Thread: Gas Cooktop Venting

I thought gas cooktops and ranges had to be vented outside. I came to IN for confirmation but in researching old threads the answer appears to be, no they are not required to be vented outdoors.

This is a project currently under construction, it is under the 2006 IRC (the old threads were from 2008, 2009 & 2010 so should be aplicable). M1503.1 in the IRC seems cut and dry, am I missing something? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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Stove venting is not required

My understanding is,that if there is enough free air in the room,venting is not required,this does not make a lot of sense to me,but have seen this many times.

Residential equipment typically, unless requires by manufacture, requires no venting.

Commercial equipment does. Also, with commercial equipment there are several other requirements for installation.

And there are residential equipment that looks like commercial but is not and does not require a commercial type installation.

Some of the basic thinking is that as a residential installation you will not be running the unit full blast 18 hrs a day. Also the BTU output is far different compared to commercial equipment.

Now if you plan to use the equipment as a heat source and run it 18 hrs a day, then there is a problem.

Sorry Garry, but commercial cooking equipment is not allowed.

G2447.2 (623.2) Prohibited location. Cooking appliances
designed, tested, listed and labeled for use in commercial occupancies
shall not be installed within dwelling units or within
any area where domestic cooking operations occur.


G2425.8 (501.8) Equipment not required to be vented. The
following appliances shall not be required to be vented:
1. Ranges.

Originally Posted by Rick Cantrell

G2425.8 (501.8) Equipment not required to be vented. The
following appliances shall not be required to be vented:
1. Ranges.

Thanks Rick, that is what I was looking for.

Originally Posted by Rick Cantrell

Sorry Garry, but commercial cooking equipment is not allowed.

G2447.2 (623.2) Prohibited location. Cooking appliances
designed, tested, listed and labeled for use in commercial occupancies
shall not be installed within dwelling units or within
any area where domestic cooking operations occur.


G2425.8 (501.8) Equipment not required to be vented. The
following appliances shall not be required to be vented:
1. Ranges.

No sorry needed.
Didn't say anything about using commercial equipment in residential application. I have spent years redirecting home chefs to the commercial looking/size residential ranges. They want a commercial stove but do not understand the complications involved beginning with the gas line itself. Rather than spout code to someone I would explain the reasoning for not using the commercial range.

Did say "And there are residential equipment that looks like commercial but is not and does not require a commercial type installation."

Mfrs have gotten around this provision to tap into this highly lucrative market: they label their equipment "professional"--not "commercial". The problem is the heat in proximity to combustibles and the ability to vent not only the byproducts of combustion but all the aerosolized fat droplets, steam and odors from so much food cooking at once.

When those "professional: series appliances are installed, make sure to read the installation instructions, as Bob H. pointed out, they are high-heat units and almost every manufacturer specifies increased clearances around - and to the back of - those units, in addition to requiring an exhaust hood (and usually specify the minimum width of the exhaust hood to, sometimes even the minimum cfm of the hood).

Although maybe for filtering some things, I still will never get the idea having an hood that just vents back into a room no venting to the outside, but see those all the time even with gas cooktops

Originally Posted by Mike Clarke

Although maybe for filtering some things, I still will never get the idea having an hood that just vents back into a room no venting to the outside, but see those all the time even with gas cooktops

Something is better than nothing at times. Carbon filters will remove some of the ordors as it is recirculated. You are right that exterior exhaust is best. But, like in real estate it is all about location-location-location. Many time the money is not in the job for exterior ducting.

Within SCOPES (Specific Commercial Property Evaluation Schedule), and as per NFPA; commercial cooking" has more to do with frequency/use and not simply the appearance of the device.

SCOPES states: "An exhaust system is not required for cooking equipment that does not emit smoke or grease laden vapors (such as warming ovens, domestic ranges or pizza ovens". [etc.]

I've inspected a number of commercial establishments that had residential stoves/ranges and were required to have an exhaust system and I've also been in commercial kitchens that did not.