# Grease pulled in and spit out from microwave



## wraiththe (Sep 27, 2011)

Hi,
Our over oven microwave actually sucks up quite a bit of steam and grease from sauteing on the stove top.
This spews it out the top and all over our cabinets and the general area.
The wall behind it is shared with another condo and the rooftop above is the apex and most likely 10-16 feet above it... so venting outside is not an option.
There has to be a better way to catch more grease from cooking, instead of collecting it in the microwave and blowing it out the top.

Has anyone seen alternative methods for a MW/Hood to collect oil, but now spew it out the top if no outside duct is available???


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

Think what's in your lungs!


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

Have you checked the filter recently? Many have a fibreglas and or activated carbon core to help with that. Recirculating vents can only do so much.

Can you still get those 'spatter guards that go over pans (like a round screen)?


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## wraiththe (Sep 27, 2011)

lenaitch said:


> Have you checked the filter recently? Many have a fiberglass and or activated carbon core to help with that. Recirculating vents can only do so much.
> 
> Can you still get those 'spatter guards that go over pans (like a round screen)?


Hi, it is just over a year old. The little metal filters don't do a lot. I started with a anti-splatter that looks like a volcano, then went to a flat screen one, but it still made a bit of a mess. This newer microwave is a bit more powerful than the last (as a hood) but it still does not pull the smoke in from in front of it... yet still, it pulls more than I thought. I have not found alternate filters yet.

I wish there was a way to make an outlet for the back that would go into some kind of pan and filter the aire that escapes heavily.

(asside) (if you have trouble cleaning the metal filters... I soaked mine in a Aluminium broiler pan with water and borax. When I pulled them out they were clean.)


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Unfortunately, with a recirculating fan on an OTR microwave, there's nowhere for the grease to go except the little metal filter. Where's the nearest wall?


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## diyorpay (Sep 21, 2010)

Many mw's like yours have 2 pathways for exhaust.
Default out of box is to _not_ vent out top of unit that would typically divert from input of 'little metal filters' to up and out the roof or slightly up and then out a nearby wall through optional ducting.
That means default position of internal fan (most users don't use ducting) is to divert input of 'little metal filters' through unit and then port out through top of mw near the front. Obviously this method will handle some grease capture (the little metal filters) but does nothing to vent heat from your room.
Only suggestion is to use lower fan speed and change the little metal filters more frequently.
Also, apparently a difference between a grease filter and a charcoal filter:








Microwave Filter Cleaning: How-To Guide | Whirlpool


Use these step-by-step instructions to learn how to remove and clean the vent grease filter or replace the charcoal filter in your over-the-range microwave.




www.whirlpool.com


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## wraiththe (Sep 27, 2011)

It's Ironic because I chose this one to pull the steam and all from the stove below. I was hoping it would pull the steam in instead of having it condense on the front of the microwave... but the suction does not reach that far ahead. I also wanted to pull the fumes in so they would not go on the cabinets above.. but the blowers are strong. The top of the microwave was wet with oil and the cabinet doors were starting to get gummy... although it was hard to see. I just cleaned them. I love the flavor of sautéing and browning food... and brown butter... and do not want to give it up... however, ... I do not want my kitchen ruined like mom's.... or everything else as the kitchen is open with two other rooms. It is hard to believe no one has come up with a viable system. Maybe it is time to get a 3d printer and go back to learning CADD.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

What you need is something like this, which seems NLA.


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

If you do that much frying - to the point that the hood is wet with grease and the cabinets are coated - there is a chance no recirculating fan will be adequate. They have to do a tradeoff between size, noise and airflow. |Consider commercial systems with large filter, ducting and fans (remote from the hood) they still have to be cleaned on a regular basis.

Even if it was a vented hood, with the smaller ducting and cfm involved you'd only be moving the build-up to a place that is harder to access.


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## wraiththe (Sep 27, 2011)

huesmann said:


> What you need is something like this, which seems NLA.


