APPLIANCE ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS

The KSA recently collaborated with SADA (The South African Domestic Appliance Association) and put together a series of training for our members with our co-members BSH, Liehberr, Miele, Smeg and Whirlpool. We asked them to give us their top tips with regards to your kitchen appliances.

INTEGRATED AND FREE-STANDING REFRIGERATION - some advice from Philip Grobler of Liebherr.

• Ensure your integrated fridge is properly ventilated or damage could occur and the guarantee voided. There needs to be an intake vent at the base of the unit, a venting chimney built into the back of the housing carcass and an outlet out the top of the cupboard letting the hot air back into the kitchen. If not vented correctly your compressor and thermostat could fail and repairs could be costly as they would not be covered under guarantee if the installation was incorrect.

• Ensure your integrated fridge is sitting correctly in its housing or the door won’t seal properly causing the fridge to ice up. You can tell the unit is sitting properly as there will be resistance from the door seals when you try and open it.

• Avoid putting the plug point behind an integrated fridge. Rather have it above or to the side. If it is behind you will need to remove the fridge from its cabinet every time you need access to the plug which will compromise your integration installation.

• Never try and build-in a fridge that is not designed for integration.

• If you are placing a freestanding fridge into a semi-housing make sure there is suffi cient space for the fridge door to open and enough ventilation to ensure the fridge’s compressor doesn’t burn out.

• To save on electricity make sure you maintain your fridge door seal, clean the back of the fridge of dirt and dust build-up and always make sure your fridge door is shut properly.

• Avoid installing a fridge and eye-level oven or microwave alongside each other. The heat generated from them could cause damage to the fridge.

EXTRACTORS - some tips from Walter Dell’Erba of BSH:

• Remember to clean your extractor’s fi lters - metal fi lters can be washed, charcoal fi lters replaced and fi bre fi lters washed and replaced.

• A new extractor will never be supplied standard with a recirculating or ducting kit. These need to be ordered and cost extra - ducting kit if you are venting the unit to the outside or a recirculation kit if you are fi ltering the air back into the kitchen.

• Avoid ducting an extractor out on a run of more than 10m and with no more than two bends in the pipe. The combined length and bends will make the ducting ineffectual.

• Choose an extractor with a motor capacity to cope with the volume of your kitchen space. Don’t just buy based on aesthetics.

• Be careful at what height you place the extractor – follow the manufacturers guidelines. An extractor has to be placed higher over a gas hob than an electric one or it may become a fi re hazard.

• Avoid ducting into the ceiling space – this can lead to grease and dirt build up on your ceiling that can cause marking and attract rodents and insects.

• Use your extractor properly. It should not be turned on once there is already smoke and a smell in the kitchen. It should be turned on before you start cooking then the speed adjusted to create airfl ow and circulation in the kitchen that will help the unit extract.

• Ensure the plug point is accessible and not hidden behind the unit so it needs to be removed from the wall to access.

• If using an integrated extractor don’t box it in with a false backing so that the mechanism is not visible when you open the cupboard housing the unit. This makes it difficult for technicians to access for maintenance and could lead to them damaging your cupboards to access the extractor.

• Remember – integrated extractors need to be ducted. They cannot be left just venting into the cupboard. A duct pipe must take the fi ltered air out of the cupboard back into the kitchen.

GAS AND PLUMBING LEGALITIES - Rudolph Pieterse of Smeg has the following advice:

• Always get your gas appliance installed by a registered gas plumber and ensure they give you an installation certifi cate. If you don’t have one of these your insurance could refuse to pay a claim should an accident occur. A list of registered gas plumbers can be found at www.saqccgas.co.za/

• A gas hob should never be installed under a window or over a fridge, fridge freezer, freezer, dishwasher, washing machine or tumble dryer.

• An electric fryer must not be installed directly next to a gas hob, as the gas fl ames could ignite the fat in the fryer. It is essential to maintain a distance of at least 300 mm between these two appliances.

• If you used a very large pot over a burner and the pot extends beyond the edge of the hob there can be excessive heat build-up on your countertop which can cause cracking and discolouration of your work surface.

• You are only permitted a limited number of 9kg and 19kg cylinders on your property at any one time. Ensure you know the regulations in your area and that the bottles are being stored in a compliant manner.

