Why Is My Range Hood Dripping Water? Who to Call to Fix?
Before your kitchen becomes a fish tank, you need to know who to hire
Highlights
Call a roofer instead of a plumber.
Any vent pipes connected to your oven range carry away smoke, odors, and maybe grease—not water.
Don’t try to fix an exhaust range leak on your own.
When you picture an exhaust range, you imagine smoke and odors being sucked away from your kitchen, not liquids entering your kitchen. Still, this happens in certain scenarios, especially when it rains. No matter the cause, you need the right professional for the job—someone who can not only accurately diagnose the issue but also repair it. So who do you call for this particular issue? Your best bet is a local professional roofer.
Why is the Range Hood Dripping Water?
A damaged damper is one of the main reasons why your range hood may be dripping water. A damper regulates airflow, so outside air doesn’t enter the duct while still allowing the duct to exhaust. If the damper is broken, missing, or installed improperly, it will lead to condensation, eventually dripping water off the range hood.
Other reasons your range hood is dripping include insufficient pipe insulation, incorrect venting angles of the pipe, broken shingles, or leakages in the roof.
Benefits of Hiring a Roofer to Fix a Roof Vent Exhaust Leak
Here are the benefits of hiring a roofer to handle exhaust vent issues.
Correct Diagnosis
Roofers are well-versed with exhaust range leaks, particularly during rainstorms. In other words, this is not their first rodeo. A qualified pro will diagnose the problem and, in most cases, fix it outright. Of course, this issue isn’t always due to leaky venting pipes on the roof. If the issue derives from a faulty exhaust fan or improperly insulated exhaust pipes near the oven range, any roofer worth their weight will supply you with the number of a local appliance repair pro or an HVAC technician near you.
Expert Repair
These vent pipes are susceptible to all kinds of issues, and only a qualified roofer can fix them all. The rubber boots crack, rot away, or even tear off over time, and rust and cracks form around the vent pipe itself, allowing rainwater to pool and dump into your home. The metal bases can develop broken seams over time, allowing water to seep through the pipe and down through your exhaust range. Nails may loosen, exposing holes in the roof. Then, there’s the shape and quality of the pipe as it extends from the roof to your kitchen.
A good roofer can fix or at least diagnose all these problems and more.
License and Insurance
Even the most straightforward roofing jobs include unforeseen obstacles, as roofs are high from the ground, and working on them can be relatively dangerous by their very nature. Luckily, qualified roofers receive yearly training to acquire and retain professional licenses. Most roofing contractors also boast a fair amount of liability insurance, just in case something goes wrong. If they poke a hole through your roof or someone gets hurt, you won’t have to pay for it. To be thorough, always discuss licensure and insurance with any potential roofer.
Can I DIY Oven Exhaust Vent Leaks?
This is possible, but not without difficulty. The issues here are two-fold. Firstly, it’s tough to diagnose this issue, so experience is mandatory. The problem could lay anywhere along the exhaust pipe, at the pipe’s exit on the roof, with the exhaust fan, or in any number of other locations. You might spend days just trying to wrap your head around what’s going on.
Secondly, it’s dangerous to traipse around a roof looking for a small exhaust pipe. You shouldn’t risk it unless you have the proper safety gear and plenty of confidence in your abilities.
Can I Hire a General Contractor to Fix an Exhaust Vent Leak?
Again, this boils down to experience. You can hire a local general contractor to diagnose and fix some of the underlying issues causing exhaust vent leaks when it rains. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple cap replacement at the point of entry on the roof.
However, as previously mentioned, there are plenty of other reasons why these leaks happen, and your average contractor may not have experience with all of them. However, a roofer likely diagnoses and repairs this problem every day. Even small leaks can become problematic down the line, so make sure you take care of the issue as soon as you notice one.