Strange Microwave dimensions/instructions

[Spaceball1]

I'm building my kitchen cabinets and found what looks to be a weird problem with the install instructions for the microwave/vent hood we've picked.

My base cabinet height is 34-1/2" above finished floor. This puts the countertop (and stove top) at 36" after granite goes in. The bottom of my wall cabinets is another 18" above the countertop, putting them at 54". All of this is standard and matches the microwave dimension guide & install instructions.

The problem is the dimensions shown for the cabinet above the microwave. The instructions say that its bottom should be 30" above the stove top and 66" above the floor. However, the dimensions for the microwave itself show it to be a little over 17" tall. If I put the bottom of the cabinet at this height, the bottom of the microwave will hang 5" below the rest of my wall cabinets and only 13" above my stove top.

That really, really doesn't seem right. I'm thinking that there's a mistake in their instructions. The MVH is a Whirlpool GMH6185XVS. Thoughts?

[Ottoman]

Re: Strange Microwave dimensions/instructions

Those are minimum dimensions. Aesthetically keeping the bottom of the microwave at 18" looks best. That is a little short though if you want to cook with larger stock pots. You may want to go around 20"

[Overbuilders]

Re: Strange Microwave dimensions/instructions

The problem is the dimensions shown for the cabinet above the microwave. The instructions say that its bottom should be 30" above the stove top and 66" above the floor.

The instructions according to whom? Electric or gas, freestanding or drop in cooktop? Did you hire a professional kitchen designer?

[SteveC]

Re: Strange Microwave dimensions/instructions

Profile ? Profile ?

[Overbuilders]

Re: Strange Microwave dimensions/instructions

Profile ? Profile ?

Nah, that's GE. Said it was a Whirlpool. ;)

[Randy Bush]

Re: Strange Microwave dimensions/instructions

I have found out though personal experiance that there is a lot to take into account when placing the mic over the stove. ( I did have a professional lay mine out) Mine was a Whirlpool too. My uppers are 18" off the counters used a 15 cabinet over stove. But because my wife cans alot, uses tall pots, it sits to close to the stove. So now need to change it to a 12 " one which the cabinet guy is going to sell me for cost being he forgot to ask those kind of questions. So it all depends on how and what the wife does at the stove.

[philthegreek]

Re: Strange Microwave dimensions/instructions

That question should not even come up. Over the stove microwaves are strictly for extremely compact kitchens and have no place in anything bigger than 10x10, IMO. People get stuck on this craze or that one without really thinking how they use their stove or kitchen. It's the designers job to steer the client to the best performing kitchen as well as the most comfortable, and that means spacial analysis.
20 inches should be the minimum space above a stove. One can not work comfortably or efficiently with less. If the stove is gas, it must be 24" and the vent hood has to flow as per the STOVE manufacturers' requirements, not the whim of the client who does not know these things. This issue has been brought up before and probably will again a few times.
NKBA publishes a guidelines pamphlet that is about 60 pages long and spiral bound so it lays flat. The OP should avail himself of that publication and that should have happened before pencil was put to paper or fingers to touchpad.
http://www.nkba.org/Store/Books/NKBA.aspx
$12.00 is cheap insurance ;-)

Phil

[Spaceball1]

Re: Strange Microwave dimensions/instructions

That question should not even come up. Over the stove microwaves are strictly for extremely compact kitchens and have no place in anything bigger than 10x10, IMO. People get stuck on this craze or that one without really thinking how they use their stove or kitchen. It's the designers job to steer the client to the best performing kitchen as well as the most comfortable, and that means spacial analysis.
20 inches should be the minimum space above a stove. One can not work comfortably or efficiently with less. If the stove is gas, it must be 24" and the vent hood has to flow as per the STOVE manufacturers' requirements, not the whim of the client who does not know these things. This issue has been brought up before and probably will again a few times.
NKBA publishes a guidelines pamphlet that is about 60 pages long and spiral bound so it lays flat. The OP should avail himself of that publication and that should have happened before pencil was put to paper or fingers to touchpad.
http://www.nkba.org/Store/Books/NKBA.aspx
$12.00 is cheap insurance ;-)

Phil

Jeez, thanks for the warm welcome. I agree that the question shouldn't come up, and it wouldn't if Whirlpool's instructions made sense. And yes, my kitchen is very compact. It was originally 8x10, and I'm extending it out a bit to make it 8' x 12'.

