Plumbing audits conducted by the VBA have found required clearances for range hoods and gas cooking appliances is one of the most common failures amongst plumbers. When installing a domestic gas cooking appliance, the required clearance distance between a gas cooking appliance and a rangehood or exhaust fan must be in accordance with the manufacturer’s relevant instruction.

Where overhead clearance rates are specified

Where the manufacturer of the gas cooking appliance and the rangehood both specify a minimum overhead clearance rate, then the greater of the two clearance rates should be used.

For example:

  Min. clearance specified by manufacturer
Gas cooktop 600 mm
Rangehood 650 mm

Clearance rate to be used

650 mm

Where overhead clearance rates are not specified

Where the manufacturers of the gas cooking appliance and the rangehood or exhaust fan do not specify a minimum clearance rate, then a clearance rate of no less than 600mm for a rangehood and no less than 750mm for an exhaust fan must be provided.

Note : All measurements are to be taken from the highest part of the highest burner of the gas cooking appliance.