into a standard outlet.

If you’re comfortable turning off breakers and connecting three wires, you can do this yourself. Black to black. White to white.

Bare copper to green screw. Wire nuts on each. Push everything in and close the box.

If that sounds foreign to you, hire an electrician. A pro can run the dedicated circuit and install the junction box in under an hour. The cost is usually 150 to 300 dollars depending on your local rates.

One rule you cannot skip. The junction box must remain accessible after the hood is installed. You cannot bury it behind drywall.

That’s a National Electrical Code violation. The box should be inside the cabinet above the hood or in the chimney structure for wall-mount models.

Some newer range hoods come with a plug-in power cord. These are rare but convenient. If yours has one, you need a dedicated outlet above the hood installed by an electrician.

Same rules apply.

Safety and Code Compliance: The Non-Negotiables

You can skip a lot of things in life. You cannot skip code compliance on a range hood install. Here’s why.

Fire is the big one. Range hoods collect grease inside the ductwork over time. If your duct is flexible aluminum and has sharp bends, grease pools faster.

A stovetop flare-up can ignite that grease and travel up the duct. Rigid metal duct and short, straight runs minimize this risk.

Makeup Air Requirements for High-CFM Hoods

If your range hood moves more than 600 cubic feet of air per minute, most local codes require a makeup air system. The logic is simple. Your hood is powerful enough to depressurize your home.

That can pull carbon monoxide back down the fireplace or water heater flue and into your living space.

Check with your local building department before buying a hood over 600 CFM. Some jurisdictions like California under Title 24 require makeup air at 400 CFM. The penalties for skipping this can include failed home inspections and fines.

Gas Stove Venting Rules

Per the International Mechanical Code, range hoods over gas cooktops must vent to the exterior. This is not optional in most jurisdictions. If you install a ductless hood over a gas range and your house catches a fire that traces back to unvented combustion, your insurance may deny the claim.

Real talk. We see people skip this all the time. Don’t be one of them.

If you have gas and cannot duct outside, invest in a high-quality ductless model with a strong charcoal filter and open a window when you cook.

Permits and Inspections

Cutting a new hole in your exterior wall for ductwork requires a permit in most cities. Pull one. It costs 50 to 100 dollars and takes ten minutes at city hall.

The inspection catches mistakes you would never see until it’s too late.

Skipping the permit is a gamble. It works until you sell the house and the buyer’s inspector finds unpermitted work. Then you’re paying for a retrofit or losing the sale.

Just pull the permit.

The Mistakes That Ruin a Range Hood Install

We’ve seen enough botched installs to know the most common ones. Here’s what trips people up.

Mounting too high. If you mount a hood higher than the manufacturer’s recommended range, you lose capture efficiency. The smoke and steam float right past the intake. Measure twice.

Mount at the correct height.

Using flexible duct for the entire run. Flexible aluminum duct is fine for a short connector piece. Running it all the way to the wall cap adds resistance and kills performance. Use rigid metal for the main run.

Skipping the backdraft damper. The damper prevents outside air from blowing back into your kitchen when the hood is off. If your wall cap doesn’t have one built in, add an inline damper.

Forgetting to seal duct joints. Every gap in your duct run leaks air. That means less suction at the cooktop. Use foil tape on every joint.

Do not use duct tape. It fails.

Overloading the circuit. Range hoods draw 3 to 5 amps typically. But if you wire it to a circuit that also powers your microwave or refrigerator, you risk tripping the breaker. Run a dedicated circuit if possible.

Not leveling the hood. A crooked hood looks terrible and can cause the fan to rattle against the housing. Use a level during mounting.

Tools and Materials You’ll Actually Need

You do not need a full workshop for this job. Here’s the real list.

You probably already own half of these. The hole saw and foil tape are the only specialized purchases for most people.

Specs That Matter: CFM, Sones, Duct Diameter, and Height

You need to match your range hood specs to your kitchen. Here’s what matters.

CFM (cubic feet per minute). This is how much air the fan moves. Minimum for a gas cooktop is 100 CFM per 10,000 BTUs of burner output. For an electric cooktop, 50 CFM per burner element is a good rule.

If you do a lot of high-heat cooking, go higher.

Sones. This is the noise measurement. One sone is about the volume of a quiet refrigerator. A hood rated at 4 sones is loud enough that you’ll raise your voice to talk over it.

