WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: GE(r), GE Profile(tm), Monogram(r) and Kenmore(r) Wall Ovens
Units: About 244,000
Manufacturer: GE Consumer & Industrial, of Louisville, Ky.
Hazard: The extreme heat used in the self-clean cycle can escape, if the wall oven door is removed and incorrectly re-attached by the installer or the consumer. This can pose a fire and burn hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: GE is aware of 28 incidents of minor property damage in which adjacent kitchen cabinets have been damaged. No injuries have been reported.
Description: This recall involves GE wall ovens sold under the following brand names: GE(r), GE Profile(tm), Monogram(r) and Kenmore(r). The wall ovens were sold in white, black, bisque and stainless steel. The following model and serial numbers can be found inside the oven on the left interior wall. For microwave combination ovens, the serial number can be found on the left interior wall of the microwave.
Brand | Model | Serial Number Begins With
GE/Profile | JCT915, JT912, JT915, JT952, JT955, JT965, JT980*, JTP20, JTP25, JTP28, JTP48, JTP50, JTP86 | TD, VD, ZD AF, DF, FF, GF, HF, LF, MF, RF, SF, TF, VF, ZF
Monogram | ZET3058, ZET938, ZET958
Kenmore (All modelnumbers start with 911) | 4771, 4775, 4781, 4904, 4905, 4923* | 2T, 2V, 2Z 3A, 3D, 3F, 3G, 3H, 3L, 3M, 3R, 3S, 3T, 3V, 3Z
* Lower oven only
Sold at: Home builders and appliance stores nationwide from October 2002 through December 2004 for between $900 and $3,600.
Manufactured in: United States
Remedy: Consumers should immediately inspect the oven to make sure they do not have an incorrectly re-attached wall oven door, which will not open into the flat position. If the wall oven door is incorrectly re-attached, consumers should not use the self-clean cycle and call GE for a free repair. Consumers can continue to use normal baking or broiling function in the oven until the oven is repaired.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact GE toll-free at (888) 569-1588 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday ET, or visit the firm's Web site at www.GEAppliances.com
To see this release on CPSC's web site, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09046.html
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Hank Goes Tankless
California kitchen and bath designers have long known Hank Darlington, long-time owner of The Plumbery plumbing supply stores, and currently a nationally known sales trainer, author and speaker. In 2004, he was inducted in the National Kitchen and Bath Association Hall of Fame.
Hank recently changed out his tank-type water heater for a tankless unit; and details his decisions and the installation on the Rheem web site.
Tankless hot water heaters make good green sense, both physically and economically. By heating water only as it is used, they save the cost of keeping 40-80 gallons of water hot in a tank.
Having a recirculating system installed at the same time gives users hot water in 2-3 seconds every time they turn on the tap. That saves water.
Tankless water heaters can often be mounted on the outside of your home here in California, freeing up the space previously dedicated to the old tank unit, and shortening the piping runs to your kitchen and bath fixtures.
Even if you install the unit where the old tank was, you'll gain space because the tankless water heaters are so much smaller.
Hank installed his in his garage in the same location as his old tank unit because of restrictions by his city. I would go the outside route myself, and plan to do so when our current water heater reaches the end of its life.
I also note that the October 2008 edition of Qualified Remodeler Magazine's list of Remodeler's Choice 100 Products (These are the hottest products that generated the most interest and inquiries from readers)was very heavy with tankless water heaters.
Peggy
Hank recently changed out his tank-type water heater for a tankless unit; and details his decisions and the installation on the Rheem web site.
Tankless hot water heaters make good green sense, both physically and economically. By heating water only as it is used, they save the cost of keeping 40-80 gallons of water hot in a tank.
Having a recirculating system installed at the same time gives users hot water in 2-3 seconds every time they turn on the tap. That saves water.
Tankless water heaters can often be mounted on the outside of your home here in California, freeing up the space previously dedicated to the old tank unit, and shortening the piping runs to your kitchen and bath fixtures.
Even if you install the unit where the old tank was, you'll gain space because the tankless water heaters are so much smaller.
Hank installed his in his garage in the same location as his old tank unit because of restrictions by his city. I would go the outside route myself, and plan to do so when our current water heater reaches the end of its life.
I also note that the October 2008 edition of Qualified Remodeler Magazine's list of Remodeler's Choice 100 Products (These are the hottest products that generated the most interest and inquiries from readers)was very heavy with tankless water heaters.
Peggy
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Crazy for Metallo Arts
Hood manufacturer Metallo Arts has been tempting me with ads in industry publications of late. Their patterns and finishes are truly artful and unique.
