Browse Forums Kitchen Corner 1 Apr 16, 2010 4:49 pm Hi, I am planning to renovate and starting to get ideas to design my kitchen. I was wondering if anyone knows if there are any rules or regulations, like safety stuff that I have to comply with the laws? or would anyone know where I can dig up this info? Thank you David Re: Kitchen Design Regulations??? 2Apr 16, 2010 7:11 pm There are a few rules that need to be followed by law for a "safe" kitchen and these are described in (Australian/New Zealand Standard) AS/NZS 4386.1+2 : 1996 Can be bought from SAI Global but should also be findable in your state library and possibly even you local reference centre. People in possession of a "personal user license" copy can provide advice quoting these standards but are not allowed to store, distribute or use them on any network. In my opinion if you really want to read, know and understand these rules then it is not a great outlay, but if you only need this information for a one-of job then your time and money might be better spent discussing your plans with an industry affiliated professional who can make sure you get the right information in the right context. Cheers, Earl Re: Kitchen Design Regulations??? 4Apr 17, 2010 3:03 pm No worries David. Don't forget a lot of libraries have their catalogues online - I'd hate for you to find out that your library doesn't have a copy and you call down all sorts of wrath on me.... The standards are pretty much common sense with a few specifics about minimum clearances from cooktops and so on - most of the information shouldn't really affect how you end up planning your kitchen, more about how you make it and what you make it from, but it is always good to check. Cheers, Earl Re: Kitchen Design Regulations??? 5Apr 18, 2010 1:10 pm Hi Earl, My main concerns at the moment are the minimum distance/spacing that I have to allow, between the appliances, eg, between the oven and the dishwasher, or the between the oven and fridge. I see a few design that we can put the microwave oven under the bench with 1 draw below that. Quite a good idea cos after heating up the food, can put it directly on the bench. I was wondering if I can keep all of my heating in one area, I was planning to have a microwave oven unit with 1 draw to the left or to the right of the cooktop and oven? Don't know if there are any rules or regulation against this? as in not safe or electrical requirements? Thanks David Re: Kitchen Design Regulations??? 6Apr 19, 2010 11:59 am Hey David, To quote the AS/NZS 4386.2-1996 regarding co-ordination of service zones: "The overriding principle is to ensure easy access to any appliance connection without having to remove the appliance from its fitted position. In all cases it is recommended that the manufacturer’s installation instructions are consulted for exact installation details." This means that appliances should have the power connection in an adjacent cabinet where possible. A dishwasher CAN go next to a stove which CAN go next to a fridge. Obviously heat conduction and radiation can compromise the efficiency of the neighbouring appliance and one should try to avoid counteracting the work of one machine through the operation of another. Sometimes space does not allow the optimal set out and placing these units close to one another can be unavoidable. A dishwasher should be placed in its own cavity with solid panels either side of it - this is a moisture barrier as much as anything else; you might even want to seal under the benchtop as well if you are going to be keen. Power, water and waste for the dishwasher should come from the neighbouring cabinet, normally the sink unit - a GPO can be located in the sink unit 350mm below the underside of the benchtop (i.e. not behind the sink-bowl zone) without worries, as there shouldn't be any water in there. Stoves also benefit from being in their own cavity with solid panels on either side but this is not a requirement for oven placement. Built in ovens with the cooktop above require the power cable to be clear of the back when fitted to prevent heat damage - no power points/power connections to be fitted behind the oven. A cutout in the side of the oven cupboard should be made at the same height as the power cable outlet. The cable should be fitted through the cutout to ensure the least amount of contact with the back of the oven. The power cable should not be touching the side of the oven. Refrigerator cavities require a minimum of 200mm behind the overhead cabinet above the unit and a minimum clearance of 25mm on the sides and 30mm above the appliance. Most modern fridge manufacturers specify larger gaps than these. Again the power supply should be accessible without removing the appliance from its fitted position and is well placed in the wall unit above the fridge or in a neighbouring cabinet - this also applies to water supplies. Microwave units can be placed in their own cavities on the wall or under benchtops and the GPO can be located inside the cavity. There are pros and cons for either placement based on personal preference. Microwaves should not be placed behind hinged doors as they need to vent heat and vapour when operating. For underbench placement be aware that when you open a microwave door after heating a quantity of heat and vapour will emerge. All vertically hinged microwaves open from right to left which can be important depending on your layout. As you said, it is good to have a set down place directly above or below a microwave - this also applies to either side of a cooktop/oven, so grouping these appliances together can be a good idea. All freestanding appliances require a clearance to either side in order to allow the units to be pushed into their cavities. Our minimum standard for this is 5mm either side, although again some fabricators specify greater distances in their documentation. I hope this answers some of your questions. Cheers, Earl If you don't want to annoy the neighbours then simply get yourself some good head phones. For me the sound is much better using headphones. 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