One of those over-the-stove microwaves that also serves as a vent hood (albeit not as good as a dedicated hood).
Ours is D.E.A.D Dead and we’ve been making do with a countertop model but now we want the blasted counter space back. We could pay to have it installed but that significantly increases the price, obviously.
Is it something a pair of people who know basics of tool-handling could do in an hour? Would we still be willing to be married to each other at the end of that hour? Would either of us need a lawyer for any reason?
We had to replace one a few months ago. Those things are heavy. I would recommend at least three people - two to hold the microwave in place while the third one fastens the bolts and stuff.
I repair these things in people’s homes and often take them down and put them up by myself. I shouldn’t, but there isn’t always someone at home to help and I can’t afford to employ a helper.
If you plan the job carefully and read the instructions 3-4 times, two people should be able to do it just fine. The worst thing is getting it hooked on the mounting plate but finding that something prevents it from swinging up into position. Sometimes the powercord fouls up or the vent ducts don’t line up.
My neighbor is a cabinet maker and he installs the kitchens he builds. He always calls me to install these for him. One person can easily do it as long as they can lift the microwave by themselves. Here’s a few pointers for you:
Measure the width top and bottom and find a center line. Draw a line down the middle. The bracket has a notch top and bottom to show the middle of it, line these up with your center line.
When measuring from the top down don’t forget to check for an overhanging lip on the cupboard as this will put your measurements off. You have to compensate for this if there is one there.
Once you have your center line and the height figured out, you have ti find at least two studs to mount the bracket to, very important!
Use the template provided to drill the two screw holes in the cupboard.
Check for your source of power. He usually has an electrician put a new receptacle inside the upper cupboard, there may be a clearance issue if the plug is behind the microwave.
Once the bracket is in place and the holes are drilled, position the unit on the bracket and put the screws at the top in place, plug it in and you are done.
As stated earlier read and make sure you understand the directions first, what I wrote above is just some quick pointers, not a complete step by step.
An hour is possible assuming you don’t have anything wierd going on. In my house, everything I try to do has somethign wierd going on, like a stud wehre I don’t expect it, or the wiring being wrong, or…well, whatever. If it’s nonstandard, you’re going to have to add time to figure out what you need to do, or call a handyman.
To clarify: The house already has a microwave/hood combo, so we’re hoping to just be swapping out and replacing it without having to do any real carpentry or electrical work.
I looked at microwaves at Sears.com today and the install fee for such a thing is nearly 200 bucks. Now, I assume that fee includes doing a lot more than just unbolting and rebolting and plugging some things in - it sounds pretty darned steep for a “simple” (I hope) replacement.
Of course the weight is a concern - they’re 50-60 pounds.
My wife and I installed one in our home not long ago. It was no trouble at all, but I was definitely grateful that I had her to help me lift and position it. We pulled the stove/oven unit out of the way, seems like that would be a lot easier than trying to work over the stove.
If you have ever hung something heavy on a wall, the two of you should be able to handle it. $200 bucks sounds high for that. Other than lifting, the weight isn’t an issue. It comes with all the necessary brackets.
We had Sears remove an old microwave and hood and put in a new one just a few months ago. The installation fee was $150 for us, and included hauling the old one away.
Totally worth it, IMO. IIRC, it took somewhere in the neighborhood of 2-3 hours for them to do the whole thing (I don’t know about your house, but it seems in both the ones I’ve lived in, whenever work like this needs to be done there’s always some issue that pops up making things take much longer that you’d originally anticipated) and saved a whole lotta cussing on our parts. I remember one issue was that the old bracket could not be used; that came down and the new one was put in its place. The stove was not moved either, as that would have required shutting off the propane connection first.
It’s a pretty straightforward operation, but the one thing that gives me pause is the thought that when you go to put the new mounting bracket up, it may be configured differently from the old one, such that mounting holes don’t line up nicely with your studs. It’s a bit unlikely, but you could have only one stud to put a screw into, especially if yours is an old house and the studs are widely spaced. I guess it would be prudent to find out where the studs are before you dive in.
