We’ve got the perfect solution for your passive home ventilation system
In recent years, the demand for passive homes has risen dramatically. We’re more aware then ever of our ecological footprint on the environment and consequently more people are looking for ways to reduce it in clever and innovative ways.
Exhaust air systems are recommended for low-energy buildings such as passive houses.
The recently released Naber THERMOBOX is a nifty little product that packs a big punch when it comes to this relatively new way of designing and building homes.
Designed to close when it’s not in use and open when air pressure builds, Thermobox has been approved for passive homes as they prevent flow and heat loss when the vents are not in use and closed. Ideal for areas that can be windy, as well as avoiding rain and preventing rodents, their insulation effect is comparable with that of double glazed windows. With their defined opening pressure of >65 Pa, they won’t vibrate or rattle with high wind loads, but they’ll also fully open even with low air flow rates. Their innovative magnetic opening and closing mechanism ensures smooth transitions.
When compared to standard backflow traps, they lose 20x less heat and this combined with their heat insulating reflective layer makes them extremely energy efficient. They fully seal when closed, which ensures that cold air from outside doesn’t come in, while at the same time preventing heat loss from the warmer inside environment your home. They are compatible with almost all ventilation appliances available on the market and offer several options for installation. The air ducts can be installed invisibly in ceilings and cabinets or as visible room elements.
This is one of those products that might be easily overlooked if you didn’t know what you were looking for. Don’t let this small, seemingly insignificant item fool you, it’s one of the keystones to having an energy efficient ventilation system.
Get better results and reduce noise with Naber ducting
Ducting can make a significant impact to the performance of a rangehood. We all know that rangehoods are required now in any new homes, or existing homes where these are rented out. However a lot of people actually don’t realise that the ducting can make a significant contribution to the overall performance of the rangehood.
Most often people will pick a rangehood that they like the look of, has all the bells and whistles and is priced within their budget, and they think that is the end of the matter. However in the 18 years we’ve been in business, the majority of complaints we get around rangehoods is for what people believe is poor performance. However in a high percentage of these cases, it’s not actually the rangehood at fault but more the way in which it was installed or ducted.
Quite often trouble begins when a run-of-the-mill ducting kit is picked up from the local DIY store and it’s installed without any calculation to how this will affect the performance of the rangehood. Bends that are too tight, ducting too far and flimsy ducting which isn’t sealed are the main contributing factors when performance issues happen.
The traditional household only requires approx. 500 cubic m/hr of extraction. Clearly this alters based on the size of the room, airflow, what they cook and how often they cook. The design of the kitchen also affects the extraction of the rangehood efficiency.
How can I improve my extraction to get better use out of my rangehood?
There are a number of things you can do to improve your performance so that your rangehood is working as effective as it possibly can:
1. The rangehood should have a larger width of ‘vents’ compared to the size of the cooktop
2. The further away the rangehood is placed, or motor for that instance, has a substantial impact
3. The ducting and type of ducting you use can have a significant impact.
Here at Ikon we always recommend rigid ducting. This is because normal aluminium ducting creates hole-vents which allows the air to stop and get caught up in the creases of the aluminium, whereby Naber ducting is free from creases.
The biggest issue we see is bends in the ducting. When installing ducting we find to make installation easier, ducting can be bent too far. This means the air flow hits the edge of the bend and struggles its way around the corner, thereby reducing the air flow significantly. With Naber, in all bends there are internal wind bends to allow the flow of air to move quicker around the corner. The Naber ducting doesn’t pierce and is sealed within each other (male and female ends), so they clip in and air flow cannot exit the ducting.
The last consideration is when a rangehood has to work harder to extract air that’s getting blocked in the ducting, this in turn also creates more noise. So often we hear people saying ‘my rangehood is like a jet engine so we don’t use it’. A 3 speed rangehood will always be noisier than rangehoods that have more speeds, but ducting will also have a huge impact on the noise levels. It is now possible to filter rangehoods by the number of speed settings on our rangehood collection overview page. If you’re looking for some serious capacity, our IK79.9 powerpacks have nine speeds!
AIRFLOW POWER
We are now seeing the kitchen industry taking particular care when planning kitchens making sure to discuss ducting with the homeowner at the design stage. Not many people know that you can achieve an extra 10-15% increase in flow and decrease in noise by using the right ducting for your rangehood.
The airflow power required normally depends on the size of kitchen and type of cooking. The correct airflow for your specific kitchen can be easily worked out.
Simply multiply the volume of the kitchen by ten and you will obtain the ideal airflow for that room.
