What do I call for this?

11 years ago

My husband and I are purchasing our first home and I'm at a loss as to who to call to do a few odds and ends that need taken care of.

The first is the microwave above the stove. We are purchasing all new appliances, but the micro-hood thing that is currently there is vented back into the room, and the vent piping above it was removed and sealed off with that looks to be just Masonite and screws. There is a vent that goes to the exterior of the home but it's sealed off as well. Who would I call to put a new vent pipe in and open up the vent outside?

The second is the bathroom fans. The inspector told us that they are not vented to the outside, just into the attic. As there could be concern for mold growth from the moisture (no current mold present at this time) we would like to have them vented outside (is that the right thing to do?help!). Again, who do I call?

Any advice is appreciated! Thank you!

Comments (6)

Zoey_B
Original Author
11 years ago
Wow... so much for proof-reading! That's supposed to say "who" do I call for this! Hahaha...
tjdabomb
11 years ago
Ya probably need a contractor for both.

1. if the cap on the vent at the micro can be taken off, and, the cap at the exterior be taken off, and, the vent is still whole, this should be relatively easy.

2. How big is the attic? is it ventilated through either static vents or an attic fan?
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mike_kaiser_gw
11 years ago
I would imagine a competent handyman could handle both problems a bit more economically than a contractor. You definitely want the bathroom vented outside, not into the attic.
Zoey_B
Original Author
11 years ago
Tjda: The attic is quite large, as the house is a 70's colonial and 2500 sq. ft. There are static vents on each end of the house.

With the bathroom vents, is that something someone who does HVAC could do? I wasn't sure how they cut into the roof to install the vents.
live_wire_oak
11 years ago
An HVAC person or roofer who can multi task would probably be your best bet.

Or, no time to start learning DIY like the present. If the ductwork to the exterior is still running through the attic, putting in the adapters and opening up the damper on the MW should be a pretty easy job. It just needs a bit of muscles to remove the MW and open the damper, and a bit of fine motor coordination (small hands help too) to attach the metal tape to the solid vent pipe inside the cabinet and then again inside the attic.
alan_s_thefirst
11 years ago
It's not that hard to do if you're handy. There will no doubt be some tutorials on Youtube, if you're prepared to sort the right from the wrong.

The Home Depot how-to books are not bad either, but I'm not sure if they'd go that specific.

Certainly HVAC people are qualified but some may not want a job this small. A competent handyperson ought to be able to do it.

As for the bathroom vents, absolutely they should be run outside. You may need to replace some insulation in the attic space if it's too messed up, and you may want to consider venting it properly.

Check your local codes - some places may allow you to put a vent in the soffit for the bathrooms which makes it a relatively simple job, rather than the roof.

Also check what materials you're allowed to use. Some places allow plastic flex vent for example, some don't. Aluminium flex vent may be permitted. I'm not such a fan of it because it can collect a lot of dust if it's not stretched out.

I used rigid galvanised steel ducting (you can also get aluminium if you're worried about it rusting, but it's more expensive) - the steel is cheap, and in some ways easier to work with because it's self-supporting, but you need to do more measuring etc.

It took me a couple of days to add a brand-new kitchen vent where none had existed, but I was also re-insulating parts and doing other bits and pieces, I'm also really fussy.

Recommissioning your kitchen vent should be fairly easy if it's in good shape - you'll want to make sure it's not blocked or anything. I commend you for reconnecting it, it's so much cleaner.