How Far Should a Range Hood Be From the Stove Top?

What Does Building Code Say About Range Hood Distance From Stove Top?

We will be looking at what International Residential Code (IRC) has to say about clearance above cook tops. The IRC is adopted by most municipalities within the United States and elsewhere, and serves as building code. However, governing bodies can amend the IRC as they wish, so it is always a good idea to check in with your local building code department.

The IRC has the following to say about stove top and hood distance. Fret not if you find it hard to understand, as we cover how to interpret this code in detail in the next section.

Household cooking appliances shall have a vertical clearance above the cooking top of not less than 30 inches (760 mm) to combustible material and metal cabinets. A minimum clearance of 24 inches (610 mm) is permitted where one of the following is installed:

1. The underside of the combustible material or metal cabinet above the cooking top is protected with not less than ¹/₄-inch (6.4 mm) insulating millboard covered with sheet metal not less than 0.0122 inch (0.3 mm) thick.

2. A metal ventilating hood constructed of sheet metal not less than 0.0122 inch (0.3 mm) thick is installed above the cooking top with a clearance of not less than ¹/₄ inch (6.4 mm) between the hood and the underside of the combustible material or metal cabinet. The hood shall have a width not less than the width of the appliance and shall be centered over the appliance.

3. A listed cooking appliance or microwave oven is installed over a listed cooking appliance and in compliance with the terms of the manufacturer’s installation instructions for the upper appliance.

IRC Code

How Do You Interpret This Building Code?

As this article centers around exhaust hoods (and microwaves), we will be paying attention to only the sentences that are in bold in the above code.

This code tells us that our exhaust hood should be, at minimum, 24 inches above your cook top.

However, exhaust hood manufacturers have their own installation instructions and specifications, and these instructions should be your primary reference in deciding how high to mount your exhaust hood.

It’s important to note that gas ranges will typically require a greater hood height than electric cook tops. I recommend considering a minimum of 30″ between the hood and cook top if your cook top will be gas.

It’s Getting Late, Let’s Conclude

We laid out the IRC building code as it pertains to cook top and hood distance, and went on to clarify precisely what this code means.

Specifically, property owners will want to mount their hood at a minimum of 24 inches above the stove top. It is important to always check both your hood and stove manufacturer’s installation instructions, as these will specify exactly what dimensions you wish to achieve given the unique unit.

Should you reside in the St. Louis, MO area and are considering a home remodel, please reach out to us!