For example, for a kitchen of 3m x 4m with a height of 2.7m: (3 x 4 x 2.7) x 10 = 324. In this case, any Ikon cooker hood with airflow equal to or superior to 324 m3/h will therefore guarantee the complete and efficient ventilation of the room. For a large family, for those who love cooking as an art, or where a group of friends are gathered together in a spacious kitchen to experiment with some exotic recipes, the hood capacity should be over 500 m3/h.
Effective capture of cooking fumes also depends on the correct use of the product, where the product is mounted, what you are cooking and how and how the rangehood is ducted.
PASSIVE HOMES
Exhaust air systems are recommended for low-energy buildings such as passive houses.
The Naber THERMOBOX is designed to keep the warmth inside when the extractor hood is not in use, while it effectively conducts the exhaust air to the outside when in operation. Naber systems are compatible with almost all cooker hoods available on the market and offer several options for installation. The air ducts can be installed invisibly in ceilings and cabinets or as visible room elements. They are energy efficient exhaust systems that have a vent that closes when not in use. They have been specifically approved for use in passive homes.
Kitchens are the heart of the home, and the kitchen island is the heart of the kitchen – a central hub where people gather to prepare food, to eat and chat. Therefore, it’s important that it is as functional and practical as it is beautiful. If you’re planning on installing a cooktop into your island benchtop we’ve a great option to keep the fumes at bay not only efficiently but also stylishly.
Illumahoods are the perfect solution for use over island benchtops as they’re easy to install – just hang, plug in and they’re ready to use. This is due to the fact that they’re recirculating, which means they don’t requiring ducting on the wall or ceiling. Unlike ducted rangehoods, which vent air to the outside, recirculating rangehoods consist of a fan with an activated charcoal filter. The fan sucks up grease particles, heat, smells, and smoke – then the filter cleans the air particles and recirculates them back into the kitchen. These activated carbon filters are also easy to clean – just regenerate them in the dishwasher on a hot wash (without detergent).
Illumahoods also feature powerful LED lighting to beautifully illuminate any kitchen. The Neat models have an 87 watt LED stripe light which filters through the tempered glass and the Pure models have two 2.5 watt LED lights. Like most other Ikon rangehoods, Illumahoods are packed with helpful features like remote control, timer function (turns off after 15 minutes) and they’ll even tell you when the filters require cleaning.
We have two models to choose from Neat (square) and Pure (round). Both models are available in either black or white and have an adjustable height ranging from 650mm to 2000mm. Neat has a squarer shape and is slightly smaller (470mm wide) than the Pure model. They also have a marginally smaller net capacity of 659m3/hour. Neat Illumahoods also feature a USB charging remote control. As well as being a little larger at 502mm, Pure has a round design and a slightly more powerful net capacity of 697m3/hour.
So really, it just comes down to which shape and colour you prefer as either model will be perfectly suitable for hanging over your kitchen island bench cooktop.
Downdrafts are ideal for
those who have windows behind their cooking space allowing you to take full advantage of the view outside. An open-plan kitchen
design, without an overhead rangehood, can also make it easier for guests to
socialise in the kitchen and for you to interact as you cook.
Steam expands as it rises so the closer you can extract, the less amount of airflow is required. This is what makes downdrafts quieter to run, as less speeds are required. We have a model that rises up out of the bench when turned on, this model features LED lights and can be recirculated (IK56).
We also have models that do not rise out of the benchtop (IK63, for remote motor). Choosing a model with a remote motor will not only free up valuable cupboard space, but they’re also quieter to run and give you more ducting options. While this model is more cost effective and discrete, they should only be installed with induction or ceramic cooktops – their lower profile would cause too much heat reduction with gas burners. We’d recommend our models that rise up out of the benchtop in combination with gas cooktops.
If you’re looking for the next level up, Flow-In’s are the answer to a streamlined kitchen look. The induction cooktop with built-in downdraft makes clunky rangehoods a thing of the past. The hob and hood integrated in one body enables a practical installation plus easy cleaning thanks to the detachable inner body. Downdrafts are often perceived as less effective which is not the case as it depends entirely on where the downdraft is located in relation to the cooking. The most effective rangehoods on the market, in our opinion, are the ones where the downdraft is positioned in the middle of the cooking area as it has to work less to extract fumes being positioned right at the source. In comparison, a canopy rangehood or ceiling rangehood have to work a lot harder to extract steam and cooking vapours in which case most people increase speed which in return increases the noise.
Our 3416 & 3417 models may be smaller in dimension when compared to our 3413 version, but they have a larger cooking surface. Both sides of the induction cooktop can be ‘bridged’ having the entire surface cooking at once. They also have a slightly longer extractor then the 3413 model. These extractors can be manipulated to focus ventilation to one side or leave it flat if both sides are working at once.