It may be too much to ask in these difficult times for a client of mine to decide to splurge on such a centerpiece; but I'll ask anyway.
Pleeease!
Peggy
It may be too much to ask in these difficult times for a client of mine to decide to splurge on such a centerpiece; but I'll ask anyway.
Pleeease!
Peggy
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
2008 Kitchen Appliance Study
There is a 2008 Kitchen Appliances Study of 14,782 consumers who purchased one or more new kitchen appliances through a retail store or their new-home builder, or received one through other means (such as a gift) during the previous 24 months. The study was conducted by J.D. Power and Associates and released last week.
The study measures customer satisfaction in five segments of kitchen appliances: dishwashers; free-standing ranges; built-in cooktops and wall ovens; freezer-on-top style refrigerators; and side-by-side and French door style refrigerators.
Customer satisfaction is measured based on performance in six factors:
Operational performance (including how well the appliance functions
Noise level and energy efficiency)
Operational features (such as the number of settings available and appliance capacity)
Ease of use
Styling and feel
Price
Warranty
Definitely worth a look.
Peggy
The study measures customer satisfaction in five segments of kitchen appliances: dishwashers; free-standing ranges; built-in cooktops and wall ovens; freezer-on-top style refrigerators; and side-by-side and French door style refrigerators.
Customer satisfaction is measured based on performance in six factors:
Operational performance (including how well the appliance functions
Noise level and energy efficiency)
Operational features (such as the number of settings available and appliance capacity)
Ease of use
Styling and feel
Price
Warranty
Definitely worth a look.
Peggy
Monday, October 6, 2008
DTV Troubleshooting Guide
The FCC has just released a consumer DTV Troubleshooting Guide for Digital to Analog Converter boxes and Digital Television. This guide provides a connections checklist and tips on reception of digital signals. It answers questions and provides tips to consumers who may be having difficulty receiving digital broadcast stations in specific areas.
The digital television (DTV) transition refers to the requirement that all full-power television broadcast stations stop broadcasting in analog format and broadcast only in digital format after February 17, 2009. Broadcast stations in all U.S. markets are currently broadcasting in both analog and digital.
For further information, go to http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/troubleshootguide.pdf
Peggy
The digital television (DTV) transition refers to the requirement that all full-power television broadcast stations stop broadcasting in analog format and broadcast only in digital format after February 17, 2009. Broadcast stations in all U.S. markets are currently broadcasting in both analog and digital.
For further information, go to http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/troubleshootguide.pdf
Peggy
Friday, October 3, 2008
Saving Green by Going Green
Here's something interesting and new.
Click on the big white space below.
Peggy
The way you cook and clean up in the kitchen can cost you money and the environment. What can you change? Money Reporter Stacy Johnson has the main ingredients for a green kitchen, in this edition of his series "Saving Green by Going Green.".
Click on the big white space below.
Peggy
The way you cook and clean up in the kitchen can cost you money and the environment. What can you change? Money Reporter Stacy Johnson has the main ingredients for a green kitchen, in this edition of his series "Saving Green by Going Green.".
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Questions About EPA's Energy Star Ratings
This morning's San Francisco Chronicle has an article by Lynette Evans, Energy Star's glow diminishes, that calls into question the EPA system of awarding the Energy Star label to appliances that meet certain criteria for energy efficiency and "greenness".
If true, this is a darn shame...and shame on the EPA.
Consumers (and designers like me) rely on the Energy Star designation to tell us which appliance products do the best job with the least energy.
Energy Star appliances cost more than those which do not bear the label. If the designations are accurate and truthful, the energy savings should recover the extra cost over time. If not, then the buyer and the environment are the losers and the manufacturer benefits with more profit.
Apparently, says Consumer Reports, EPA is letting the manufacturers do their own testing of late. And some manufacturers may be fudging their results or not keeping their procedures for testing up to date. EPA's rules for testing also allow shenanigans.
Even as Energy Star has modernized, it is not nimble enough, critics say. The Consumer Federation of America, the NRDC, and many states say federal officials must do a better job creating and enforcing tougher standards to prevent appliances and electronic devices from getting the Energy Star when they shouldn't.
"If a manufacturer wants to claim it has a refrigerator that meets Energy Star, should it be allowed to use a test procedure that lets it say things it ought to know aren't going to be true for how consumers will use the product? Companies shouldn't get to hide behind test procedures."
An example might be the manufacturer that tests a refrigerator with Ice-n-Water through the door without the icemaker on. Since the icemaker draws substantial power when on, the homeowner who buys such a product and uses it as intended cannot possibly get the same efficiency promised by the Energy Star label.
