u/grim_fandangle

I got a bit ahead of myself and purchased a 36" cooktop to replace my current gas cooktop. The gas one is paired with a not-very effective downdraft vent along the top edge, because it's installed on an island and the ceiling above it is a poor candidate for a traditional hood. Now that I'm preparing for the actual install, I realize I have two issues:

1. The vent widens a bit right near the underside of the Impulse cooktop and it's a questionable fit, and doesn't leave enough room for the air flow requirements specified in the installation guide, and...

2. The weight of the Impulse along that long edge is meant to sit on a sturdy counter edge, and not the less robust lip of the downdraft vent.

It's technically possible for me to remove the downdraft vent, reinforce where the Impulse needs to sit and then cover the gap with stainless steel or something. The downdraft vent isn't very effective, and honestly mostly serves to just cycle out gas byproducts, which is moot if I install the Impulse. This feels unwise though and surely not to code even with an induction stove...?

Assuming that a traditional hood is a last resort, is there some downdraft option that is known to pair with the Impulse's air circulation and weight requirements?

My thinking is that the temperature controls make it much less likely for me to be generating smoke from my cooking - is it possible that a high enough air flow window fan not in the form of a hood might suffice?

Any other constructive thoughts on venting when a hood is not a good option?

Thanks for any constructive ideas.

I've found some older posts a few years old that are relevant, but I feel like I need a current sanity check. We were just quoted $45k and $55k, for a 5 zone mini split system with Mitsubishi ceiling cassettes and a 5 zone heat pump. In the bid breakdown, each cassette was in the realm of $7,000, which I know also includes labor and the materials and work to get the lines back to the heat pump, but if I can order a unit online for roughly $1000, that's a hell of a labor and materials and profit buffer.

Is this ballpark just what it costs now? I have friends that got systems a few years back and paid substantially less. Help me make sense of this price.