With the versatile installation of a
downdraft extraction system, you can install a cooktop almost anywhere, and
allow for a truly open-plan kitchen.
A quick overview of some features & benefits of downdrafts
Whether you are remodeling your kitchen or building a new apartment, it’s highly recommended that you install a recirculating rangehood. They easy to install because they don’t requiring ducting on the wall or ceiling.
Unlike a ducted rangehood, which vents air to the outside, a recirculating rangehood consists of a fan with a charcoal filter that sucks up grease particles, heat, smells, and smoke, filters it, and then recirculates it back into the kitchen.
Here are some of the top benefits:
Environmentally friendly Ikon’s recirculating options for rangehoods are environment-friendly due to the fact that the heated or conditioned air they filter is not released to the atmosphere.
The steam, heat, and smoke that are produced in
the kitchen won’t be released outside of the kitchen. They suck up most of
these particles and filter them. In essence, they’re a form of air
recycling.
Affordable Buying one won’t cut deep into your pockets. This is because you don’t have to create ducts in your kitchen or pay for any additional ducting accessories.
With advances in technology, nowadays Carbon
Filters last longer and be can regenerated by placing them in the oven – in fact,
most of Ikon rangehoods offer this option.
Versatile Recirculating rangehoods are not only a sustainable option, but they are also a versatile option that is ideal for concrete ceilings and apartments. This is because ducting isn’t required and there are no holes to cut out.
Being
ductless, they suit apartments when there is no external wall, so you don’t need to worry about installing
it near any pipe or ducts that reach the outside.
Easy to install Because there isn’t any ducting to install, they only require a power source. This makes recirculating rangehoods a fantastic option for remodelling projects.
The world is not uniform, personalities differ and our individual needs require responses in multiple dimensions. The Kleenmaid oven range offers multiple options to cater to the varying needs of every family & kitchen.
With solutions in terms of simple functions to intuitive advanced cooking controls, there is a Kleenmaid oven perfectly suited to your every need. There are three standard sizes; 45cm, 60cm and 90cm, each with multiple features.
1. Value for money
When compared to similar products in the same price range Kleenmaid ovens have more features and cooking functions
They come with accessories as standard (that would otherwise cost you hundreds of dollars)
Longer warranty period than most others (36 months)
Larger oven capacity than most similarly priced products
2. They’re economical to run
Both of Kleenmaid’s
Hydrolytic ovens feature an ‘Eco Residual heat function’ which is designed to
reduce energy costs. When activated, it turns off all the engaged heating
elements five minutes before the end of cooking time using the residual heat in
the oven to complete the cooking cycle.
They are cheaper to
run as the cleaning cycle is only 30 minutes, not 3 hours so they use less
energy.
Lower cleaning temperatures
of 250°C as opposed to 470°C means less wear on oven electronics and hardware.
Most of the Kleenmaid
ovens come with an ‘auto boost function’ which quickly heats the oven to 150°C
in only four minutes
3. They’re ecological
All Kleenmaid ovens
are nickel free, toxin free and hydrolytic cleaning doesn’t require the use of any
nasty chemicals
Hydrolytic cleaning is
by far quicker, cheaper, and gentler on the oven and the most ecological
compared to other ‘self cleaning’ methods
4. They use cutting edge technology
At the forefront of today’s cooking technology are steam/convection ovens. Steam is one of the healthiest ways to cook a meal. Traditional ovens pull moisture out of the food as it cooks, while in a steam oven food is cooked in its own juices, enhancing flavour and retaining nutrients. Ikon have a range of steam ovens to choose from.
Aside from the benefits of hydrolytic cleaning, most Kleenmaid ovens feature EzyKleen Oleophobic enamel (oil repelling) which has been scientifically proven to repel grease and dirt, making cleaning up a breeze.
5. Safe for the entire family
Thermal Reflective
Glass ensures the heat is retained within the oven and not lost through the
glass, meaning fingers won’t be burnt if the oven is accidentally touched
during cooking
Wall mounted ovens can
be placed in multiple locations and accessible heights
They can also be
aligned with the adjacent countertop, reducing the need to bend or lift.
You also may be able
to reduce accidents by installing a pullout counter directly underneath the
oven, making it easy to set dishes down as soon as they are pulled from the
oven.
6. A real space saver
One of our products that epitomises the true meaning of versatile is our steam/convection/microwave oven. It can bake, steam, grill or simply microwave – this oven boasts 11 conventional cooking, 8 steam and an impressive 80 auto cooking menus. It also has a generous oven capacity of 35 litres. It ticks an impressive amount of boxes and replaces the necessity for multiple appliances filling valuable kitchen space.
