Venting required for an island cooktop/range? (how much, countertops, window)

[brewstate]

We just purchased a house that has a 10 year old electric cooktop with a downdraft vent installed in a center island as well as a wall oven. I would like to replace it with a glasstop drop in range on the island instead of the cooktop but the one I am looking at doesn't have the downdraft vent. The celings are 12 ft high and arched so it would be quite a bit of work to add a celing mount vent. Is it ok to have a cooktop or range on an island without a vent or does it violate some sort of code?

[T. Damon]

Generally codes might come into play with a gas range but not electric. Downdraft extractors are never as efficient as overhead (they also tend to cool the food by drawing cool air over it) and overhead will become less efficient above 20" or so-though they still will work, you will need a larger one. That being said the reason for extractors over a range is to remove the grease and greasy steam from the kitchen as much as the odors. The grime that builds up on everything in the kitchen-cabinets, appliances, walls and ceilings is coming from or compounded by all that greasy air that cooking emanates so having one is a good idea.

[desertsun41]

I think I have to agree with everything TDamon said on this (but not the white cabinets) Hehehe.....private joke!

I run into this often with my clients while designing kitchens. Some people just do not want any hood vent and I dont blame them. Hanging stainless hood vents are also very very expensive.

Dont tell anyone I said this but I say dont put one in. Personally my theory is dont burn food and you wont need it.

[T. Damon]

Yeah that's the problem with island cooktops-an affordable hood/extractor would have to be mounted fairly low-blocking the view of the person at the cooktop and a super high efficiency one that can be mounted a bit higher is very expensive and the whole routing the flue in the high ceilinged room sounds problematic.
I'll agree with desertsun41- you can get by without one-better if your cabinets aren't heavily paneled and with complex moldings and other surfaces that will eventually trap the grease and dirt- just remember you'll have to do some more frequent scrubbing than with one.

[f_m]

How much cooking do you do? Anytime I cook the whole place is filled with food smell if I don't use the vent.

In actuality, I believe some of the vents are available in re-circulating mode, so they don't require an external vent out of the home. Of course they won't work as well.

[bellalunatic]

My in-laws have a gas cooktop in their island and they chose to go with a vent that pops up (like those TV lifts) out of the island and vents while cooking. I do believe it was a code requirement for them in their town.
They they flip a switch and it glides back down so that it is flush with the countertops again when it is not needed.
It's pretty cool and it works very well, although it is kinda loud.

[Bergenite]

I called the state code enforcement office about this a while back. I was told that an exhaust fan is not required, as long as there is some form of ventilation. A window qualifies for ventilation. Gas or electric, doesn't matter.