Induction hob "hot zone" clearance

[aelita]

I’m embarking on my first kitchen renovation project and facing a bit of a dilemma (well, multiple dilemmas, in fact, but I shall start with this one). Very much hoping that some of you wise people will know the answer.

 

My kitchen is relatively small and open plan with the living room. It currently has 600mm electric hob which I will be exchanging for an induction one of the same size. There is no gas connection to the kitchen at all. In the existing setup there is line of wall units at 630mm clearance above the hob. The one directly above it is 600mm wide and houses a built-in extractor. The existing setup works well for me, both esthetically and ergonomically.

 

I’ve now been to several kitchen planning appointments, and in every single one of them the designers insisted that the unit above the hob must be 800mm wide to allow for 100mm clearance over the hob on each side, quoting the building regulations for the ‘hot zone’.  This, unfortunately, messes up my wall unit layout quite significantly.

 

The building I’m in is less than ten years old, and the current layout must have been compliant when the kitchen was put in by the builder.  I’ve been trying to locate the regulation they are all quoting but all I have been able to find is some guidance specific to gas hobs. Hence my questions:

 

-        Is it indeed true that I can’t replicate my current layout because it is no longer compliant with the regs?

-        Does anyone know what specific regulation applies here and where I can have a look at it?

-        If there is no regulation covering it, any ideas why do the kitchen planners insist on it?

-        Is there such a thing as the mandated minimum hob to cabinet clearance or is that dictated by the maximum recommended between the hob and the extractor?

Edited October 18, 2021 by aelita

[SteamyTea]

Welcome

 

Building Regulations are here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/approved-documents

 

 

[aelita]

Thank you, SteamyTea!

The only reference to the hob clearance I can find in them is this: Cooker hoods should be 650 mm to 750 mm above the hob surface (or follow manufacturer instructions).  Searching for "hot zone" reference yielded no results.

My current clearance is 20mm short of the requirement but I could put a reduced height unit there if necessary. I can't find anything about the 100mm clearance to each side of the hob though. Also, the regs are dated 2010, which precedes the completion of the building I'm in. 

Does this mean I'm being told porkies by the kitchen designers? Or am I missing something?

I am in Scotland, in case it makes any difference.

Edited October 18, 2021 by aelita

[Conor]

Take anything a kitchen designer says with a pinch of salt. They are not the experts on electrical or building regs. We were told by almost all kitchen designers that we couldn't have a prep sink within 1200mm of our hob. Completely made up myth that seems to be ingrained in the industry.

[SteamyTea]

I am wondering if they are talking about 'Safe Zones' which are electrical regs. The places you can and can't fit switches  outlets, cables etc.

Being a chef, I will say, that it is useful, for that odd occasion that you are using 3 or 4 zones to be able to turn the pan handles around so they are not over something hot. 

So maybe a smaller hob may make life easier.

[aelita]

Off me goes to research the safe zones and electrical regulations...

And still nothing ? Safe zones apply to wiring - not an issue in my case as the wires are all in the right place already and there are no adjacent sockets, switches etc.

I'm just trying to figure out if the layout I already have is compliant, and it seems that it is.

 

Edited October 18, 2021 by aelita

[PeterW]

This is not in the building regulations and an induction hob poses less of a heat risk than a gas hob, and they are probably trying to protect the edges of the cabinet. 

[TonyT]

Plus 1 above. It’s to stop the underside of the kitchen units being destroyed and to comply with gas regs

 

https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/help-and-advice/gas-cooker-and-hob-appliance-guide/

Edited October 18, 2021 by TonyT

[Marvin]

Manufacturers installation instruction may require more than building regulations. I always try to find a copy of the installation instructions before buying to ensure what ever I think I can do, I can, with what I want to buy.

 

Too many times the manufacture installation instructions have "special" requirements which must be adhered to.

[aelita]

Looked at the instructions for Bosch induction hobs. None appear to specify the minimum clearance. I'm keeping the existing integrated extractor and assuming it was fitted within the manufacturer's guidance, seeing as it's been here from new. So it must be to protect the cabinets...
Now, how can I get around this and still get the kitchen I want? Would ordering from an online place be a solution?

[Marvin]

Yes, checked our induction hob instructions and the same, so extending the gap between the wall units not a problem but keep an eye on the extractor instructions. 

[PeterW]

2 hours ago, aelita said:

Now, how can I get around this and still get the kitchen I want? Would ordering from an online place be a solution?

tell the designer to back off ..??

 

Unless they can give you the legal position, then it’s all their own opinion. 

[Mr Punter]

There are some rules of thumb in kitchen design but they are not law.  In a small kitchen there are often compromises and if you are happy with the current setup, don't change it.

 

Why are you changing your current kitchen if it is less than 10 years old?  They should be good for 15+.

[aelita]

4 hours ago, Mr Punter said:

 

Why are you changing your current kitchen if it is less than 10 years old?  They should be good for 15+.

Mostly because I want to maximise the space. The current kitchen is the cheapest the builder could get away with. Was fine while I was renting the place, but now that I've bought it, I want better spec and minor layout changes.

[KitchenPotcher]

I'm looking for advice on whether you can have wall units adjoining a unit housing a cooker hood above a hob.  And it looks like Aelita asked the same question 3 years ago!

 

We are doing a complete refurbishment of a 24 year old kitchen.  And probably going to buy a 600mm Bosch telescopic cooker hood -recirculating because we cannot vent outside - above a 600mm Bosch induction hob above a 600mm Bosch oven. 

 

The hood will be 650mm above the hob. 

 

So I am wondering whether there are any updated views out there about whether there needs to be a gap on either side of the cooker hood unit i.e. between that and other wall units.

 

 

[Mike]

15 minutes ago, KitchenPotcher said:

So I am wondering whether there are any updated views out there about whether there needs to be a gap on either side of the cooker hood unit i.e. between that and other wall units.

AFAIK there's nothing official. Personally I'd allow 100 to 150mm either side or - for a similar distance & potentially better filtering - choose a wider hood than the hob. For example 600mm hob + 900mm hood.