Kitchen Ventilation

[Edislaw]

We are in the process of designing a new interior for our kitchen. Luckily, we do not require a building warrant but we are concerned that we install effective ventilation rather than simply satisfying catch-all regulations.

The room is split into two distinct areas with a 2.4m high opening between them; One area, for dining is L 5.0, W 2.6, H 2.6 with double doors into the garden.

The second area is where the work is done and is L 4.5, W 3.3, H 2.9. The main oven is located in the utility room so all cooking in the kitchen will be by a combination of induction hob, halogen oven and combination microwave. There are double casement windows at one end and a top hung casement at the other.

In view of the significantly lower levels of moisture produced by these modern cooking methods and there being only two of us living in the house I feel the level of extraction suggested by building regulations is excessive. We do not intend fitting a cooker hood as it would not fit with the Edwardian kitchen theme we are planning. I feel that a wall mounted 60 lps extraction fan fitted near the ceiling and close to all three main cooking appliances, with a manual boost and a humidity detector would be adequate.

I'd be grateful for views from anyone with experience of these issues.

 

[Mattatooi]

"modern cooking methods" ??

Boiling pasta / rice / potatoes is nothing new. Boiling water creates steam. Its got to go somewhere. And without extraction, that means all over your cupboards, which cools and turns to water again.

I have one of those non extracting hoods, and its utter rubbish. Looking to get proper extractor soon.

 

[Edislaw]

It may come as some surprise but I had worked out that cooking produces moisture - around a pint a day according to scientific study, for a couple. In our house that would amount to approximately a 2-3% increase in humidity. There is also moisture from a dishwasher and a fridge to consider but they ae unlikely to produce half a pint a day between them.

I have no plans to install a recirculation hood, their main purpose, apart from looking nice, is to scrub fat from the air.

My point relates to the amount of extraction required not whether it is required. Building regulation are a one size fits all solution to ensuring ventilation works and predate induction hobs. They must cope with gas hobs which produce moisture from combustion on top of what cooking produces. They also do not allow for different cooking methods - a simmering pan without a lid produces one third more moisture than one with a lid. Halogen cooking retains much more moisture in food than other forms and combination microwaves cook faster so releasing less moisture. Added together "modern cooking methods" are very different to those of just a few years ago and should, therefore, require different ventilation.

Since you are planning to improve your extraction soon Mattatool, I expect you will be as keen as I am to identify exactly what is required rather than leave the decision to a salesman whose vested interest is in selling a hood rather than making your life more comfortable.

You might even find this article useful.

 

[roboughton]

Building regulation are a one size fits all solution to ensuring ventilation works

The reason they are one size fits all is that when you sell, change cooking methods to pre historic ones or just grow old and die someone else who is say not as clued up as you will cook in their way thus a one size fits all is required. The last thing you want is damp in the house.

I think your extractor fan idea will still work but obviously you will have grease to deal with in some situations.

EDIT - also look at fitting a positive air system that would help pushing out and extra moisture should you have any issues later on.

Good luck

Rob

 

[Edislaw]

Thanks Roboughton, the positive air solution is one I had considered bt simple is good in my book. As for the logic behind the building regulations I would suggest the problem is an inability on the part of bureaucrats to think outside the box. Bulgaria has introduced an excellent system of building passports which detail all of the systems in a house. It is being rolled out over a period of years and generally will apply from the date the next change of ownership happens after the system applies to any particular property. This would enable me to specify what kind of ventilation system I have and make it easy for a future owner to identify whether change is required. In this technically advanced age we no longer need one size fits all systems and if Bulgaria can introduce a twenty first century system surely we can manage one too.

 

[roboughton]

Thanks Roboughton, the positive air solution is one I had considered bt simple is good in my book. As for the logic behind the building regulations I would suggest the problem is an inability on the part of bureaucrats to think outside the box. Bulgaria has introduced an excellent system of building passports which detail all of the systems in a house. It is being rolled out over a period of years and generally will apply from the date the next change of ownership happens after the system applies to any particular property. This would enable me to specify what kind of ventilation system I have and make it easy for a future owner to identify whether change is required. In this technically advanced age we no longer need one size fits all systems and if Bulgaria can introduce a twenty first century system surely we can manage one too.

I agree with the passport thing, when someone can make money out of it then it will become a essential thing here but you have to remember most of the population are not shall we say on the bright side so even when you tell them to wipe their nose and where the tissues are they still aren't sure how to complete the task.

 

[Edislaw]

Whereas the population of Bulgaria are all highly literate, well educated academics. The money to be made out of such a scheme is enormous bu it would make the box-tickers who complete Rd SAP EPCs redundant. It would also expose without mercy the horrific problems in our buillt environment which might not be politically expedient, particularly since the worst problems are likely to be in public buildings, including housing.

 

[TheVictorian]

Surely an Edwardian kitchen would have extracted straight up a chimney so something could be incorporated that has the correct aesthetics...

 

[Edislaw]

An Edwardian kitchen would probably have had an open, coal-fired range but I'm not considering fitting one of these either. There is a vast difference between a theme and the original.