My range hood, a Windster wall mounted, started to make noises two, three weeks ago at a defined frequency when I turn on the fan motor. The faster the fan setting, the more frequent the noise. Its as if something is scratching the motor. Given how long it has been, it doesn’t seem like leaves fall down from the vent chute into the motor. When I look at the fan from underneath, it seems like its not rotating along a fixed axis any more and wobbling a bit. The hood is 8 years old and cost about $600 (I think) when I bought it.
question is, how long does a typical hood lasts? Years or decades? The replacement motor costs $90. Not sure what is needed to take the hood apart, and replace the motor, and the labor cost associated with it. Do you think its worth it to do a motor replacement? Or does it make more sense to get a new one and have it installed?
I would go to their website and find your model and download the manual. Most of the time it is pretty easy to pop out a fan unit and install a new one. Also when you open it up you may find that it’s just a broken bracket of some type, or a bolt or nut worked its way loose.
I would expect it to last decades, 8 years is very soon for the fan unit to break down.
At the least, if any repairs are beyond what you are comfortable attempting, let us know the model number and I can take a look at the manual.
Looking at the diagram closer, it seems like a range hood is not much more than a fan connected to a chute with a box covering it. I wonder why some hood are very expensive (e.g. Vent a Hood) I get that a good motor can be quiet and has long life. But a hood doesn’t seem like a $2000-$3000 part.
Same here. Maybe take a first look as @Thimes mentions , if you’d be comfortable with that, to help you describe the problem to a repair person. Then if you have access to a good local appliance repair business, they should be able to ballpark the cost to fix so you can decide what’s best. In my experience, such ballpark estimates have turned out to be low but at least I get a relative sense of what I’m in for.
It may be a good idea to do a YouTube search for your model or at least the maker to see what comes up.
I found solutions to a clothes dryer issue where it was seemingly impossible to remove the back despite removing every visible screw; found out how to open my car key to replace the battery myself - no clues on the key or in the car handbook; and, found out how to change a watch strap using dental floss. Each of those would have cost money for an expert to look at.
I usually try to find the manual but then always do a YouTube search for videos to show how things are done - there are some amazingly useful ideas out there (although some need to be approached with caution).
I’m far from an expert on these type of repairs but from what I know it could be the flux capacitor. Check the power supply normally it requires getting 1.21 gigawats (1,210,000,000 watts) if not you might need to replace either the cog or the sprocket. If it’s a cog I recommend Cogswell Cogs or if it’s a sprocket you should try Spacely Sprockets.
Almost popped the hood open from underneath. Partially foiled by a striped screw that’s ‘glued’ tight by the grease, and time. Will keep going tonight.
Well, funny thing about holiday is that I haven’t had time to open the hood. And tonight while cooking the hood’s funny noises started to vary, and then a minute later the sound disappeared. Since I am pretty close to popping the hood open I would still open and take a look in the coming weeks, but I guess whatever issue it was that caused the noise resolved itself.
I would advise you to replace it and find another one. Frankly speaking, all the technic today is made so, that it served you no more than 5-7 years. For example, the mobile phones are made to “live” 2 years and while this period there appears enough model to replace it and you’ll never find the necessary details to repair an old one you have. The same situation with all other technical units for home. It’s a policy of all world-known brands today - to stimulate you to pay and buy as more as possible. So, better find a new one, not to repair your’s for 100 times a year as we had. More than all, nowadays there are many market spaces where you can order such a ductless range hood you need for a good price and of high quality without any problems.