This is unconscionable, if true, and must stop!
See below links to the Consumer Reports article and followups, as well as the EPA's letter of response.
Peggy
Energy Star has lost some luster
EPA finds fault with Consumer Reports Energy Star article
CONSUMER REPORTS FINDS ENERGY STAR PROGRAM STANDARDS LAX AND TESTS OUT-OF-DATE
Energy Star review. Origins and development of A standard intended to be gold
Proposed changes in case you want to contact your legislator on this issue: The future of Energy Star
EPA's Letter to the Editor of Consumer Reports
If true, this is a darn shame...and shame on the EPA.
Consumers (and designers like me) rely on the Energy Star designation to tell us which appliance products do the best job with the least energy.
Energy Star appliances cost more than those which do not bear the label. If the designations are accurate and truthful, the energy savings should recover the extra cost over time. If not, then the buyer and the environment are the losers and the manufacturer benefits with more profit.
Apparently, says Consumer Reports, EPA is letting the manufacturers do their own testing of late. And some manufacturers may be fudging their results or not keeping their procedures for testing up to date. EPA's rules for testing also allow shenanigans.
Even as Energy Star has modernized, it is not nimble enough, critics say. The Consumer Federation of America, the NRDC, and many states say federal officials must do a better job creating and enforcing tougher standards to prevent appliances and electronic devices from getting the Energy Star when they shouldn't.
"If a manufacturer wants to claim it has a refrigerator that meets Energy Star, should it be allowed to use a test procedure that lets it say things it ought to know aren't going to be true for how consumers will use the product? Companies shouldn't get to hide behind test procedures."
An example might be the manufacturer that tests a refrigerator with Ice-n-Water through the door without the icemaker on. Since the icemaker draws substantial power when on, the homeowner who buys such a product and uses it as intended cannot possibly get the same efficiency promised by the Energy Star label.
This is unconscionable, if true, and must stop!
See below links to the Consumer Reports article and followups, as well as the EPA's letter of response.
Peggy
Energy Star has lost some luster
EPA finds fault with Consumer Reports Energy Star article
CONSUMER REPORTS FINDS ENERGY STAR PROGRAM STANDARDS LAX AND TESTS OUT-OF-DATE
Energy Star review. Origins and development of A standard intended to be gold
Proposed changes in case you want to contact your legislator on this issue: The future of Energy Star
EPA's Letter to the Editor of Consumer Reports
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Wolf Recalls 24,000 48" Ranges
Below is a recall from the Consumer Products Safety Commission.
Peggy
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 3, 2008
Release #08-391 Firm's Recall Hotline: (866) 643-6408
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908
Wolf Appliance Recalls Gas Ranges Due to Burn Hazard
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Wolf Appliance Gas Ranges
Units: About 24,000
Manufacturer: Wolf Appliance Inc., of Madison, Wis.
Hazard: Delayed ignition of gas in the 18-inch oven can cause a flash of flames to be projected at a consumer when the range door is opened, posing a burn hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Wolf has received 97 reports of units experiencing delayed ignition, including 15 minor burns. There have been no reports of fires or property damage.
Description: This recall involves the following Wolf Appliance 48-Inch gas ranges with model numbers: P48, PS48 and R48. The gas ranges are stainless steel with a double oven. A “Wolf” appliance logo is on the front of the larger oven door.
Sold at: Home builders and appliance stores nationwide from January 1998 through June 2008 for between $5,000 and $9,000.
Manufactured in: United States
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled gas range 18-inch oven and contact the manufacturer to schedule a free, in-home repair. The large oven and all cooktop burners are not affected and may be used.
Consumer Contact: For more information, consumers can contact Wolf Appliance toll-free at (866) 643-6408 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.wolfappliance.com
Peggy
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 3, 2008
Release #08-391 Firm's Recall Hotline: (866) 643-6408
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908
Wolf Appliance Recalls Gas Ranges Due to Burn Hazard
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Wolf Appliance Gas Ranges
Units: About 24,000
Manufacturer: Wolf Appliance Inc., of Madison, Wis.
Hazard: Delayed ignition of gas in the 18-inch oven can cause a flash of flames to be projected at a consumer when the range door is opened, posing a burn hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Wolf has received 97 reports of units experiencing delayed ignition, including 15 minor burns. There have been no reports of fires or property damage.
Description: This recall involves the following Wolf Appliance 48-Inch gas ranges with model numbers: P48, PS48 and R48. The gas ranges are stainless steel with a double oven. A “Wolf” appliance logo is on the front of the larger oven door.