I have thoroughly read the STOVE manufacturer's requirements, and those say "If installing a range hood or microwave hood combination above the range, follow the range hood or microwave hood combination installation instructions for dimensional clearances above the cooktop surface." Those instructions for the MVH put it 13" above the cooktop, which didn't seem right to this whimsical client who doesn't know these things..

Anyway.. Thanks for the link to the NKBA site. I will check it out.

[Spaceball1]

Re: Strange Microwave dimensions/instructions

Those are minimum dimensions. Aesthetically keeping the bottom of the microwave at 18" looks best. That is a little short though if you want to cook with larger stock pots. You may want to go around 20"

We definitely cook with some larger pots, so 20" seems like a good starting point.. Thanks for a non-snarky, helpful reply.

[Spaceball1]

Re: Strange Microwave dimensions/instructions

The instructions according to whom? Electric or gas, freestanding or drop in cooktop? Did you hire a professional kitchen designer?

As I said, I'm looking at Whirlpool's instructions and dimensional guides for both the range and the MVH.

It will be a slide-in gas range.

I did not hire a designer because the kitchen is very small and simple, and the layout is pretty tightly defined by the placement of walls, electrical and plumbing. My only choice is to go back with a slightly modified version of the layout that was already there.

[philthegreek]

Re: Strange Microwave dimensions/instructions

If you had explained your situation better, then you would have gotten more specific answers. My answer was not "snarky". You mention now that it is a gas range. Be that as it is, the "RANGE" manufacturer has to specify how many CFM of venting is adequate for the range. It is a combustion appliance and must be vented outside. And also being a combustion appliance, the hood should be 24 inches above the work surface.

**warm fuzzy fuzzy fuzzy* welcome to the forums ;-) *warm fuzzy fuzzy fuzzy*

Phil

[SteveC]

Re: Strange Microwave dimensions/instructions

Warm and fuzzy, if you fill out the (not GE) profile. :)
http://forums.jlconline.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=35112
Unlike Whirlpool,these instructions make perfect sense.
Welcome.

[Spaceball1]

Re: Strange Microwave dimensions/instructions

If you had explained your situation better, then you would have gotten more specific answers. My answer was not "snarky". You mention now that it is a gas range. Be that as it is, the "RANGE" manufacturer has to specify how many CFM of venting is adequate for the range. It is a combustion appliance and must be vented outside. And also being a combustion appliance, the hood should be 24 inches above the work surface.

**warm fuzzy fuzzy fuzzy* welcome to the forums ;-) *warm fuzzy fuzzy fuzzy*

Phil

Explained my situation better? What information did I leave out? I explained the problematic dimensions given in the MVH instructions and even gave the model number.

As far as being snarky - your first statement was that this question shouldn't be asked. Secondly, in the post you implied that I'm a whimsical client that doesn't know anything. I'm a big boy and don't need internet hugs from everyone, but you could've left that stuff out.

Anyway.. The range instructions do not specify any venting requirements. I did find excerpts from the NKBA guidelines you mentioned and those recommend 150cfm. The MVH I'm putting in blows 300 and the venting system already goes outside.

If the bottom of the MVH is 24" above the stove top as you say, then that puts it at 60" above the finished floor. However, another excerpt from the NKBA guidelines say that the bottom of the microwave should be no more than 54" high, putting it 18" above the cooktop.

[SteveC]

Re: Strange Microwave dimensions/instructions

Don't know if there are permits on this job.
Some time ago there was a discussion here about clearances. It seems the light rail encroached into the stove clearance areas. The BI told the HO it had to go. The HO fought it at the County Construction Board Of Appeals. He lost because it wasn't installed as per "manufacturer's" specs.
I coincidentally saw this case firsthand as our BI license class went to that CB of A hearing as a field trip.

[philthegreek]

Re: Strange Microwave dimensions/instructions

You'll have to find a happy medium because the combo units conflict. As a vent hood it should be X above the cooktop, but as a microwave to be reached easily it should be no more than Y above the finish floor. That's one of the problems with all-in-one units, not to mention it's dangerous for kids reaching over potentially hot pots.
If you are about 6' and there are no kids around, then I would opt for more cooking clearance. You don't need 30" because that number is for a combustible material, the micro hood is not.

the warm fuzzy was meant to be "snarky". Fill out your profile and tell us a bit about yourself before trying to pick our noses I mean brains. If you are a homeowner, I will refer you to the link in post #12.

Phil