Small DC kitchens squeeze everything together. In a rowhouse galley or a condo with a wall of cabinets, the range often ends up with a cabinet directly above it and a tall pantry or wall a few inches to one side. Every range and cooktop guide includes a diagram showing how close those surfaces can be. The overhead number is fairly consistent across brands; the side number is the one that catches people out when they replace a range.
What the diagrams show
Amana AGR4230BA, 30-inch gas range
The Amana AGR4230BA dimension guide gives:
- •Overhead: at least 30 inches from the cooking platform up to the underside of a wood or metal cabinet that has no protective covering.
- •Overhead with protection: 24 inches minimum when the cabinet bottom is covered with at least 1/4-inch flame-retardant millboard topped with No. 28 MSG sheet steel, 0.015-inch stainless steel, 0.024-inch aluminum or 0.020-inch copper.
- •Upper cabinet depth: 13 inches maximum.
- •Side upper cabinets: at least 18 inches between the countertop and the bottom of the upper cabinets on either side.
- •Side wall: at least 2 inches of counter between the range and a side wall or anything else combustible.
Amana AEP222VA, 20-inch electric range
The Amana AEP222VA dimension guide repeats the 30-inch and 24-inch overhead figures, the 13-inch cabinet depth and the 18-inch figure, but the side requirement is larger: 5 inches of counter between the range and a side wall or other combustible material. It also says storage in cabinets above the surface units should be avoided, and if it is provided, a range hood projecting at least 5 inches beyond the bottom of the cabinets reduces the risk of reaching over hot elements.
Whirlpool GCI3061X, 30-inch induction cooktop
The Whirlpool GCI3061X dimension guide uses the same 30-inch and 24-inch overhead rule, lists 13 inches as the recommended upper cabinet depth, keeps the 18-inch figure, and requires at least 1 inch from the cooktop to the closest combustible surface on each side above it.
All three guides say that if a range hood or microwave hood combination is installed above, its own installation instructions govern the clearance above the cooking surface.
What the clearances protect
Heat goes up. Whatever hangs directly over the burners gets the worst of it. Thirty inches is meant to keep a cabinet's underside far enough away that ordinary cooking won't char or ignite it.
Protection buys distance. The millboard and metal layer slows heat transfer to the wood, which is why the guides allow 24 inches with it.
Reaching across burners. Storage directly over the cooking surface means leaning over heat. That's the reason for the Amana electric guide's hood recommendation.
Side heat. Burners near the edge of the range heat the wall or cabinet next to them. Required side space varies with burner layout and size, which is why the figure ranges from 1 to 5 inches in these three guides.
Shallow uppers. Keeping uppers to about 13 inches deep stops them from projecting out over the burners.
Measuring your kitchen
- Overhead. Measure from the cooking surface (the top of the grates on gas, the glass on smooth-top) straight up to the bottom of the cabinet or hood above.
- Protection. Look under that cabinet for a fire-resistant layer. No layer means the 30-inch figure applies.
- Side. From each side of the range, measure across to the closest wall, tall cabinet or other combustible surface above counter height.
- Upper side cabinets. Measure from the countertop to the bottom of the uppers on each side of the range.
- Cabinet depth. Measure the depth of the uppers beside the range.
- What's above. If a microwave or hood is mounted there, find its guide; it replaces the range's overhead figure.
Situations specific to DC kitchens
- •Range against a party wall. In rowhouse kitchens, the range is often next to a side wall. Plaster over brick is noncombustible, but wood paneling, trim or a pantry cabinet is not. Check what's actually there.
- •Replacing a 20-inch range with a 24- or 30-inch one. A bigger range in the same opening can quietly eat the side clearance.
- •Open shelving. Floating wood shelves above the range count as combustible material.
- •Condo renovations. Condo kitchens often have stock cabinet heights set for an over-the-range microwave. If you switch to a hood, recheck the distances.
What happens when clearances are short
- •Cabinet finishes blister, crack or darken above the burners.
- •Cabinet hardware and nearby shelves get hot to the touch.
- •Paint or caulk at the side wall discolors.
- •Fire risk rises, especially during high-heat searing or a pan fire.
Making changes
- •Raising, shortening or removing upper cabinets is cabinet or carpentry work. Ask the DC Department of Buildings whether your project needs a permit.
- •Moving the range may require a relocated outlet (licensed electrician) or gas line (licensed gas fitter).
- •Adding a hood may need a circuit and ductwork. See where a hood should hang.
If cabinets get hot even with correct clearances, a burner or element may be running hotter than it should. We handle range repair and cooktop repair throughout the District. If a microwave hangs over the range, read the height rules for over-the-range microwaves.
Documents referenced
- •Amana AGR4230BA gas range dimension guide: overhead minimums with and without protection, millboard spec, upper cabinet depth and height, 2-inch side figure.
- •Amana AEP222VA electric range dimension guide: 5-inch side figure, hood projection where cabinets above are used for storage.
- •Whirlpool GCI3061X induction cooktop dimension guide: 1-inch side figure, defers to hood or microwave instructions.