Installing a new cooker hood is as important as choosing the perfect one for your kitchen. Here, we detail how you can fit a cooker hood by yourself easily and simply. Extraction and recirculating cooker hoods have different installation methods and uses. In this blog, we explore how to install a cooker hood.

Decide Where You Want to Install the Hood

The first step in buying a new cooker hood is to measure the space where you need to fit it. To fit it within the cabinets or for an integrated style, measure the space between them and buy the hood accordingly. Also, measure from the top of your cooker or worktop to the bottom of your cabinet or ceiling. This will ensure your cooker hood will fit. Your hood should be in the hot zone, matching the width of the hob. The extractor rate of the hood should correspond to the size of your kitchen.

What Height Above the Hob Should My Cooker Hood Be?

We recommend matching the hood’s size with the size of your hob for proper functioning. Ensure the hood hangs 24 to 30 inches (61 to 76 cm) above the hob and covers the entire cooking space. A three-inch overhang between the hood's edge and the cooking space is ideal for full coverage. It will free your kitchen from smoke, odours, and airborne grease.

What Type of Venting Do You Want?

Know your requirements and decide what cooker hood you need for your kitchen. Choose between an extraction or recirculating hood. Then, pick a model based on your preferences. If you're installing an extraction hood, consider external ducting and space. Extraction hoods need an outer wall to vent air while recirculating hoods need only inner wall space. Use recirculating hoods for compact kitchens since they are a good choice if you lack space for external ducts.

Tools You Will Need to Install a Cooker Hood

• Chosen cooker hood kit – comes with everything you need for installation
• SDS drill
• Core drill bit – for drilling through a wall
• Set of hole saws – for cutting through ceilings or other plasterboard surfaces
• Drill/driver
• Screws – if they are not included with the kit
• Hammer
• Electrical socket
• Fused spur
• Required length of cable
• Electrical side cutters
• Electrical pliers
• Electrical screwdrivers
• Selection of drill bits
• Wall plugs

Step-by-Step Installation for Extraction Hoods

Installing extraction cooker hoods is a bit trickier. They involve installing ducting for air outlets on the external wall and fitting the hood. Ensure you refer to the user manual for details on the correct fixings to use and where to place them. Each manufacturer has its own method and fixings or brackets. But, the general installation principles are the same.

Step 1: Measure the Space

Measure the area for your new cooker hood. This ensures a proper fit.

Step 2: Cut Off the Main Power Supply

Turn off the main power supply before installing the hood. This will prevent electric shock.

Step 3: Check the Components of the Pack

Remove all the parts from the box and separate the fan and filters that are attached to expose the wiring.

Step 4: Create an Outline

Create an outline on the wall for the ventilation duct and electrical wiring. Some cooker hood manufacturers supply a template to mark the vent hole's position on the wall. If not, check the manufacturer's instructions for the hole size. It should be either 120 mm or 150 mm. Otherwise, measure the holes accurately and mark them with a pencil. Trace the outline of the fixing points onto the wall instead of marking crosses.

Step 5: Test Fit and Cut the Holes

Test the hood and ducting before you drill. This will ensure the marked holes are in the correct position. Drill through the marked holes. They should align with the inside ones. This will let you install a duct cap outside that fits your interior ductwork. To make the job easier, drill smaller pilot holes first, then expand them using a wider drill bit.

Step 6: Cut the Wiring Holes

Use a drywall saw to cut along the outline you drew on the wall, connecting one hole to the next. Drilling holes in the outline for the electrical wiring makes your job easier. Then pull at least 12 inches of wiring through the hole to connect it to your hood.

Step 7: Cut the Exterior Vent Hole

Find and locate the exact position of the holes to mark outside your house for the venting duct. Outline the exterior hole and cut through it.

Step 8: Install External Vent and Ducting Through the Wall

Now your hole is ready to fix the external duct in place. The hood kit usually includes an external vent, pipes, and an internal duct connection. Ensure the wall plate's circular connectors match your cooker hood duct.

Set the plate aside using a suitable drill. Before fixing the plate to the wall, attach the pipe that runs through the wall to the mount. Ensure it is tight and securely gripped. Thread the pipe through the wall to the outside, carefully place the plate back on the wall, and screw it into place. Repeat the process with the external wall.

Step 9: Fix the Hood

Now that the vent holes and wiring are ready, fixing the hood and ducting is the next step. With help from an assistant, lift the hood. Pull the wiring from the wall through the hood's wiring hole. Then, clamp it to the hood with a cable clamp.

Slide the hood into the proper position and drive the screws halfway into the cabinet you are fixing it to. Push the hood upward and connect it with the ductwork. If the hood aligns with the ductwork, secure it to the cabinets' underside and tighten the screws.

Step 10: Wiring the Hood

Connect the cooker hood wire with the wires on the wall and test that the fan and light work properly when powered.

Step 11: Finish Setup

Tuck the wires in. Fix the cover, filter, and everything else per the instruction manual. Restore the power supply and switch on the hood to ensure it is fully functional.

Installing a Recirculating Vent

You can install recirculating cooker hoods by plugging them into an electric source. If your cooker hood comes with bare power wires, you may need to buy a new plug to fit these wires. Check the wattage of the hood before deciding whether to use a 3A fuse or a 13A fuse in the plug.

If there's no outlet in the right place to power your hood, you may need to hire an electrician to add one to the kitchen. Most hood manufacturers supply a template to mark where to drill for installation. You can place it on the wall. Fitting a recirculating hood usually requires two people to lift it into position.

Is It Worth Hiring Someone to Install Your Cooker Hood?

Installing a cooker hood is a moderately difficult task for non-professionals. If you enjoy DIY projects, it's a good chance to tackle the job. But you'll need DIY skills to handle the procedures. Always follow the manual's instructions and have someone help lift the appliance into position.

Before fitting the hood, ensure you have the right tools. Also, know how to connect the electric wires to power. Hire a professional if you're unsure about fitting the hood and wiring. The installation cost may be higher for hiring a professional than if you do it yourself.