Blog · Kitchener
Range Hoods: Why 'Recirculating' Isn't Really Venting
Behind a surprising number of Tri-Cities range hoods is a duct that goes nowhere.
Last updated September 2, 2026 · Reviewed by the KW Appliance Installation team
What a hood actually does
It removes moisture, grease and combustion byproducts from cooking. A recirculating hood pushes air through a charcoal filter and back into the room — it catches some grease and nothing else. Health Canada's indoor air guidance is clear that cooking is a significant indoor pollutant source; ducting to the outside is the fix.
The attic and cabinet problem
We regularly find hoods ducted into the upper cabinet, or into the attic. The first coats the cabinet in grease; the second dumps warm moist air into cold insulation — a mould problem waiting to happen. Both need a proper exterior vent with a backdraft damper.
Mounting height
Follow the manufacturer spec — usually 24–30 inches above an electric cooktop, sometimes higher for gas and professional ranges. On plaster walls in older Waterloo and Cambridge homes, anchor to studs or blocking, not to the plaster.
Cost
Under-cabinet hood install $200–$400; wall-mount chimney hood $300–$600; island hood $450–$900; a new exterior vent through wall or roof $250–$550.