How to Change Out a Standard Hood Vent for a Microwave/Vent Combo

Removal

• The first thing you will need to do to replace your standard vent hood with a microwave/vent combo unit is to shut off your electricity and remove the old vent hood. Removal of a standard vent hood is a fairly basic task. The electrical wires are usually beneath a panel underneath the vent hood. Remove any screws and simply untwist the wire nuts. Four screws are likely to be holding your vent hood to the cabinet above. Access these from below as well. Once you have removed these, carefully pull the vent hood straight down and away from the cabinets.

Preparation

• After you have removed the existing vent hood, take just a little time to prepare the existing opening in the cabinets for the installation of your microwave and vent. If you are replacing a vent hood that had no outlet to the outside of the home, you'll need to complete quite a bit of additional work to get your microwave ready install. You will have to determine whether you will be venting through the outer wall of your house or up through your roof. In either case, you need to drill and cut the right-sized hole for your new appliance and run the necessary vent hose or pipe to its desired location. You may also want to take a few moments to clean up the existing opening and mark the spots on the wall and cabinet where you connect the microwave and vent.

Securing

• Securing the new microwave and vent unit in place is probably the trickiest part of the installation process. You will likely need a second person to help you lift the microwave into place. They will also need to help hold it in place while you secure the microwave to your cabinet and wall. Chances are that you will be lifting the microwave onto some bolts that you will put in place during the preparation phase. These units are much heavier than a standard vent hood and require additional support.

Finishing

• Finishing out the job only requires a few basic steps, but they are important nonetheless. After the microwave is in place, finish attaching the vent to the unit and secure any seams that you may have with duct tape to ensure that the force of the air does not blow your vent hose loose. You also need to secure the electrical supply again before turning the power supply back on again.