Sold at: Home builders and appliance stores nationwide from January 1998 through June 2008 for between $5,000 and $9,000.
Manufactured in: United States
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled gas range 18-inch oven and contact the manufacturer to schedule a free, in-home repair. The large oven and all cooktop burners are not affected and may be used.
Consumer Contact: For more information, consumers can contact Wolf Appliance toll-free at (866) 643-6408 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.wolfappliance.com
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
New Cast Travertine Hoods
Here are some new classical hoods from EuroCast Design in Nevada that are worth a look.
They are light-weight cast travertine and much easier to install than a typical custom cast stone hood.
You choose any blower and liner and enlarge the cutout in the cast travertine and install the "guts" on the job.
They can be seen in several local showrooms listed on their web site
Peggy
They are light-weight cast travertine and much easier to install than a typical custom cast stone hood.
You choose any blower and liner and enlarge the cutout in the cast travertine and install the "guts" on the job.
They can be seen in several local showrooms listed on their web site
Peggy
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Re: Appliance Sales Feel Deep Freeze
Looks like a good time to plan a kitchen remodel.
Whoever does one in the next year is going to get a bargain.
Peggy
St. Paul Pioneer Press (MN) - July 19, 2008 Gita Sitaramiah
A study by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers has found that shipments of home appliances declined by 10 percent in the first half of 2008 compared with the same period last year.
The decline has been attributed to a variety of factors, including the virtual collapse that has taken place in home building.
Meanwhile, consumers facing rising food and gas prices are opting to replace appliances only when they absolutely need to--a trend that has been made possible by the quality of the products appliance manufacturers turn out, said Ed Pell, the manager of market research at the National Kitchen and Bath Association.
The lack of demand for appliances is beginning to have an effect on remodeling companies. Doug Nelson, the chief executive of New Spaces remodeling in Burnsville, Minn., noted that the price of the average kitchen makeover his company performed has fallen from $100,000 several years ago to roughly $80,000 today.
In addition to wanting fewer appliances, many homeowners are increasingly opting for cosmetic work such as the installation of granite countertops, rather than full kitchen remodels, Nelson said.
Whoever does one in the next year is going to get a bargain.
Peggy
St. Paul Pioneer Press (MN) - July 19, 2008 Gita Sitaramiah
A study by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers has found that shipments of home appliances declined by 10 percent in the first half of 2008 compared with the same period last year.
The decline has been attributed to a variety of factors, including the virtual collapse that has taken place in home building.
Meanwhile, consumers facing rising food and gas prices are opting to replace appliances only when they absolutely need to--a trend that has been made possible by the quality of the products appliance manufacturers turn out, said Ed Pell, the manager of market research at the National Kitchen and Bath Association.
The lack of demand for appliances is beginning to have an effect on remodeling companies. Doug Nelson, the chief executive of New Spaces remodeling in Burnsville, Minn., noted that the price of the average kitchen makeover his company performed has fallen from $100,000 several years ago to roughly $80,000 today.
In addition to wanting fewer appliances, many homeowners are increasingly opting for cosmetic work such as the installation of granite countertops, rather than full kitchen remodels, Nelson said.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Revisiting a Jewel of an Appliance Blog
Steve, over at Yale Home Appliance & Lighting Blog, seems to be toiling away in obscurity.
I find his posts some of the best on the web when it comes to appliance research.
He really knows his stuff.
I strongly suggest picking Steve's brain if you have an appliance question.
He is also a talented lighting enthusiast!
Peggy
I find his posts some of the best on the web when it comes to appliance research.
He really knows his stuff.
I strongly suggest picking Steve's brain if you have an appliance question.
He is also a talented lighting enthusiast!
Peggy
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Sorry Readers
Hi everyone.
I have been caring for my husband, who is a disabled Vietnam veteran, for the last eight months while he has fought an infection stemming from a 39 year old bullet lodged near his spine.
He has been hospitalized for the last ten days.
If you pray to a God...pray for us.
If not, have good thoughts.
I'll be back when I can.
Thank you,
Peggy
I have been caring for my husband, who is a disabled Vietnam veteran, for the last eight months while he has fought an infection stemming from a 39 year old bullet lodged near his spine.
He has been hospitalized for the last ten days.
If you pray to a God...pray for us.
If not, have good thoughts.
I'll be back when I can.
Thank you,
Peggy
Friday, February 22, 2008
Antique Stoves
Can't you just see building a new kitchen around this?
I recently actually did a new kitchen built around an old stove very much like this one.