The layout of your kitchen will determine whether your rangehood can be mounted on a wall, incorporated into your cabinets, suspended from the ceiling or installed into your benchtop.
By that we mean that windows, ceilings, cooking on island unit or wall unit, and the position of your kitchen in relation to your home all contribute to what rangehood options you have available to you. This is where a kitchen designer’s experience is invaluable and will help with your options prior to design.
One of the main considerations is what option is more effective and less noisy.
In our experience remote motor options are always the quietest because the motor is positioned somewhere other than where it is extracting, so reduces the noise of the motor. Traditionally canopy hoods have always been the noisiest because the motor is positioned at head level so will be louder.
We find that a rangehood with only three speeds is generally speaking nosier as the extraction goes up in larger increments meaning it is all or nothing.
If you intend to go with a traditional canopy or island rangehood then look for something with more speed levels to combat the motor being at head height level or opt for the ones that offer remote motor options.
Ducting
Another important consideration is the ducting of your rangehood which is unfortunately often an afterthought. Builders tend to put in flexible ducting which has a significant impact on the flow and noise of a rangehood, especially if it is more of a technical design.
We are now seeing the kitchen industry taking particular care when planning kitchens making sure to discuss ducting with the homeowner at the design stage. Not many people know that you can achieve an extra 10-15% increase in flow and decrease in noise by using the right ducting for your rangehood. There are companies out there who specialise in just the installation of rangehoods and install rigid ducting to achieve this.
Extraction Rate
We have also seen consumers get smarter at interpreting what is marketing spin and specifications.
Years ago everyone just looked at extraction rates of rangehoods and compared extraction rates only. Now people are asking whether these are gross figures or net extraction figures.
Gross means what the motor is capable of extracting but not necessary what the rangehood extracts once it is installed. Whereby others market it as net rate, meaning what the rangehood can extract with the motor in it.
Types of Rangehoods
Integrated Rangehoods
The ultimate solution is the introduction of downdraft in the center of the cooking zone with a remote motor.
The Flow-In induction hob is a hi-performance extraction system that quickly removes the fumes from your cooking surface. Steam rises at one meter per second, the Flow-In extracts at four meters per second. This type of integrated rangehood works well for kitchen island cooking where an overhead option might not be practical.
The Flow-In allows for easy cleaning thanks to the detachable inner body.
Downdraft Extractors
Downdraft extractors are a perfect solution for kitchen layouts where you can’t duct up. Generally, these require a lot of room in the cabinetry below the unit for the motor unless purchasing a remote motor option. Also ideal for those who have windows behind their cooking space.
With a touch of a button, the extractor can be raised out of the benchtop when needed and provides a powerful extraction solution while creating a modern and uncluttered look.
Downdrafts are often perceived as less effective which is not the case as it depends entirely on where the downdraft is located in relation to the cooking. The most effective rangehoods on the market, in our opinion, are the ones where the downdraft is positioned in the middle of the cooking area as it has to work less to extract fumes being positioned right at the source. In comparison, a canopy rangehood or ceiling rangehood have to work a lot harder to extract steam and cooking vapours in which case most people increase speed which in return increases the noise.
Ceiling Rangehoods
Installing your rangehood straight into your kitchen ceiling is a growing trend. With minimalism in mind, these type of rangehoods provide effective extraction power through targeted air extraction while taking up no additional kitchen space.
Some models can be used with a remote motor to minimise noise. Ceiling rangehoods are ideal for kitchen islands. These can be positioned up to three meters high, however, the higher you are from your cooking area, the less effective they are.
Ceiling rangehoods are currently one of the only viable options when you want a freestanding oven with cooktop with a window behind but don’t have enough wall cavity space for a canopy / wall unit. Make sure to always discuss your extraction options with your kitchen designer before purchasing.
Power Packs
Power Packs are powerful built-in extractors that are installed directly into your cabinetry for a seamless, unassuming look. These are ideal when you want to ‘hide away’ the rangehood to create a streamlined look. Some models can be used with a remote motor to minimise noise.
Slide-Out / Retractable Rangehoods
Slide-out rangehoods are real space savers and a great option if you have a narrow or small kitchen as they sit neatly underneath a cupboard and can pulled out when needed to eliminate steam and odours.
Traditionally, these have had low extraction and made excessive noise, however we are seeing newer models on the market with higher extraction rates.
Canopy Rangehoods / Wall Units & Island Rangehood
A canopy rangehood is a type of rangehood that forms a canopy over the cooktop and is usually made of stainless steel. These can be installed in the wall or can be installed into the ceiling. This type is effective and efficient however can be an eyesore.
