Recirculating Cooker Hood Question

majjie

Ah well ... there's the thing ... if anybody could get a copy you wouldn't need an expert to tell you would you?

The original legislation is the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 ... but then Corgi brought in their own guidelines ... which I presume have been taken over by the Gas Safe Register. Plumbers registered with them (that's all the legal ones) have to follow their guidelines.

I think the general rule is that you follow the manufacturers instructions for any individual hob or cooker hood ... some hobs, for instance, specify an 800mm space above them ... but, if there is no specific instruction, then you follow the Corgi (Gas Safe) guidelines.

I guess it sort of makes sense, not to make them easily available - for the cowboys to use ... but it isn't very helpful to those of us who want to know.

steve99

majjie wrote: »

Twelve years ago it was common to put wall units right up to the side of an extractor that was the same width as a gas hob. These days you have to leave a 50mm gap either side of a gas hob before having any wall units fitted.

I found this on a DIY site - The new guidance still has this 50mm requirement measured from either side of the hob, but this now only extends up to a height of 460mm. This then allows a cooker hood to be fitted at a minimum height of 760mm (unless stated otherwise by either the appliance manufacturer or the hood manufacturer), but the hood needs to be the same width as the appliance being installed (i.e. 700mm wide hob, 700mm wide cooker hood).

Is this the very latest guidance ?

Steve

majjie

No, I don't think it is Steve ... the guidelines changed - or, at least, were clarified - early this year. What date was that discussion? I'd guess more than a year ago.

You really need to talk to a Gas Safe registered guy, though ... preferably the actual one you're going to use. The thing about guidelines is that, to a certain extent, they're open to interpretation.

I did some work for a local kitchen showroom in the summer ... and their guy is sticking strictly to the 50mm gap ... unless it's above the 760mm (or whatever the hob specifies) height guideline.

steve99

The discussion date of that thread was 2005.

I called the HSE department responsible for gas safety who put me on to BSI.
I called them querying the standard in question - BS 6172:2004. They asked me to email them which I have done.

I eagerly await their reply...........

steve99

Very fast response but .........

Dear
Thank you for your email. This document does contain a diagram which covers these measurements but I am unable to provide sections of the standard out of context of the whole document or interpret what they might mean. Unfortunately we don't have technical experts in the building able to advise on these issues, the committee members that create the standards are representatives of trade associations and professional bodies and do not work for BSI.

Many public libraries have either online or print access to collections of British standards so you can view the document yourself.

I'm not sure what new guidance you are referring to as this standard was issued in 2004 and amended in 2006 but has not been changed since then.
Please be aware that British Standards are published for voluntary use. Whilst these might support UK legislation and regulation, they have in themselves no regulatory status. Therefore the application of a standard is a contractual matter between the parties concerned, unless mandated by national or European regulation. You would need to agree on your understanding and use of the standard in discussion with the other parties involved, and in light of any relevant legislation.

Kind regards