FUN!
This one is for sale on StoveList.com. for $3,500 OBO.
Or this one:
$ 350.00 USD
1933 Oxford Universal
I understand there is still a great place in Oakland (CA) to have old stoves refurbished to like new condition. Apple Classic Stoves, they are on Myrtle Street.
Peggy
I recently actually did a new kitchen built around an old stove very much like this one.
FUN!
This one is for sale on StoveList.com. for $3,500 OBO.
Or this one:
$ 350.00 USD
1933 Oxford Universal
I understand there is still a great place in Oakland (CA) to have old stoves refurbished to like new condition. Apple Classic Stoves, they are on Myrtle Street.
Peggy
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Quietly Taking the Garbage Out
TOH also posts on the Insinkerator Evolution garbage disposal.
I have been spec'ing ISE for decades, but I certainly have to admit that a quieter disposal would be welcome in ANY kitchen.
Peggy
I have been spec'ing ISE for decades, but I certainly have to admit that a quieter disposal would be welcome in ANY kitchen.
Peggy
Lift Oven Video
The Gaggenau Lift Oven has been out for a while, so it's nothing new. But this video from This Old House's review of the 2008 Builder's Show IS compelling...and they even let me TAKE it!
Peggy
Peggy
Friday, February 15, 2008
New French Door Fridge
Here is another European company bringing us refrigerators in the sizes Americans will buy.
Liebherr's new french door model will be introduced at KBIS in April.
Peggy
Liebherr-Export AG
CS 2062
Liebherr announces the important addition to their product line – the 2062 Series of 36” Energy Star rated refrigerators in freestanding, stainless integrated and fully-integrated models. Highlights include: French doors for better clearance; double freezer drawers with new air flow system; dual refrigeration with variable speed compressors for refrigerator & freezer; unique LED light columns and drawer LED illumination, and Glass Line 6 mm thick shelving that withstands up to 180 lbs.
Liebherr's new french door model will be introduced at KBIS in April.
Peggy
Liebherr-Export AG
CS 2062
Liebherr announces the important addition to their product line – the 2062 Series of 36” Energy Star rated refrigerators in freestanding, stainless integrated and fully-integrated models. Highlights include: French doors for better clearance; double freezer drawers with new air flow system; dual refrigeration with variable speed compressors for refrigerator & freezer; unique LED light columns and drawer LED illumination, and Glass Line 6 mm thick shelving that withstands up to 180 lbs.
New Side Opening Oven
Side opening ovens are especially convenient for wheelchair users, because they don't have to fight with the hot oven door.
Here is a new model being introduced at KBIS (the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show) in April of 2008.
Peggy
Fagor America Inc.
New 24" side door opening convection oven
The new 24” convection oven provides better access to the interior of the oven due to side opening door. The Booster function will preheat the oven to 400F in less than 5 minutes. The 3rd heating element that surrounds the 2-speed fan circulates pre-heated air around the oven for more even distribution of heat and faster cooking. It features a Stainless Steel finish with retractable controls, several cooking programs, a digital display panel, a ventilated steam outlet and child safety lock.
Here is a new model being introduced at KBIS (the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show) in April of 2008.
Peggy
Fagor America Inc.
New 24" side door opening convection oven
The new 24” convection oven provides better access to the interior of the oven due to side opening door. The Booster function will preheat the oven to 400F in less than 5 minutes. The 3rd heating element that surrounds the 2-speed fan circulates pre-heated air around the oven for more even distribution of heat and faster cooking. It features a Stainless Steel finish with retractable controls, several cooking programs, a digital display panel, a ventilated steam outlet and child safety lock.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
The Ceiling Hood Explained
Below is part of a post started over on This Old House Discussions that I would like to pull over here for further discussion.
The discussion there was about a particular brand of hood, but expanded into the functionality of hoods in general and a particular way of recessing a hood liner into attic space above a ceiling.
I wrote:
If you have attic space above the kitchen, then putting a larger vent hood recessed into the ceiling is another viable alternative that can cost considerably less than a fancy hood.
Look at
http://photoshow.comcast.net/watch/XJ7hX4Gr
for an example of how this looks (the hood is toward the end of a slide show on the remodel of Noel & Barbara Commins' kitchen in 2006).
It is an old concept brought into the 21st Century. Many old Victorian homes in San Francisco had convective skylights placed over the old range in the kitchen.
The opening needs to be framed off with double joists like a stairway.
Noel, who is a contractor, then mounted a Best hood insert in the opening. It even has a remote control!
I've been meaning to blog on this...Noel sent me all the details on the installation. Need to get to it...
