[wiltma]

Originally Posted by stephen.q.pankow

We have an Iris model home in Fenney which has the microwave oven above the stove. Whenever we do any significant amount of cooking on the stove the fan in the microwave starts up running at full blast for several minutes, I assume to cool down the microwave oven. I'd rather not start trying to enjoy dinner with this racket going on in the background.

Is this a common problem, and has anyone found a way to fix it?

Ours does that every once in a while. Good safety feature. Let it run for a little while and then press to shut it off

[doctorknow]

I have a IRIS and a Whirlpool microwave. It is not an automatic fan. I never knew (if it does) it had such a feature. I have to turn fan on manually which is the way I want it. I also have a vent to the outside which is the way it should be. I don't know if yours is newer ?? I moved into my IRIS in 2012. so yours may be a newer upgrade??

[TandHSTAR@AOL.com]

Exorcism hmm how does that work. LOL

[Bob45]

Originally Posted by stephen.q.pankow

We have an Iris model home in Fenney which has the microwave oven above the stove. Whenever we do any significant amount of cooking on the stove the fan in the microwave starts up running at full blast for several minutes, I assume to cool down the microwave oven. I'd rather not start trying to enjoy dinner with this racket going on in the background.

Is this a common problem, and has anyone found a way to fix it?

Try turning on the fan while you're cooking. Then off when you sit down to eat. Maybe that will keep it cool enough and it will not start while you're eating.

[MSchad]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Probably a good idea if you do a lot of cooking. But, the standard over the stove microwave has a fan that can be positioned to vent to the outside. However, the builder usually doesn't install it that way.

Our microwave is vented. When we had our home inspection they found the vent had separated at a seam and had the warranty dept fix it.

[Nick Kelly]

It is a safety feature. It also adds to the longevity of the microwave. Go the the appliance manufacturers website ( I found it annoying also, so I went to Whirlpools website) I did not read anything that would allow you to turn the fan off manually. It is what is is. Our cam with the house also and we had no clue.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Nick Kelly

It is a safety feature. It also adds to the longevity of the microwave. Go the the appliance manufacturers website ( I found it annoying also, so I went to Whirlpools website) I did not read anything that would allow you to turn the fan off manually. It is what is is. Our cam with the house also and we had no clue.

See the link in Post No. 6. There is a way to disable the overheat feature, if you want to.

[champion6]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

To clarify, on most microwave ovens, the fan will suck air through the bottom of the microwave and will discharge it through the vent holes in the top, front part of the microwave. So, you are blowing hot air toward the drywall kitchen ceiling. You may be reducing the temperature directly above the cooktop, but you are not removing any heat from the kitchen. In my opinion, this is not a good design. The builder should install a vent through the exterior wall or roof. The microwave ovens are designed to allow the fan position to be changed to discharge the air to an outside vent.

My cottage home was built in 2011. This IS exactly the way my microwave is vented. The microwave is mounted on an interior wall, so the microwave exhausts into a duct that goes straight up to a vent on the roof.

[bill.noltecpa@gmail.com]

Believe the fire code is 18 inches between stove to microwave, make sure you have that in addition to the other comments already made by others.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by champion6

My cottage home was built in 2011. This IS exactly the way my microwave is vented. The microwave is mounted on an interior wall, so the microwave exhausts into a duct that goes straight up to a vent on the roof.

You are lucky. But, many of the microwave ovens have no venting to the outside.

[Halibut]

I wonder if the different venting options are related to gas vs electric stoves?

If you haven't already, you might try a small experiment by using the smaller front burner rather than the larger one that (in my unit) is directly under the handle of the microwave and gives off more heat. All bets are off if multiple burners are in use!

Good luck with a fix and let us know.