Let me revive this nice thread for a moment to ask about vibration mounts. I'm installing an FKD 8XL (horizontally), and close enough to living space that I want to isolate its vibration as much as possible. I have the option of hanging the blower or building a mount that it sits on (supporting those little fins on either side). Via e-mail, Fantech says suspension dampers are best, and won't specify a compression damper. I worry that suspension gives the blower a little too much freedom to move -- oscillate, swing, whatever. Any suggestions? What have other folks done? The FKD 8XL is a pretty light piece of equipment, at only 19 lbs.

Hi - this thread is a little old now so this might be too late, but I have some related Qs even after reading all this helpful advice. I'm starting gut reno of a 120+ year old townhouse in NYC and plan to install 36" bluestar with 2, 22K BTU burners (in addition to other smaller burners of course) which we'll use primarily for stir fry. We HATE grease smell in the house and cook all the time, so want to get what we need for the stove we have. So I'm fine getting major CFM, if that's what it takes, but my concern is the ducting. It seems we have 2 options - up an existing chimney (which we're having relined and is not used for fireplaces; fireplaces were all sealed up decades ago) - but that would be 3 stories or about 50 feet needed to get to the roof and I wonder if that's too far for it to function properly...2nd option would be to bring it down into a soffit on the floor below (a rental apartment that already has a dropped ceiling) and vent out of the exterior wall, but this would require making a new hole in our masonry, and would mean the venting would be just outside our kitchen, under a french door that we're likely to want to open often while we're cooking - so the smoke could in theory end up back in the kitchen, no? I am by no means an expert so forgive me if I'm totally off base here, but any thoughts/advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

I have a Best by Broan external 1200 cfm blower. On full speed, it is quieter than the ineffective downdraft we had before. Not that loud away from it and only inteferes with hearing conversation or TV if you are right under it at high speed. We usually have it on low to medium and it's a low hum. We didn't have room for a silencer between the joists, so it's just the 10" duct on a 12-14 foot run with one 90 turn and one 45.

Proline are rock bottom priced Chinese made hoods that use 430 SS instead of the much more common and more expensive 304 SS. 430 SS uses less nickel therefore is a little darker and more prone to rust. You need a 60-66" hood with at least 1200 cfm. You will not find another company that sells cheaper. Maybe a new Chinese company selling something equivalent. In 2010-11 about 10 people on GW purchased Proline Hoods. Five were satisfied including one that was very satisfied and posted on every thread that mentioned Proline extolling the virtues of the hood. About three were unsatisfied with the lights. Either they were too dim or would not turn off. One got a free circuit board but got the run around about getting reimbursed for labor. Two had major problems. Not getting the right parts and another(if I remember correctly) too many holes drilled into the hood and duct cover. One complained to the better business bureau and the BBB closed the case with an unsatisfied rating saying the company never answered. This person would also post in any thread that mentioned Proline. The other just grew frustrated and posted so again and again. Eventually, people on here stopped buying Proline. But if you want something of better quality and reputation with the correct size and cfm you will have to spend significantly more. Do you want two remote blowers or just one for the outdoor hood? Fantech budget but kinda noisy remote blower. Probably not a good idea if you have neighbors close to your property line. Abbaka considered the best remote blowers. You have to maker sure blower is compatible with hood. If it is single speed I don't think they make those anymore. 3 Speed or Variable speed.