When I designed Noel and Barbara's kitchen, with a cooktop on a peninsula, I planned an island hood over it. Noel was the one who came up with this idea, so I must give him credit.
In his case the installation was quite complex because there was a header (the top of a wide doorway), separating the kitchen from the breakfast nook, about six inches behind the hood location. That header had to be removed and the structure supported to install the hood in the ceiling.
Here is an elevation of the cooktop peninsula with the hood so you can see the difficulty.
Here is a side view showing how close the hood would have been to the header:
Now, the entire Commins family is TALL, so the hood hanging down between the kitchen and the nook bothered them enough that Noel gave the situation a lot of thought. That was when he decided that removing the header and opening up the ceiling, with all the attendant headaches in structural modifications would be worth the effort.
So he took out the header and wall separating the kitchen and nook, modified the structure and built this:
He used a Best PIK Series liner, (drawings below). Ingeniously, he also created a sheetrock recess in the ceiling to feed into the too-small liner to make the entire hood bigger. With a 100" ceiling height in the room the capture area should be about 13" wider and longer than the 30"x21" cooktop below (It is established that a column of smoke and steam rising off a pot on the cooktop spreads 3" for every 30" it rises - So 100" minus 36" divided by 30" times 3"). Without the sheetrock recess, the hood liner itself would have to be at minimum 43"x34". The recess also makes the metal liner in the ceiling less visible and obtrusive. Two birds with one stone!
Here is Noel's explanation of how it works for them:
"I choose BEST 42" liner with a big blower in the attic space. Discharge (10") is thru a chimney bonnet. Wow, It really works to clear the kitchen of any smoke. Also, on hot still days I run the vent to help cross ventilate the house. The 3 down lights are a pleasant addition. The whole unit is controlled by a factory supplied remote switch panel.
The unit is PIK 45. The rheostat controls motor only - lights are either on or off. The remote control allows the unit to run from "whisper quiet to serious".
Because the motor is at least 10' away from the unit there is no noise from it at all. What you hear is the whoosh of air at the high speeds, it is silent at low speeds.
My house was ideally suited for the installation. Accessible attic with stand up room. The motor unit is large - about 24" cube size - rather unbelievable! However, when it is married to the 10" ducting every thing looks right. The unit requires a separate 15Amp circuit.
Components: L4548 liner, PIK45 insert, ILB11 motor, WCPI wall mount control"
Today I received this email from a reader on TOH Discussions:
Hello, I am remodeling a kitchen and installing a 36" pro cooktop with 6 burners (Thermador).
On an advice site you wrote about a recessed hood (Noel & Barbara Commins' kitchen in 2006). I wonder is this possible for my home. Currently we are about to spend $3600.00 on a 900 cfm Best by Broan hood with a remote blower. we have 9' ceilings with an attic above the cooktop. The cooktop will be on an island.
If you think this is possible where do I start? We have a contractor that could install with specifications. Do you have specs?
Please Help!
Asha
Here is my response:
Thanks for your question Asha.
There are no specs for such an installation, other than heading off the ceiling joists like a stairwell opening to fit the size of the hood insert.
With nine foot ceilings you will want to buy the largest insert you can find because the steam and smoke column spreads as it rises. Ideally, with a 36x24 pro cooktop, the ceiling recess and insert would be about 15" larger, or minimum 51x39.
This is a structural modification to your home, since the ceiling joists hold your house together laterally. As such, your building department will likely want engineering drawings showing how the integrity of the structure will be maintained.
Call them and explain what you want to do and ask if they will require engineering.
That should be your first step after you find the hood insert you want to use and know the size needed for the opening.
An inspection of the attic area will tell you if there are any upright framing members (going up to the rafters above) bearing on the joist sections to be removed.
Some homes have truss assemblies instead of rafters and joists.
Trusses have many members going vertically on angles and are quite structural.
These MUST be modified by a licensed engineer because cutting any portion compromises the structure of the entire assembly.
Mouldings applied around the finished opening can complete the installation, or you can do it clean the way Noel did in the photograph above.
Obviously there are electrical components as well.
Noel's insert has a remote control, or you can do a switch on the side of your island.
Insulating the structure on the attic side is also a consideration.
I can do such drawings for you, but you will still need the engineer's drawings as well as I am not an engineer.
Show this post to your contractor and he will likely be able to handle it for you.
If you still need my help, give me a call.
Such an installation is a great way to have a well-functioning ventilation system without having a hood hanging down.
