Any ideas how to remove this range hood's chimney?

[aunsafe2015]

I'm trying to remove this range hood's chimney/housing so I can air seal the penetration to the outside. Any thoughts as to how?

I've watched a few videos and I suspect that the top of the metal chimney is screwed into something, but that the white trim at the top is blocking access to the screws. I tried to pry at that white trim box but it's held in place pretty solidly.

My best guess is that there might be cleats screwed into the ceiling, and then the white box is screwed into the cleats, and then the screws are caulked over to hide them. So if I could find and remove the screws (with a magnet), perhaps I could remove the white trim box and access the screws holding the chimney up.

Just curious if anybody has seen a similar install and has any suggestions beyond my idea above. Thanks for any insight!

 

[larry4406]

Just a guess but perhaps you have 9-10’ ceilings and the builder didn’t order an extension kit. Thus he built a box to fill the vertical void and play off the the adjacent trim details.

 

[Jbullfrog]

Contractors usually don't plan on anything being removed or serviced. You will probably destroy the stainless box and the drywall above to get it loose.

 

[Jerriffic]

Slide the bottom section up then pry the sides away to remove. After the bottom section is off the screws securing the top section should be exposed. Hope this helps.

 

[larry4406]

That hood looks very similar to Zephyr hoods we install. There is a duct cover bracket that screws to the wall first.

The decorative chimney is often two pieces - they nest and telescope. When you don't externally vent the hood, you let it recirc back into the room via the louvers; otherwise it is piped outdoors.

Many times the ceiling/wall is not at a perfect 90 degree angle. The result is that the decorative chimney cover does not sit flush to the ceiling. Thus many builders add a decorative trim to conceal this gap issue. This decorative trim blocks access to the screws holding the duct cover bracket. If this is the case, then demo is the answer to get access to the screws on the duct cover bracket.

 

[aunsafe2015]

Slide the bottom section up then pry the sides away to remove. After the bottom section is off the screws securing the top section should be exposed. Hope this helps.

The bottom section doesn't slide up in a way that exposes anything. I've pushed/pulled pretty hard and can't get it to budge.

 

[aunsafe2015]

Contractors usually don't plan on anything being removed or serviced. You will probably destroy the stainless box and the drywall above to get it loose.

I've noticed. Kind of annoying but such is life I suppose!

 

[aunsafe2015]

Just a guess but perhaps you have 9-10’ ceilings and the builder didn’t order an extension kit. Thus he built a box to fill the vertical void and play off the the adjacent trim details.

[snip] If this is the case, then demo is the answer to get access to the screws on the duct cover bracket.

Larry, any thoughts about the least-damaging way to remove that trim box? Does my thought that they might have screwed some cleats to the ceiling joists, and then screwed the trim box into the cleats, sound like a plausible way for it to have been done?

 

[nadogail]

Your oscillating multi tool will be your friend on this job and many others.

 

[larry4406]

Larry, any thoughts about the least-damaging way to remove that trim box? Does my thought that they might have screwed some cleats to the ceiling joists, and then screwed the trim box into the cleats, sound like a plausible way for it to have been done?

Not sure how they did yours.

When we do it, we typically use matching crown mold from the adjacent wall cabinets and just shoot pin nails at the mitered corners and a few pins vertical into the drywall ceiling. Then caulk the crown piece to the ceiling. Removal then is easy via slitting the ceiling caulk joint and using a 5-in-1 painters tool to pry the crown down.

I zoomed in on yours - hard to tell if it is a wood box or a drywall build. The red circled areas almost look like drywall knife mud artifacts at the corners. The blue circled areas look like pin nail artifacts. You could try using a strong rare earth magnet to find nails/screws. The cleat concept you mention at the ceiling is possible.

Any chance you can do what you want to do from the other side of the wall?

 

[PassnThru]

What does it look like in the attic?

 

[larry4406]

What does it look like in the attic?

Ours typically turn 90 degress in the ceiling deck and go out the side wall meaning not visible from the attic.

 

[PassnThru]

Mine goes straight up through the roof. I was asking since it could be attached to the ceiling from the attic.

 

[aunsafe2015]

What does it look like in the attic?

No access from attic (it's a second story above). And all I can see from the exterior wall is the duct opening and the hood covering it.

 

[aunsafe2015]

Not sure how they did yours.

When we do it, we typically use matching crown mold from the adjacent wall cabinets and just shoot pin nails at the mitered corners and a few pins vertical into the drywall ceiling. Then caulk the crown piece to the ceiling. Removal then is easy via slitting the ceiling caulk joint and using a 5-in-1 painters tool to pry the crown down.

I zoomed in on yours - hard to tell if it is a wood box or a drywall build. The red circled areas almost look like drywall knife mud artifacts at the corners. The blue circled areas look like pin nail artifacts. You could try using a strong rare earth magnet to find nails/screws. The cleat concept you mention at the ceiling is possible.

Any chance you can do what you want to do from the other side of the wall?

Cool, thanks so much for the input.

 

[dave*99]

I'm trying to remove this range hood's chimney/housing so I can air seal the penetration to the outside. Any thoughts as to how?

Would sealing the vent on the exterior wall be sufficient?

I have a similar hood and also have crown molding. The molding covered the screws until I had the contractor remove it and drop the bracket down on the wall, redrill the screw holes in the stainless and reinstall the crown.

It looks like Larry's drawings. The duct cover bracket is what I had them lower. Contractor thought I was a bit crazy..... but I should show him the original post..... LOL.