Unvented Cooktop Hood

[Hamops]

We've had our 2014 Avalanche 295RL 5vr for about 3 months. The trailer is working out great for us but we discovered one thing.

When my DW is cooking, she turns on the stove hood fan to vent out the cooking heat and smells, but we found that it's not vented to the outside but instead is vented to the inside of the trailer. It would seem to me that this is not correct and may have been missed during the construction of the trailer.

Does anyone else have this issue with this model of 5vr? :confused:

[BirchyBoy]

I can't speak to your model, but mine is unvented and I've read other threads about this same issue.

[B&T]

It was intentional, Mfg cost shaving

[JRTJH]

Your suspicion that something was "forgotten" during assembly of your trailer is un-founded. There are two methods used by Keystone to install range hoods. One is "vented outside" and the other is "recirculating the range products". I wasn't aware that the Avalanche used the "non-vented" hood, but unfortunately, no, the assembly line didn't "forget" to cut the hole for yours to vent outside.

There are a couple of threads posted by members who "took the bull by the horns" and cut their own hole to vent their range exhaust. Use the search feature, if you can't find them, let us know and we can help you locate the threads.

[EricLynnAllison]

Mine is also vented inside, that's why we cook outside whenever possible.

[notanlines]

I might also add here that it is somewhat common to find an unvented range hood in middle/lower cost housing and apartments. I'm not sure that the darned thing even serves a purpose other than to supply an infinitesimally small amount of light by which to cook.:banghead:

[instymp]

Is the vent flap unlocked outside? If you have one? Latches unlocked?

[chuckster57]

I can't speak to your model, but mine is unvented and I've read other threads about this same issue.


And this type of range hood isn't a Keystone exclusive.

[slow]

I speculate that hoods are not vented to the outside by Keystone because of the risk of moisture being introduced into the wall cavity because of a poorly sealed duct. RV brands that utilize exterior walls that are not prone to moisture damage seem to have exterior vented stove hoods.

The moisture damage risk is in part why I do NOT plan on making the mod to an exterior vent.

[roadglide]

Is the vent flap unlocked outside? If you have one? Latches unlocked?
I found out the hard way with the vent flapper being lock, I need to remember to unlock when where out camping.

[GaryWT]

Ours is unvented as well as I believe many are. I did not give it a second thought as my house is not vented plus we do all our cooking outside as the outside kitchen is very vented...

[Bob Landry]

It's easy enough to add an exhaust vent to the outside if there is nothing right behind the range hood such as in my Outback. I have even seen threads where someone did some creative sheet metal work and did a work around, but I'm not that handy.
This is not an oversight on Keystone's part. The way this came to be is as follows. Genius #1 at Keystone scoured their vendors and came up with a barn bustin' price on several trainloads of long windows. After the windows were purchased, someone had to figure out what to do with cheap windows, so while Genius #1 was at lunch, Genius #2 sat down at the drawing board and decided that the windows would fit perfectly behind the stove and the kitchen counter. Genius #1 got commendation for finding heap parts and Genius #2 probably got a trip to the Bahamas for figuring out how to use them so that they would not have to be disposed of. BTW, this is a common phenomenon that occurs every time you give an engineer a pencil.
Geez, that kind sounds like how our government operate.

[Desert185]

It's easy enough to add an exhaust vent to the outside if there is nothing right behind the range hood such as in my Outback. I have even seen threads where someone did some creative sheet metal work and did a work around, but I'm not that handy.
This is not an oversight on Keystone's part. The way this came to be is as follows. Genius #1 at Keystone scoured their vendors and came up with a barn bustin' price on several trainloads of long windows. After the windows were purchased, someone had to figure out what to do with cheap windows, so while Genius #1 was at lunch, Genius #2 sat down at the drawing board and decided that the windows would fit perfectly behind the stove and the kitchen counter. Genius #1 got commendation for finding heap parts and Genius #2 probably got a trip to the Bahamas for figuring out how to use them so that they would not have to be disposed of. BTW, this is a common phenomenon that occurs every time you give an engineer a pencil.
Geez, that kind sounds like how our government operate.

...and how government foists things upon the public with relative acceptance by the public. :banghead:

[gearhead]

My Montana came with a stove vent. I lost the flapper somewhere though. I have a visit to the dealer scheduled next week. Maybe they can fix that.

[sourdough]

My 2014 Cougar High Country also came with the stove fan vent. We don't cook much at all inside but we do heat water in a tea kettle for tea every day and I use it to vent out the heat from the burner; works pretty good.

[mowin]

RV brands that utilize exterior walls that are not prone to moisture damage seem to have exterior vented stove hoods.

Our keystone hornet had the vent, however our Laredo is not vented outside. I doubt it has anything to do with brands that utilize walls that are not prone to moisture. It's all about the $$$$$.

[slow]

Our keystone hornet had the vent, however our Laredo is not vented outside. I doubt it has anything to do with brands that utilize walls that are not prone to moisture. It's all about the $$$$$.

mowin, was your Hornet aluminum skinned, whereas your Laredo fiberglass?

