# Microwave venting - expert opinions needed, other opinions welcome **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 13, 2019, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microwave-venting-expert-opinions-needed-other-opinions-welcome/838601 "2019-08-13T14:02:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2019, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microwave-venting-expert-opinions-needed-other-opinions-welcome/838601/21 "2019-08-15T18:31:15Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I’m with **Nava** - I have a hard time visualizing the situation. How high is the microwave above the stove? If I’m understanding it correctly it’s a microwave-hood combo. So what actually needs venting is neither the stove nor the microwave: it’s the hood. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2019, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microwave-venting-expert-opinions-needed-other-opinions-welcome/838601/22 "2019-08-15T22:02:21Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > Although the building exhaust system you describe doesn’t actually have ducts but uses spaces between walls and ceilings, I still consider this a code violation. Rather than ducts, what the building exhaust system uses is what is technically called a plenum, and no fire inspector would allow a kitchen hood exhaust into such a plenum. I will certainly look into this. It is also possible that I misunderstood what they did. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microwave-venting-expert-opinions-needed-other-opinions-welcome/838601.md?page=1)