Scorri a basso per l’italiano
When we built our kitchen in our new home in Arona, Italy, I went with a large induction stove with five burners as the option of methane gas is not as friendly to use as our natural gas in Canada. The kitchen, designed exactly how I wanted is very functional and when we moved in at the end of March, we had no issues and I was enjoying cooking and baking in a space that wasn’t small.
By September, I started having issues with condensation all over the backsplash and kitchen cupboards. To the point that drops were leaking from the hood fan and I knew this wasn’t normal. I called Blu SRL our contractor and they sent Fabio over to take a look. He went up on to the roof to make sure the fan was pumping air out which it was, he sealed the fan pipe better and said everything looks good.
Well next time I made pasta, condensation everywhere. Blu called the manufacture and they called me. I explained what was happening and the girl told me I have the wrong fan for the induction stove. How could this be? When in Canada my mom had same type of stove and just a regular fan and there was no issue. She just told me, there are special fans for induction and I don’t have it. OK, I said to her, then why have I had no issues for five months and all of a sudden, I have issues. She said she would send a technician and he will tell me the same thing. Appointment was booked for the next day.
Of course, I didn’t want to look stupid when he came, so I did my own research on induction stoves and fans in Italy. Sure enough, YES there are special hood fans for the stove, but not because of the induction, but because of the cold in the house. Let me explain further….In Italy the houses are made of brick and cement, there is NO insulation. Very annoying because you can hear your neighbours all the time.
Back to the kitchen, the vent that goes into the wall from the hood to the outside isn’t insulated. Science tells us condensation happens when vapour changes from gas to liquid due to a sudden drop in temperature, occurring when steam comes in contact with cold surface. The temperature difference between the hot cooking fumes and the cold surface of the hood not the suction capacity of the fan is causing the condensation. This is more common in induction stoves because the hobs only heat the cooking pot and its contents, not the surrounding air. Where as gas stoves heat the surrounding air, which in turn heats up the duct, preventing the formation of condensation.
Well now this makes sense. In Canada, our vents are fully insulated and this never occurs, but in Europe where there is no isolation and the homes are a lot cooler than Canada, this is an issue. Of course, when the technician came, I let him explain all to me and it was exactly what I found. I had him leave me the recommendation so I could send it to Blu to have the fan replaced.
Blu learned something new, and they quickly ordered a new fan and with the replacement, I can have as many burners going at a time and no condensation. The trials and tribulations of living in Italy, but thankfully issue is resolved and I can cook to my hearts content.
When we built our kitchen in our new home in Arona, Italy, I went with a large induction stove with five burners as the option of methane gas is not as friendly to use as our natural gas in Canada. The kitchen, designed exactly how I wanted is very functional and when we moved in at the end of March, we had no issues and I was enjoying cooking and baking in a space that wasn’t small.
By September, I started having issues with condensation all over the backsplash and kitchen cupboards. To the point that drops were leaking from the hood fan and I knew this wasn’t normal. I called Blu SRL our contractor and they sent Fabio over to take a look. He went up on to the roof to make sure the fan was pumping air out which it was, he sealed the fan pipe better and said everything looks good.
Well next time I made pasta, condensation everywhere. Blu called the manufacture and they called me. I explained what was happening and the girl told me I have the wrong fan for the induction stove. How could this be? When in Canada my mom had same type of stove and just a regular fan and there was no issue. She just told me, there are special fans for induction and I don’t have it. OK, I said to her, then why have I had no issues for five months and all of a sudden, I have issues. She said she would send a technician and he will tell me the same thing. Appointment was booked for the next day.
Of course, I didn’t want to look stupid when he came, so I did my own research on induction stoves and fans in Italy. Sure enough, YES there are special hood fans for the stove, but not because of the induction, but because of the cold in the house. Let me explain further….In Italy the houses are made of brick and cement, there is NO insulation. Very annoying because you can hear your neighbours all the time.
Back to the kitchen, the vent that goes into the wall from the hood to the outside isn’t insulated. Science tells us condensation happens when vapor changes from gas to liquid due to a sudden drop in temperature, occurring when steam comes in contact with cold surface. The temperature difference between the hot cooking fumes and the cold surface of the hood not the suction capacity of the fan is causing the condensation. This is more common in induction stoves because the hobs only heat the cooking pot and its contents, not the surrounding air. Where as gas stoves heat the surrounding air, which in turn heats up the duct, preventing the formation of condensation.