• When choosing what size bottle, you need to run your appliance please check the manufacturing specs as some appliances need a large bottle like a 19kg while others might need 9kg or smaller to preform optimally.

• When exchanging gas cylinder, reject any cylinder that is not in good condition or illegal. Identifying illegally fi lled cylinder:

• It has no safety seal on the valve.

• The safety seal is clear (no owner’s brand)

• It only has the word ‘LP Gas’ on it

BUILT-IN COOKING APPLIANCES - Rob North of Miele has the following advice:

• All ovens, microwaves, steam ovens need ventilation. Make sure your kitchen company knows what appliances you are choosing and is given the installation specifi cations so that they can manufacture your kitchen with the right ventilation. Incorrect ventilation can void your guarantee and cause your new kitchen to get burn damage or moisture damage from the build-up of hot moist air.

• Never lift an oven by its door handle.

• When installing Steamers in a block it is preferred to locate at the highest level and not below another appliance

• Ensure your kitchen company get the rights specifi cations for your hob so that these can be passed to the surface fabricator. If possible, the hob should be on site when the tops are installed and the hob cut out done. If the cut out is done incorrectly it could be too tight and allow for heat transference to the stone or even cause a glass hob to crack.

• If you have cupboards above your hob a distance 760mm is recommended between the top of the hob and the underside of the cupboards.

• There should be a minimum distance of 50mm from the edge of the hob and a back wall and 70mm from the edge to a side wall or adjacent piece of furniture.

• If choosing an induction hob your Electrical connection on induction can exceed 6 Kw

• If installing domino units, a deep fryer and gas hob must never be placed side by side. It is best to use joining strips and on a long run to allow for additional support underneath the units. Should you opt not to use joining strips and space the units out a minimum of 50mm must be left between each unit to ensure the structural integrity of the surfacing material.

• Never fix a hob in place with silicone. This make is hard to remove for maintenance and can damage your work surface.

INTEGRATED AND FREE-STANDING WASHING MACHINES, TUMBLE DRYERS AND DISHWASHERS - Antonio Pereira of Whirlpool offers the following tips:

• In order for your dishwasher or washing machine to fi t nicely under your countertop and aligned with your cupboards plan for your water inlet and outlet to be offset and not directly behind the unit. This way there will be more room at the back, pipes are less likely to get kinks and the unit can move fully back and not stand proud.

• When you get a new washing machine always remove the travel brackets before you connect it up and use it. Failure to do so could cause major damage to the machine and your cabinetry.

• It is vital to level a dishwasher properly before installation to avoid water seepage through the door.

• The electrical point for all these units should be in the cupboard next to and not behind the unit.

• Be careful pushing your washing machine or dishwasher back into the housing. If the inlet hose is kinked water-fl ow into the machine may be obstructed.

• Many washing machines and dishwashers come with an Aquastop – a safety device to stop leaking. Make sure this is not installed upside down or it will be ineffectual.

• Washing machine and dishwashers should be cleaned out and washed regularly. They collect all debris and residue. If left uncleaned it can affect the machines performance.

• Don’t over fill your washing machine. You should be able to get your hand held palm to the left or right on top of the load. Overloading can damage the drum and motor.

• If these machines have been integrated make sure your kitchen company has made the kick place in front of them removable so that should maintenance be required, they can be accessed and removed without breaking, cutting or damaging the kick-plate.

• To avoid your tumble dryer being a fire hazard remember to regularly clean out your lint filter.

• Tumble dryers generate heat and moisture. As such they should be in well ventilated are or they should be ducted out to avoid moisture build up that can damage your cabinetry.

• If you have a washer dryer combination, remember that while the machine may wash 5kg’s it can only dry half that capacity.

When it comes to appliances it is vital that you follow the manufacturer’s guidelines in order to retain your guarantee. Remember, if they have not been installed property or you have not followed care and maintenance instructions your guarantee will be void.

Always get a professional to install the units for you and make sure you submit your warranty information to the supplier or manufacturer.

Where possible give your kitchen company as much information about the appliances you are selecting as possible so that they can ensure they build the cabinetry to the correct spec.