Dear Mr. Electrician: How do I install a chimney hood in place of my existing kitchen hood?
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Answer: How you install a chimney hood will vary according to the manufacturer. It is important to read the installation instructions before you purchase the hood.
INSTALLING A CHIMNEY HOOD
Turn the power off at the circuit breaker box to the existing kitchen hood. Remove the cover under the hood to expose the electrical wiring. Use a non-contact voltage detector to confirm that the electrical power is off.
Carefully disconnect the wires inside the hood. Do not cut the wires. Normally there should be a cable connector where the electrical cable enters the hood. The connector can be one of several types. If it is a plastic connector, you can cut it with diagonal pliers. Be careful not to cut or nick the cable or wires.
If there is a metal connector, loosen the locknut and remove it completely. If the locknut is on the other side, loosen the screws on the cable connector.
The old hood will probably have screws driven into the back ball as well as into the side cabinets. Have someone hold the old hood and while you remove the screws. The hood should drop down. Carefully pull the hood away from the wire in the wall. Be careful to not damage the wire.
Install the chimney hood according to the installation instructions. Pay close attention to the location of the electrical outlet or cable drop for the new hood. It must be precisely located.
Normally I would have waited until the kitchen wall was finished with paint before I attempted to install the chimney hood. However in this case the owner was planning to paint the kitchen herself when she had the time. So she had me install the chimney hood so it was functional.
There were two brackets that needed to be mounted onto the wall and ceiling for the hood and the chimney to attach to. They had to line up precisely and the electrical outlet had to fit behind the chimney.
You have be careful to not make any marks or dings on the chimney hood sheet metal. They will be visible.
The installed chimney hood depicted here was not vented to the outside. It blows air out the sides on the top part of the chimney. You can’t see the side vents in my photos.
My article about replacing a kitchen hood may be of interest to you.
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