The same end can also be achieved by building an island sized soffitt over your island and recessing the hood insert into that. With nine foot ceilings you have room to do that as well and would not have to deal with the engineering aspects of breaking into the attic space.
Good luck and thanks for inspiring me to finish this thread!
Peggy
The discussion there was about a particular brand of hood, but expanded into the functionality of hoods in general and a particular way of recessing a hood liner into attic space above a ceiling.
I wrote:
If you have attic space above the kitchen, then putting a larger vent hood recessed into the ceiling is another viable alternative that can cost considerably less than a fancy hood.
Look at
http://photoshow.comcast.net/watch/XJ7hX4Gr
for an example of how this looks (the hood is toward the end of a slide show on the remodel of Noel & Barbara Commins' kitchen in 2006).
It is an old concept brought into the 21st Century. Many old Victorian homes in San Francisco had convective skylights placed over the old range in the kitchen.
The opening needs to be framed off with double joists like a stairway.
Noel, who is a contractor, then mounted a Best hood insert in the opening. It even has a remote control!
I've been meaning to blog on this...Noel sent me all the details on the installation. Need to get to it...
When I designed Noel and Barbara's kitchen, with a cooktop on a peninsula, I planned an island hood over it. Noel was the one who came up with this idea, so I must give him credit.
In his case the installation was quite complex because there was a header (the top of a wide doorway), separating the kitchen from the breakfast nook, about six inches behind the hood location. That header had to be removed and the structure supported to install the hood in the ceiling.
Here is an elevation of the cooktop peninsula with the hood so you can see the difficulty.
Here is a side view showing how close the hood would have been to the header:
Now, the entire Commins family is TALL, so the hood hanging down between the kitchen and the nook bothered them enough that Noel gave the situation a lot of thought. That was when he decided that removing the header and opening up the ceiling, with all the attendant headaches in structural modifications would be worth the effort.
So he took out the header and wall separating the kitchen and nook, modified the structure and built this:
He used a Best PIK Series liner, (drawings below). Ingeniously, he also created a sheetrock recess in the ceiling to feed into the too-small liner to make the entire hood bigger. With a 100" ceiling height in the room the capture area should be about 13" wider and longer than the 30"x21" cooktop below (It is established that a column of smoke and steam rising off a pot on the cooktop spreads 3" for every 30" it rises - So 100" minus 36" divided by 30" times 3"). Without the sheetrock recess, the hood liner itself would have to be at minimum 43"x34". The recess also makes the metal liner in the ceiling less visible and obtrusive. Two birds with one stone!
Here is Noel's explanation of how it works for them:
"I choose BEST 42" liner with a big blower in the attic space. Discharge (10") is thru a chimney bonnet. Wow, It really works to clear the kitchen of any smoke. Also, on hot still days I run the vent to help cross ventilate the house. The 3 down lights are a pleasant addition. The whole unit is controlled by a factory supplied remote switch panel.
The unit is PIK 45. The rheostat controls motor only - lights are either on or off. The remote control allows the unit to run from "whisper quiet to serious".
Because the motor is at least 10' away from the unit there is no noise from it at all. What you hear is the whoosh of air at the high speeds, it is silent at low speeds.
My house was ideally suited for the installation. Accessible attic with stand up room. The motor unit is large - about 24" cube size - rather unbelievable! However, when it is married to the 10" ducting every thing looks right. The unit requires a separate 15Amp circuit.
Components: L4548 liner, PIK45 insert, ILB11 motor, WCPI wall mount control"
Today I received this email from a reader on TOH Discussions:
Hello, I am remodeling a kitchen and installing a 36" pro cooktop with 6 burners (Thermador).
On an advice site you wrote about a recessed hood (Noel & Barbara Commins' kitchen in 2006). I wonder is this possible for my home. Currently we are about to spend $3600.00 on a 900 cfm Best by Broan hood with a remote blower. we have 9' ceilings with an attic above the cooktop. The cooktop will be on an island.
If you think this is possible where do I start? We have a contractor that could install with specifications. Do you have specs?
Please Help!
Asha
Here is my response:
Thanks for your question Asha.
There are no specs for such an installation, other than heading off the ceiling joists like a stairwell opening to fit the size of the hood insert.
With nine foot ceilings you will want to buy the largest insert you can find because the steam and smoke column spreads as it rises. Ideally, with a 36x24 pro cooktop, the ceiling recess and insert would be about 15" larger, or minimum 51x39.
This is a structural modification to your home, since the ceiling joists hold your house together laterally. As such, your building department will likely want engineering drawings showing how the integrity of the structure will be maintained.
Call them and explain what you want to do and ask if they will require engineering.