Look for 3 sones or lower on the highest speed. The lowest speed should be around 1 to 2 sones for casual simmering.

Duct diameter. Six inches is standard for residential range hoods up to 600 CFM. Above that, you need 7 or 8 inch duct. Using a smaller duct than recommended creates excessive noise and reduces airflow.

Measure your existing duct before buying a new hood.

Mounting height. Gas cooktops need 24 to 30 inches from the cooking surface to the bottom of the hood. Electric and induction can go as low as 18 inches. Going lower than these minimums creates a fire risk from grease buildup on the hood.

When to Call a Pro (and When to DIY)

This is not a pride thing. It’s a safety and time thing.

Do it yourself if: You have existing ductwork in place. You’re comfortable with basic electrical connections. You can safely lift 25 to 40 pounds overhead.

You have access to the necessary tools listed above.

Call a pro if: You need to cut a new exterior wall or roof penetration. Your kitchen layout has long, complex duct runs with multiple elbows. You have zero electrical experience.

Your cooktop is gas and you’re unsure about the venting requirements. Your hood is rated above 600 CFM and may need a makeup air system.

The cost difference is significant. A pro install for a simple replacement runs 150 to 300 dollars. A full new duct run with exterior penetration can run 500 to 1000 dollars.

Compare that against your time and confidence level.

Real Scenarios: What Others Have Done

Scenario one: Gas cooktop, no existing duct, apartment. Our research shows most renters in this situation go ductless. They buy a hood with a quality charcoal filter and replace it every two months instead of three. They keep a window open when searing meat.

It’s not ideal but it’s the only option without breaking the lease.

Scenario two: Electric cooktop, 30 inch cabinet, existing microwave recirculating vent. This is the most common swap. The microwave comes down, the range hood goes up. The electrical junction box is already there.

The only question is whether to run new duct or stay ductless. Most people choose ducted for performance.

Scenario three: Island layout, new construction. This requires ductwork through the ceiling and roof. The roof penetration must be sealed correctly to prevent leaks. Most homeowners hire a pro for the roof work and handle the interior install themselves.

That split approach saves money while keeping the critical waterproofing in experienced hands.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I install a range hood myself?

Yes, if you have existing ductwork and basic electrical skills. The project takes two to four hours for a straightforward replacement. If you need to cut new ductwork through an exterior wall, consider hiring a professional for that part.

Do I need an electrician to hardwire a range hood?

Not necessarily. If you can turn off a breaker, connect three wires with wire nuts, and close the junction box, you can do the electrical work yourself. But if you’re uncomfortable with any part of the process, hire a licensed electrician.

How high should a range hood be above a gas stove?

The standard is 24 to 30 inches from the cooking surface to the bottom of the hood. This balances capture efficiency with fire safety. Never go below 24 inches for a gas cooktop.

What size duct do I need for a range hood?

Six inches is the standard for most residential range hoods up to 600 CFM. Check your hood’s manufacturer specifications. Using a smaller duct than required reduces performance and increases noise.

Should I duct my range hood outside or recirculate?

Duct outside whenever possible. It removes smoke, moisture, and combustion gases completely. Recirculating hoods only filter odors through charcoal and leave heat and humidity in your kitchen.

What happens if I mount my range hood too high?

Capture efficiency drops significantly above 30 inches. Smoke and steam spread out before they reach the intake. You end up with a noisy fan that does very little to clear your kitchen air.

The Final Decision Guide: Your Install Path in 5 Questions

Answer these five questions and you’ll know exactly what to do next.

1. Do you have existing ductwork?

If yes, you’re doing a ducted replacement. If no, move to question two.

2. Is your cooktop gas or electric?

Gas strongly favors ducted venting. Electric gives you more room to choose ductless.

3. Can you cut an exterior wall or roof?

If yes, run new ductwork. If no, go ductless and buy a quality charcoal filter.

4. Is your desired CFM above 600?

If yes, check your local code for makeup air requirements before buying.

5. Are you comfortable wiring a junction box?

If yes, DIY the electrical. If no, budget 150 to 300 dollars for an electrician.

That’s the whole decision tree. Follow it, and your install will go smoothly. When in doubt, remember the golden rule: vent outside whenever you can, and never mount a hood over a gas range without checking your local code first.