Airflow Power
The airflow power required normally depends on the size of kitchen and type of cooking. The correct airflow for your specific kitchen can be easily worked out. Simply multiply the volume of the kitchen by ten and you will obtain the ideal airflow for that room.
For example, for a kitchen of 3m x 4m with a height of 2.7m: (3 x 4 x 2.7) x 10 = 324. In this case, any Ikon cooker hood with airflow equal to our superior to 324 m3/h will therefore guarantee the complete and efficient ventilation of the room. For a large family, for those who love cooking as an art, or where a group of friends are gathered together in a spacious kitchen to experiment with some exotic recipes, the hood capacity should be over 500 m3/h. Effective capture of cooking fumes also depends on the correct use of the product, where the product is mounted, what you are cooking and how and how the rangehood is ducted.
Types of Ducting – Ducted vs. Recirculated
Ducting a rangehood can be either ducted through the eaves, wall or roof. The ducted version will carry the steam, vapours and oils to the outside vent and remove them from the kitchen, whereas the recirculated version captures the air, purifies it through charcoal filters and sends it back into the kitchen environment.
Where possible we always recommend a rangehood is ducted as opposed to recirculated, however sometimes this is not possible. To duct a rangehood is always more expensive to begin with but nothing is required after the installation. However, with the recirculated versions, you do need to replace filters on a regular basis which becomes an ongoing cost and inconvenience to replace.
The ducted version must be connected to the outside through ducting that carries all the captured air from the house. This requires piping with a sufficiently large diameter at least 125mm (though 150mm is preferred). The piping must also not be too long or tortuous, otherwise the aerodynamic resistance of the passage can cause “power loss”, that is cubic metres of lost airflow.
Piping is not required for the recirculated version, since the captured air is purified through the rangehood’s active carbon filters and then returned to the kitchen environment. In this version it is extremely important to observe correct maintenance of the odour filters, and to replace them when necessary.
Most Ikon models are designed to work for both versions of ducting.
Remote Motor to Minimise Noise
The only way your rangehood can be silent is to have a remote motor. The noise of a rangehood comes from the motor located just inside your rangehood. You will always have some noise in a rangehood, which would be the actual air movement through the vents provided to extract, but it is significantly reduced with a remote motor.
The higher the extraction, the noisier your rangehood will be unless you remove the motor from its rangehood body and place it somewhere else in the house. Note, remote motors are brand specific.
Anything that cleans itself sounds like a good idea, especially when it comes to ovens. Usually the term ‘self-cleaning’ refers to the pyrolytic cleaning method which is often falsely claimed to be the latest on the market, whereas in fact it debuted back in the 60s.
There are pros and cons to the different technologies on the market with pyrolytic and steam cleaning being the most known ones. Let’s have a closer look:
Pyrolytic Cleaning
Pyrolytic cleaning works by heating the inside of the oven upwards of 400°C for 2-4 hours reducing grease and food residue to ash that can be wiped off. Sounds easy – the downside is that the high temperatures can damage the oven’s enamel over time and the duration of the cleaning cycle is not very energy efficient. Additionally, the high heat can result in smoke and odours and the ash residue can remain in the crevices of the oven.
Steam Cleaning
Steam cleaning is another popular ‘self-cleaning’ technology which uses water and heat to create steam that helps release food residue from enamel coated oven walls. A steam cleaning cycle only takes up to an hour, often less, at only around 120°C without creating smoke or odours. The downside is that this method is not as thorough as pyrolytic cleaning.
Catalytic Cleaning
The catalytic cleaning method is another method. Catalytic ovens have a rough lining that absorb grease when the temperature rises above 200°C. Advantages are that this method quick (15 minutes), however, additional manual cleaning is necessary and the catalytic walls have a limited lifespan of about 5 years when they need replacing.
Hydrolytic™ Cleaning & EzyKleen
Hydrolytic™ cleaning technology, a trademark of Australia’s premier kitchen appliance brand Kleenmaid, is in essence the same as steam cleaning. However, Kleenmaid’s ovens combine steam cleaning with the use of oleophobic oven enamels (EzyKleen technology) which naturally repel grease from the oven walls and are Nickel and toxin free. Kleenmaid is the only brand who combine the two technologies in New Zealand.
This method is by far quicker, cheaper, gentler on the oven and the most ecological.
But one thing is for sure, no matter what type of ‘self-cleaning’ oven you choose, it will always require the owner to clean it / wipe it down after a cleaning cycle and the best prevention of a super dirty oven is always to clean it after every use.
The Kleenmaid oven range is now available in New Zealand exclusively through Ikon.
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