Vent hood in front of window

Planning a kitchen remodel, designer wants to situate the range in front of the window. Wife loves the idea - natural light and view of garden would make cooking more pleasant. I'm thinking of the more technical side of it... are there problems with putting a range in front of a window? Fire safety issues? Special types of windows involved?

Also, how do you set up ventilation in a system like this? Can't put a cooker hood on the window itself, and from what I read, downdrafts are terrible.

Looking for commentary and feedback on ranges in front of windows. Photos would be much appreciated as well!

Attached photograph is very similar to our kitchen layout.

It is safe to put your range hood in front of a window. Some building codes require that your range hood be placed a few feet away, but this is not common. Grease and grime can build up quickly, so be sure to clean the window consistently. To make cleaning easier, remove your window curtains.

If you are looking to put your range hood in front of a window, here are a few things to keep in mind.

The range hood may obstruct your view.

Depending on the size of your window, a range hood may block your view to the outside. If you install your range hood next to a window, go with a small window behind the cook top. You don’t want it to extend upward where your ductwork will run. Otherwise, the window will be difficult to clean. And you won’t be able to see out of it either. 

Depending on your kitchen design, it may be difficult to reach the window.

If you have a large kitchen range, you might have trouble reaching your window to clean it. In some areas, you have to place your range hood a few inches away from the window. This may make it difficult to reach. But for most people, this shouldn’t be a problem.

You will need to clean the window consistently.

All the air that passes through your range hood to the outside moves past your window as well. Depending on how often you cook, clean your window about every two weeks to keep it grease and grime free. Glass cleaner works great. Or, if grease accumulates on the window, try a kitchen degreaser. Here’s our list of eight kitchen degreasers that actually work.

Remove window curtains to make cleaning easier.

Within a couple of weeks, your window curtains will become pretty greasy from your kitchen air. So it’s best to remove them before adding in a window in front of your hood.

Can you put an electric stove under a window?

You can put an electric stove under a window. Most building codes don’t have restrictions that prevent you from placing your electric stove under a window. But, over time, the window may accumulate grease and grime or fog up with steam. So, be sure to clean it consistently.

Here are a couple of quick tips for you.

Maintain the window consistently.

With an electric stove next to your window, it will accumulate steam and smoke stains from your cooking. But it won’t get as dirty as a window near your gas stove, since gas stoves produce more heat and fumes.

Also, with an electric stove, you don’t have to worry about keeping a gas burner ignited. They may go out if you keep your window open with a gas cooktop.

While you’re cleaning your window, you may as well clean the stove too. Check out our list of the best stove top cleaners right here.

Make sure you can reach the window.

Since you need to clean your window consistently, make sure you can reach it easily before installation. You want it to be easy to clean your window since you have to do it every two weeks or so.

An Added Bonus: It’s easier to clean than your typical backsplash.

Even though you have to keep the window clean, it’s not a drawback. A glass window is much easier to clean than your typical backsplash. With a backsplash, grease and dirt can build up between the grout which can be difficult to clean. But you only need a glass cleaner for a window.

Are you looking for a range hood in front of a window?

At Proline Range Hoods, we have a wide variety of range hoods to install over your stove. For hoods in front of windows, you need either a wall mounted range hood or under cabinet range hood.

Wall mount range hoods are installed on your wall, while under cabinet hoods mount under your kitchen cabinets. To learn more about the different types of range hoods, click here.

Check out our selection of powerful and low profile under cabinet range hoods below.

Or check out our wall mounted hoods, which range from 600 CFM all the way up to 2000 CFM.

Want to check out our best deals going on right now? Click on the banner below.

Thanks for reading our guide on installing a range hood next to a window in your kitchen. If you want to learn more about range hoods, check out our articles below.

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