How is that different or better than the one I have, which is wmh32519hb-4.

I hate acronyms and abbreviations...
NLA - What does NLA stand for? The Free Dictionary


NLANational Library of AustraliaNLANational Lipid AssociationNLANo Longer AvailableNLANational Landlords Association _(UK)_NLANational Library and Archive _(Iraq)_NLANational Limousine AssociationNLANetwork Location AwarenessNLANational Liberation Army _(Macedonian rebel group)_NLANebraska Library Association _(Lincoln, NE)_NLANetwork License AgreementNLANo Load AddressNLANetwork License ActivationNLANigerian Library AssociationNLANelson Literary Agency _(Denver, CO)_NLANext-Level AggregationNLANon-Linear Animation _(3D graphics)_NLANeuroleptanalgesiaNLANetwork Level Authentication _(computers)_NLANational Leather AssociationNLANational Legislative Assembly _(Thailand)_NLANational Land Agency _(Jamaica)_NLANeighborhood Leadership Academy _(various locations)_NLANational Lottery Act _(UK)_NLANational Lawyers AssociationNLANew Large Aircraft _(Group VI aircraft)_NLANational Lime Association _(Arlington, VA)_NLANational Literary AwardNLANet Leasable AreaNLANorthern Leadership Academy _(UK)_NLANative Language ArtsNLANew Life Assembly _(Bremerton, Washington)_NLANdola, Zambia - Ndola _(Airport Code)_NLANext Level AggregateNLANational Labor Assembly _(United American Nurses)_NLANational Landscape AssociationNLANon Linear AmplifierNLANext Lower AssemblyNLANunavut Library Association _(Canada)_NLANational Library of AddictionsNLANintendo Latin AmericaNLANumération sur Lame des AérobiesNLANotice of Last ActionNLANon-Locally-ActiveNLANormal/Lateral AccelerometerNLANested Loop AntennaNLANew Life Actors _(Colorado Springs, CO)_NLANelson Lee & Associates _(Papua New Guinea)_NLANon-Linear Apodization
 Took me a while to get it. LOL


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## wraiththe (Sep 27, 2011)

lenaitch said:


> If you do that much frying - to the point that the hood is wet with grease and the cabinets are coated - there is a chance no recirculating fan will be adequate. They have to do a tradeoff between size, noise and airflow. |Consider commercial systems with large filter, ducting and fans (remote from the hood) they still have to be cleaned on a regular basis.
> 
> Even if it was a vented hood, with the smaller ducting and cfm involved you'd only be moving the build-up to a place that is harder to access.


The point is that there is a niche. Wish I was an engineer. I could come up with some kind of a system that would route the grease to a milk jug or something and vent mostly air. And make it cleanable with a pressure washer or solvent which would exit into the jug. It really would not be that hard or require much space. The home damage it would save would be well worth the cost.


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## HotRodx10 (Aug 24, 2017)

wraiththe said:


> How is that different or better than the one I have


It appears to have the vent facing forward - out into the room, rather than up - towards the cabinet doors above, like the one you have.


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## wraiththe (Sep 27, 2011)

HotRodx10 said:


> It appears to have the vent facing forward - out into the room, rather than up - towards the cabinet doors above, like the one you have.


OUCH... I really missed that one. Just like the unit it replaced.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

TBH, if you can't vent, the only things that will prevent the greasy cabinets are a front-facing exhaust microwave or a 3D-printed duct on top of the upward-facing exhaust microwave (which will probably require either lowering the nuke or raising the cabinet a couple inches to get clearance to the bottoms of the doors). Of course, with a front-facing vent or duct, the grease is now blowing at _you!_


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## wraiththe (Sep 27, 2011)

huesmann said:


> TBH, if you can't vent, the only things that will prevent the greasy cabinets are a front-facing exhaust microwave or a 3D-printed duct on top of the upward-facing exhaust microwave (which will probably require either lowering the nuke or raising the cabinet a couple inches to get clearance to the bottoms of the doors). Of course, with a front-facing vent or duct, the grease is now blowing at _you!_


Actually that is a great idea..._ unfortunately I cannot afford the software, but I do have experience in 3d solids modeling... but I don't own a 3d printer. I could make a cap that would hold foam to absorb much of the oil,,, or trap it._ 

Realistically though I think it might be best to get better filters or put some light foam in the exhaust or intake.... to soak it up before it exhausts and just change it regularly. 