Yes, and you can take the money you saved and treat yourselves to something nice.
Is it vented outside or back into the kitchen with a filter? If it’s back into the kitchen then you’ve saved a lot of labor with the outside exhaust.
These things are heavy so someone may need to support it while the other attaches it. Seems to me the last one I did had a mounting plate on the wall and the oven hung on that. I think I supported it on my back while the other person fussed with it because something didn’t line up right away.
I replaced ours a few years ago. It think took more like 2-3 hours, but I don’t recall why. Maybe hard to get the old one out. I first stacked up boxes to get the new one almost to the right height, and then held it in place while my wife put in the first couple screws.
Have you checked or replaced the fuse? Did you even know there is a fuse? They don’t seem to broadcast that piece of info. You need to find it first, of course. You should get an appliance fuse (of the right amps, of course), which looks just like a regular one, except that the tube is ceramic instead of glass. Not sure what the real difference is. Over about 15 years and two homes, I’ve replaced a microwave fuse three times I think. I think they just wear out over time.
ETA: I guess I should throw in a caution about unplugging it first, don’t touch anything that might be energized by a big capacitor, don’t try to replace the fuse if you’re not capable and comfortable working with somthing electric, etc.
after the stove is moved and the new bracket mounted place a step ladder in the position in front where you can step in fully on the sides. place the oven on the top before lifting fully to mount it. it relieves strain and arm shifting needed.
read the instructions three times. understand without question. give your self three fold the amount of time you think it will take. rehearse verbally and in imitation how you will work together.
Thanks - fuse isn’t the issue, we know that much, since the light comes on, the timer works, etc. It just died - 6+ years ago, IIRC, it wasn’t even heating, or something. We had it fixed once when it would not turn off at all (had to unplug it or it would have started a fire). I forget how it malfunctioned the next time, it’s been so long; we’ve been living with a cheap countertop unit all this time. We saw no point in throwing more money at the thing.
One thing’s for sure, the next one won’t be GE; this one died the two times a few months apart (and that repair was pricey!); the one we had installed in our former house died just after we moved out.
Make sure you have 16" between the bottom of the microwave and the rangetop. Also, take a look and see what kind of bulbs go in the danged thing—easier now than when you have to look upside down and try to figure it out.
Update: we hired a self-employed handyman to come in and he had trouble getting the old one down. He referred us to a friend who is a self employed appliance repairman. He got the job done in about an hour with me helping to support it. Total cost 150.00 and I’m glad we did - a lot less stressful than trying it ourselves.
I had one installed just a few months ago. One person did it quite easily. I should point out that one in question was a very inexpensive microwave; the more complex units might considerably outweigh the one I bought but I have no idea if they do or do not. At any rate, the one guy did it and did it easily. I know that much because I watched him do it.
Glad it worked out well for you. I often install the appliances in custom homes and this is the sort of thing that can be done easily in an hour or get complicated (especially in a renovation scenario) and take a lot more time and sore knuckles.
I would never put in a built in microwave. I learned this from a friend. His house had a builting microwave/hood. A component in thr microwave went out $130 to replace it. In less than a year it went out again. His choice repair or remove get new and do a tile change because he could not get a direct change out unit.
When I remodeled our kitchen I measured the size of microwaves on the market. I had one cabinet built to microwave size with no doors. Out let in the back of the cabinet. Purchased the microwave, purchased a grill that fits around the microwave. It looks like a buildt in unit. When the microwave died all I had to do was go out and purchase an off the shelf micro wave and changed it out. Simple.
I replaced ours last week. The one that was put in when the house was built lasted barely 5 years. I replaced that one 8 years ago. (I know this because I wrote the installation date on the wall behind the microwave.) The installation was fairly simple, as long as you put the mounting bracket in the right location. I bought the same model microwave with the hope that the same kind would be used 8 years later. Fortunately, it is, so the installation on the new one took about 5 minutes. Go me!!!
Go me!!!