Well now this makes sense. In Canada, our vents are fully insulated and this never occurs, but in Europe where there is no isolation and the homes are a lot cooler than Canada, this is an issue. Of course, when the technician came, I let him explain all to me and it was exactly what I found. I had him leave me the recommendation so I could send it to Blu to have the fan replaced.
Blu learned something new, and they quickly ordered a new fan and with the replacement, I can have as many burners going at a time and no condensation. The trials and tribulations of living in Italy, but thankfully issue is resolved and I can cook to my hearts content.
Here is a TikTok video and photos of our kitchen fan issue and resolution - Ecco un video TikTok e le foto del problema e della risoluzione del nostra cappa da cucina
Fornello a Induzione e Cappa
Quando abbiamo costruito la nostra cucina nella nostra casa ad Arona, in Italia, ho optato per un grande fornello a induzione con cinque fuochi, poiché l'opzione del gas metano non è così facile da usare come il nostro gas naturale in Canada. La cucina, progettata esattamente come volevo, è molto funzionale e quando ci siamo trasferiti alla fine di marzo, non abbiamo avuto problemi e mi sono divertita a cucinare e cuocere in uno spazio che non era piccolo.
A settembre, ho iniziato ad avere problemi di condensa su tutto il paraschizzi e gli armadi della cucina. Al punto che le gocce fuoriuscivano del ventilatore e sapevo che non era normale. Ho chiamato Blu SRL, il nostro appaltatore, e hanno mandato Fabio a dare un'occhiata. È salito sul tetto per assicurarsi che il ventilatore pompava aria fuori e così è stato, ha sigillato meglio il tubo della ventola e ha detto che tutto sembra a posto.
Beh la prossima volta che ho fatto la pasta, condensa dappertutto. Blu ha chiamato la manifattura e loro mi hanno chiamato. Ho spiegato cosa stava succedendo e la ragazza mi ha detto che ho il ventilatore sbagliata per il fornello a induzione. Com'è possibile? Quando in Canada mia madre aveva lo stesso tipo di stufa e ventilatore normale e non c'è stato alcun problema. Mi ha appena detto che ci sono cappa speciali per l'induzione e io non ce l'ho. Ok, le ho detto, allora perché non ho avuto problemi per cinque mesi e all'improvviso ho problemi. Ha detto che manda il tecnico e lui spiegherà. L'appuntamento è stato fissato per il giorno successivo.
Naturalmente, non volevo sembrare stupida quando è arrivato, quindi ho fatto le mie ricerche sui fornelli a induzione e sui ventilatori in Italia. Certo, SI ci sono ventilatori speciali per la cappa per la stufa, ma non a causa dell'induzione, ma a causa del freddo in casa. Mi spiego meglio....In Italia le case sono fatte di mattoni e cemento, NON c'è isolamento. Molto fastidioso perché puoi sentire i tuoi vicini tutto il tempo.
Tornando alla cucina, lo sfiato che va nel muro dalla cappa verso l'esterno non è isolato. La scienza ci dice che la condensa si verifica quando il vapore passa da gas a liquido a causa di un improvviso calo di temperatura, che si verifica quando il vapore entra in contatto con una superficie fredda. La differenza di temperatura tra i fumi caldi di cottura e la superficie fredda della cappa, non la capacità di aspirazione del ventilatore, sta causando la condensa. Questo è più comune nei fornelli a induzione perché i piani cottura riscaldano solo la pentola e il suo contenuto, non l'aria circostante. Dove come stufe a gas riscaldano l'aria circostante, che a sua volta riscalda il condotto, impedendo la formazione di condensa.
Bene, ora questo ha senso. In Canada, le nostre prese d'aria sono completamente isolate e questo non succeed mai, ma in Europa, dove non c'è isolamento e le case sono molto più fresche del Canada, questo è un problema. Naturalmente, quando è arrivato il tecnico, mi sono fatto spiegare tutto ed è stato esattamente quello che ho trovato. Gli ho fatto lasciare la raccomandazione in modo che potessi inviarla a Blu per sostituire la cappa.
Blu ha imparato qualcosa di nuovo e ha ordinato rapidamente una nuova cappa e con la sostituzione, posso avere tutti i bruciatori che vanno alla volta senza condensa. Le prove e le tribolazioni di vivere in Italia, ma per fortuna il problema è risolto e posso cucinare a mio piacimento.
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