What’s included
- Under-cabinet hoods replaced on existing ducts
- Wall-mount and chimney hoods swapped where support and duct exist
- Microwave-hood combos changed on the same opening and outlet
- Duct joints at the hood resealed with foil tape
- Backdraft dampers cleared so they open and close
- Old hoods hauled away
What we don’t do
- New duct runs cut through the roof or an exterior wall.
- A new circuit for a larger or more powerful unit.
- Any gas work beyond reconnecting the existing hookup.
In Alhambra homes
Many of Alhambra’s pre-1980 houses, about 77 percent of the city’s homes by a city housing report, have kitchens updated in pieces. That often leaves a hood that is undersized for the stove, or a duct that was never connected. The California Air Resources Board advises checking that a hood vents outdoors and using it while cooking.
Get a quote in one text
Send a photo of the hood, the cabinet above it with doors open, your stove width, and the new hood model. Our number for photos is (310) 628-9399, and the price comes back before any work is booked.
What the state recommends
The California Air Resources Board says natural gas stoves can release carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and other harmful pollutants, and that a properly installed, high efficiency range hood is the best way to ventilate a kitchen. It describes a high efficiency hood as one with a high cfm rating and a low sones rating.
Use it every time
CARB’s fact sheet on indoor air pollution says that if your range hood vents outdoors, always turn it on when cooking and set it to the highest fan speed when possible.
Back burners first
CARB also suggests cooking on the back burners when you can, because the hood captures that area better.
Ductless hoods
CARB’s guidelines say ductless hoods are not effective because they exhaust into the house. If your kitchen already has a duct to the outside, we can fit a vented hood to it.
Apartments and condos
In multi-unit buildings, the hood duct may join a shared shaft. We replace the hood only, and leave shared ducts to the building’s HOA or manager.
Filter care
Clean metal mesh filters with detergent when they look grimy; CARB notes most can go in the dishwasher.
Sizing
Choose a hood at least as wide as your cooktop. A wider hood catches more smoke and steam.
What we hand off
New ducts through roofs or exterior walls, new circuits, and any gas line work go to the right trade.
Shared ducts in multi-family buildings
If the hood joins a shared shaft, we only swap the hood and leave the shaft to the HOA or manager.
Grease and fire risk
A hood packed with grease does not move air well and is a fire hazard. Cleaning or replacing it is safer than living with it.
Matching the cooktop
A hood that is narrower than the cooktop leaves smoke from the front burners. Match the width or go wider.
Quiet enough to use
A loud hood gets left off. CARB recommends a low-noise model, and that is what we look for when suggesting options.
In older Alhambra houses this job often turns up next to under-cabinet lighting, cabinet and hardware repair, outlet, switch and GFCI replacement and light fixture replacement, so mention those when you text and we can price them together.
Sources: City of Alhambra, housing needs report (age of housing stock); California Air Resources Board, Indoor Air Pollution from Cooking; California Air Resources Board, Combustion Pollutants in Your Home: Guidelines; California Air Resources Board, Reducing Your Exposure to Indoor Air Pollution.
Range hood installation questions from Alhambra homeowners
Why is my range hood not pulling air?
Clogged filters, a stuck damper or a blocked duct. We clean and check each.
Can a handyman install a range hood?
Yes, on the existing duct and wiring. A new duct through a wall or roof goes to a contractor.
Why does my range hood drip grease?
The filters are loaded. Clean metal filters monthly or replace them if they are bent.
Worth a read: what our bathroom exhaust fans guide says about range hood installation.
Repair guides for this job
- Living with two-prong outlets in an older homeWhy many older Alhambra homes still have two-prong outlets, what an ungrounded outlet means for you, and how a GFCI replacement can add protection.
- Replacing ceiling and wall fixtures in a 1920s houseReplacing a light fixture in an older Alhambra home: shallow or missing boxes, plaster ceilings, heavy lanterns, and checking the old wiring first.
- Putting a ceiling fan where an old light used to hangHow we install ceiling fans in 1920s and 1930s Alhambra rooms where the ceiling box was built for a light, plus wall switch options and balance tips.
- Bathroom fans for bathrooms that only had a windowMany 1920s and 1930s Alhambra bathrooms were built with only a window for ventilation. Here is how a quiet exhaust fan helps, and how we replace noisy ones.
Looking for a handyman in Alhambra for more than one job? Send the whole list and we’ll price it together.
We serve Alhambra first, plus Monterey Park, San Gabriel and other nearby cities. Have a question? See the handyman FAQ.