That should be your first step after you find the hood insert you want to use and know the size needed for the opening.
An inspection of the attic area will tell you if there are any upright framing members (going up to the rafters above) bearing on the joist sections to be removed.
Some homes have truss assemblies instead of rafters and joists.
Trusses have many members going vertically on angles and are quite structural.
These MUST be modified by a licensed engineer because cutting any portion compromises the structure of the entire assembly.
Mouldings applied around the finished opening can complete the installation, or you can do it clean the way Noel did in the photograph above.
Obviously there are electrical components as well.
Noel's insert has a remote control, or you can do a switch on the side of your island.
Insulating the structure on the attic side is also a consideration.
I can do such drawings for you, but you will still need the engineer's drawings as well as I am not an engineer.
Show this post to your contractor and he will likely be able to handle it for you.
If you still need my help, give me a call.
Such an installation is a great way to have a well-functioning ventilation system without having a hood hanging down.
The same end can also be achieved by building an island sized soffitt over your island and recessing the hood insert into that. With nine foot ceilings you have room to do that as well and would not have to deal with the engineering aspects of breaking into the attic space.
Good luck and thanks for inspiring me to finish this thread!
Peggy
Friday, January 18, 2008
The Home Appliance & Lighting Blog
I like this blogger, Steve, blogging for Yale Appliance in Boston, MA. at
The Home Appliance & Lighting Blog.
I think he is a straight shooter who would give an honest answer to an appliance question.
Try him and let me know.
Any one who reads this blog with any regularity knows how fond I am of Miele dishwashers. Take a look at this post on
The 20 Minute Dishwasher.
Peggy
The Home Appliance & Lighting Blog.
I think he is a straight shooter who would give an honest answer to an appliance question.
Try him and let me know.
Any one who reads this blog with any regularity knows how fond I am of Miele dishwashers. Take a look at this post on
The 20 Minute Dishwasher.
Peggy
Saturday, January 12, 2008
New Wolf E-Series Ovens - Flush with Cabinet Doors!
Below is the email I recently sent to Wolf regarding their intriguing new ovens, the E-Series.
Dear Wolf customer service,
I am interested in the New E-Series ovens that are shown mounted flush with cabinet doors, and have some technical questions:
Designers have been advised for years to keep cabinet doors AWAY from oven doors. Now you are showing them almost touching. It's a great look...But:
How have you overcome this issue of heat and potential damage to the adjacent cabinet doors?
Are there any differences in how the E-Series ovens can be used by consumers?
Thank You,
Peggy Deras, CKD, CID
Answer:
Dear Ms. Deras,
Thank you for your inquiry.
The new E- Series manages heat by deflecting it away from the cabinetry and towards the front and outside the oven.
The other major difference is that we now have a balanced door, which means it will stop right where you leave it, instead of dropping down suddenly.
I've included a link to our Trade Show booth:
It has several sales videos that highlight the new E Series ovens, as well as other products on the market.
Sincerely,
Customer Service Team
Wolf Appliance, Inc.
Be sure to take a look at the video on their link above. It illustrates clearly how the flush installation looks (in a wall), compared to a typical overlay installation.
NOTE: The flush installation requires a 25" deep cabinet, or the back cut out of a 24" deep cabinet. This is going to be a tricky installation everyone, but a really good looking one when done correctly.
Peggy
Dear Wolf customer service,
I am interested in the New E-Series ovens that are shown mounted flush with cabinet doors, and have some technical questions:
Designers have been advised for years to keep cabinet doors AWAY from oven doors. Now you are showing them almost touching. It's a great look...But:
How have you overcome this issue of heat and potential damage to the adjacent cabinet doors?
Are there any differences in how the E-Series ovens can be used by consumers?
Thank You,
Peggy Deras, CKD, CID
Answer:
Dear Ms. Deras,
Thank you for your inquiry.
The new E- Series manages heat by deflecting it away from the cabinetry and towards the front and outside the oven.
The other major difference is that we now have a balanced door, which means it will stop right where you leave it, instead of dropping down suddenly.
I've included a link to our Trade Show booth:
It has several sales videos that highlight the new E Series ovens, as well as other products on the market.
Sincerely,
Customer Service Team
Wolf Appliance, Inc.
Be sure to take a look at the video on their link above. It illustrates clearly how the flush installation looks (in a wall), compared to a typical overlay installation.
NOTE: The flush installation requires a 25" deep cabinet, or the back cut out of a 24" deep cabinet. This is going to be a tricky installation everyone, but a really good looking one when done correctly.
Peggy