Has your over the range microwave stopped working? Are you planning to replace that microwave? Do you regularly take on DIY projects and have the required tools and know-how to replace the microwave on your own?
Have you already bought a new microwave for a replacement to be installed on a countertop or in a cabinet? Do you want to know are over the range microwave bolt patterns universal?
- What is an Over the Range Microwave?
- How Does An Over The Range Microwave Work?
- How Choose An OTR Microwave
- Are Microwave Ovens 110 or 220?
- An Over The Range Microwave Oven That Suits You Alone
The truth is that there are no standards in this industry. Every manufacturer is free to use any kind of pattern or support structure they want.
This results in different brackets, support systems, and bolt patterns for microwaves made by different companies.
Everyone’s life would be so easy if every manufacturer chose to stick to some standards but the lack of standards in this industry has made life difficult for end consumers and this is the reason, you will find that the bolt patterns all over the range microwaves are not universal.
If you have already purchased a new microwave for replacement and you want to hire the services of an installer for installing the new over the range microwave, you will be surprised to find that the installation fee or installation charges are almost as much as the price of a new microwave.
Most people often discover the extent of installation charges only after they have purchased the new microwave and are shocked at the price.
If you are planning to replace the old microwave because it is old or it has stopped working or are looking for a small OTR microwave, it is better to purchase one that is of the exact same size as the old microwave.
In that case, you won’t have to struggle much as all the other things that worked for the old microwave should work for the new one in terms of support brackets, bolt patterns, and other such things.
However, if you have already bought a new microwave or cannot find one that is the same size as the old microwave, you still have several options. One of the options is to hire an installer to install the new microwave properly.
As mentioned in the above paragraphs, that is going to cost quite a bit of money. In fact, you might end up paying as much money as you paid for the new microwave if the installation process is complex.
Another option for you is to buy kits from companies that are designed exactly for this purpose. These kits can help you fix a new microwave with different support brackets or bolt patterns over the old microwave support and bolt patterns.
If you have never installed a microwave on your own, it does not mean that you won’t be able to do it now. Just watch a few videos online and go through the installation guide for the new microwave you have bought and you should be able to figure out how to install the new one.
The biggest challenge for you is going to be the removal of the old one. You need to be careful when removing the old microwave in order to make sure that it does not cause any issues.
Overall, there are no standards in the industry and the bolt pattern for the new microwave is likely to be different from the old one.
Thankfully, there are special kits available today that can help you install a new microwave at the same place without too many issues.
So, buy one of these kits and get started with the installation of your new over the range microwave.