_The ultimate would be to utilize the outside vent option on the MW and build a duct channel in the wall that goes down and through a series of louvers with a removable pan at the bottom and then up to a spot higher than the MW for the cleaner air to exit. Or maybe some kind of vortex Dysen technology... But that is just pipe dream talk and probably one HELL of a fire hazard._


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## HotRodx10 (Aug 24, 2017)

Anything you add to absorb grease should be accessible and cleaned fairly often, or as you noted, it could become a fire hazard.


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## wraiththe (Sep 27, 2011)

I just checked the top of my microwave. Apparently there are TWO channels that vent out. Only one of them has a filter in it. Not sure if this is a flaw, oversight, or mistake. Will get the second filter. Hopefully that will make a difference.. I may also buy a single burner and a drop cloth and do searing outside on the patio.

Tried to cook pot stickers on the George foreman last night. (Blew the dust off of it.) Coated them (frozen) with oil and setting the temp a 400. Did a great job, cooked faster too.
1 minute clean up. Cooking potstickers in oil in a hot pan... is a GREASE FEST!!! This may be a cheap solution as well.

TMI???


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

You can send stuff out for 3D printing, you know. I've used 3D Hubs before. You do need a good file for a printer to work from, though.


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## bobTheBuilder56 (Nov 3, 2021)

wraiththe said:


> Hi,
> Our over oven microwave actually sucks up quite a bit of steam and grease from sauteing on the stove top.
> This spews it out the top and all over our cabinets and the general area.
> The wall behind it is shared with another condo and the rooftop above is the apex and most likely 10-16 feet above it... so venting outside is not an option.
> ...


I had similar issues with MW recirculating the air(and also missing a secondary filter internally) but I was able to knock a whole in the wall directly above and behind my MW. However I did see an install video where they ran some ducting to be able to vent to a side wall that might be an option for you. Personally I found that venting to the outside is far superior at getting rid of cooking smells and grease then recirculating the air with filters. Here is the video:


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## jimn (Nov 13, 2010)

As most of pointed out recirculating vent hoods whether part of an OTR microwave or standalone are pretty useless. Not even sure why they are legal. Top quality ones will have pretty decent grease filters but if you do a lot of frying, they aren't up to the task. I stir fry a lot, cook fish a lot and cook a lot with chilies . To me a range hood that doesn't vent to the outside is about as useless as TP holder with no TP, a car with an empty gas tank or a fish hook with no bait. In other words a useless appendage. If you have a gas cook top you really need to vent that to the outdoors to prevent indoor air polution (and yes I as of this year have a gas cooktop and 400 cfm vent to the outside).. Range hoods without vents to the outside are meant for the Kraft Blue Box Mac and Cheese cooks. When I bought my house years ago, there were two small no gos...... less than a 2 car garage and kitchen that wasn't or couldn't be easily vented to outside.


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## jaums (Jul 11, 2010)

In professional kitchens the exhaust systems have baffles or filters to collect grease and allow it to drain into a tilted channel into a container. Commercial Kitchen Hood Accessories

Be careful or you could have a disaster. And, fires can spread to the grease inside ducts and spread through wherever the ducts go.


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

I'm ordering the back draft preventer for my OTR microwave so I duct it out through the roof.. The fan is useless as it is. It may also stop the smoke alarms from going off every time the wife cooks something.


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