Moisture behind the fiberglass degrading the backing board and finally resulting in delamination is what I was referring to in my speculation. Moisture behind an aluminum skin would take longer to degrade the substructure and be noticed. Therefore your experiences are consistent with my speculation. Although I will never argue against the reality of cost cutting measures by the manufacturers.

[Stew]

FWIW...my 2015 303RLS is vented outside

[mowin]

mowin, was your Hornet aluminum skinned, whereas your Laredo fiberglass?

Moisture behind the fiberglass degrading the backing board and finally resulting in delamination is what I was referring to in my speculation. Moisture behind an aluminum skin would take longer to degrade the substructure and be noticed. Therefore your experiences are consistent with my speculation. Although I will never argue against the reality of cost cutting measures by the manufacturers.

Yes my hornet was aluminum skined and Laredo is fiberglass. I have seen many fiberglass tt and 5ers with vented hoods.

I do see your point on possible delamination. But if its installed correctly, it shouldn't be a issue.

[slow]

It is my understanding that many Keystone products do not have a water resistant backing behind their fiberglass. Whereas other manufacturers claim to have water proof material backing their fiberglass skin. Those manufacturers often advertise vented stove hoods.

BTW: I agree proper leak free installation is key.

[Steve S]

Charcoal vents work great, they always have and always will in houses that is.
The issue that I would have with them is that the heat that comes from the oven and the stove stays in the trailer. This is fine in the winter but not so great in the summer! Also if they're at shoulder height it's pretty much blowing in your face.

[JRTJH]

I have personally owned two Keystone RV's with fiberglass skins and both of them had "outside vented" range hoods. My current Cougar has FILON that has a "pressboard backing", not a luan backing on the wall with the vented range hood. Previously, our motorhome had fiberglass siding and the range hood was vented outside as were the range hoods on all of our aluminum skin trailers as well as our aluminum skinned pick up campers.

As for any "restrictions" or "factory hesitation" to install vented range hoods on trailers based on the type of siding, I've never seen or heard of any such restriction. There currently are trailers, fifth wheels and pick up campers at both Camping World in Houghton Lake and at Brewbaker's RV in Onaway with vented range hoods. These "current model" (2015 and 2016) are constructed with aluminum or fiberglass siding. So, it appears that manufacturers don't hesitate to install vented range hoods on RV's with either type of siding.

As far as I know (based on what I've seen on lots and what I've owned) there is no "factory restriction" on what type of range hood to install based on the type of siding. I've seen vented and non vented range hoods on everything from aluminum paneling, aluminum sheeting, FILON with "cardboard backing", FILON with Luan backing, formed, handlaid fiberglass on motorhomes and even some that were installed through a steel panel made to look like a window. I don't know of any manufacturer that doesn't install vented range hoods based on type of siding.

If you think about it from a moisture prevention standpoint, it's really not "just the FILON" that needs protecting, many RV's are made with wood frames, water wicking insulation and interior paneling that is easily damaged by moisture. There's just no reason to think a vent would "leak more readily" on a fiberglass RV than on an aluminum sided RV. Both would suffer similar damage to structural components behind the siding regardless of the type of range hood venting......

[slow]

Thanks for the insights. As a stated, my comments were pure speculation, possibly over thinking.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TomHaycraft]

Charcoal vents work great, they always have and always will in houses that is.
The issue that I would have with them is that the heat that comes from the oven and the stove stays in the trailer. This is fine in the winter but not so great in the summer! Also if they're at shoulder height it's pretty much blowing in your face.

In addition to getting the heat out, think about the CO. We've got a vent in our "entry level" Springdale, will add that to my list of items to check out if/when we start looking at the next trailer.

[Bob Landry]

CO in a cooking environment is insignificant. Most people do not turn on the range hood while cooking at home and most do not use it even when cooking on the top burners. The PPM of CO is just not critical in that size space. If my Outback had one, I would use it just for the ability of heat removal, but a Fantastic fan close to the stove will handle that. CO has just never been an issue for me.

[Desert185]

FWIW, our 326SRX has a vented hood...provided the flapper tabs are positioned properly to allow the outside flapper to flap. I'm really liking this trailer.

[Cougar1957]

Our 2015 28SGS is vented to the outside. You have to remember to flip the little outside tabs holding the flapper to the down position, which is different than our last trailer where they flipped up. Took me a few minutes to figure out why I couldn't release the flap with the tabs up. Anyway, I wasn't aware that not all RV's have an outside vented range hood.

[KYFamily]

Our Avalanche does not have a vent also. Our fanatic fan is right above. If need be we just turn it on and it pretty much does the same job.

[lawdog130]

Just my 2 cents...My Passport didn't have an exterior hood vent. I just did the mod an put one in. Much nicer when cooking inside during inclement weather and my camper doesn't smell like my last meal!

I wish I really knew why they don't put the vents in on some of the newer campers. Saving $$ would be my only guess. Possible problems with moisture getting in doesn't cut it. The side of my camper that has the new vent has 2 doors, 2 windows, 2 speakers...12 holes of varying sizes in total. What's one more going to do? I'd rather have the vent than outside speakers.

If you have any technical ability the modification isn't that difficult. Just remember to measure twice (or more) and cut once!