Hobs - Did you know?

The hob is used for boiling, frying, steaming, simmering and braising. It primarily works by the conduction of heat from the flame through the pan surface. A certain amount of radiant heat is also generated. A large volume of primary air is provided so that the pan can be located as close as possible to the burner head and so gain the heat from the flame. The flame should not be allowed to lick up the side of the pan as heat will be wasted. 

The hotplate is usually a solid steel flat plate or ceramic surface, on which the pan sits, or it can take the form of a griddle, which is used for dry-frying foods such as eggs etc. The flame is located beneath the metal and heats it to the desired temperature.

The heat setting of a hob or hotplate often has a grading, such as simmer, medium and high. The flame does not adjust to the heat requirements of the food being cooked and if set too high, the contents of the pan may boil over or burn. Some appliances have thermostatically controlled burners. They work using a contact sensor that is filled with a volatile fluid that, when heated, expands forcing the gas valve to close down to a by-pass rate. With freestanding cookers all control taps and the oven thermostat are located on a pipe, named the float rail, which is located behind the control knob fascia. During any maintenance work all these gas connections should be sprayed with leak detection fluid to ensure they are gas tight. The gas burners used with the associated parts of the cooker are generally unprotected, in terms of flame failure. This means that should the flame go out, gas is allowed to discharge freely into the room. The oven will be found to have a flame failure device fitted, usually of the liquid vapor type, which will shut down the main flow of gas but will still allow a discharge through the by-pass. Cookers supplied by LPG are controlled and all control taps generally require the operation of a thermo-electric FSD before gas is allowed to flow freely. 

Deep Fryers - Did you know

 Deep fryers:

These are appliances that hold a quantity of oil or fat in which food such as chips, fish and doughnuts are cooked. There are two different designs - one that has a flat bottom with the oil heated directly from below and a second type has oil that is heated at a location above the base so maintaining a cool zone below the flame in which old food particles can sink without carbonizing and spoiling the flavor of the food load. There are two methods of heating the oil using this design of fryer. In the first method there is what is known as a V-shaped fryer, with the lower V section below the burner. The second method requires the gas flame to be fired directly into tubes that pass through the mass of the oil. With the flat bottom fryer it is essential that, before each frying all old particles are strained from the oil. The heat input can vary between 8 kW and 40 kW depending on the size of fryer.

Grill and Salamanders - Did you know

Grill and Salamanders

Under-fired or flare grills give a heat source below the food, operating up to 30 kW. The grill consists of a burner firing upwards on to a bed of refractory ceramic or pumice material. The food is placed on a series of bars. As the hot fat from the food drops, it is burnt off in the form of an ‘uncontrolled’ flame, giving the meat a characteristic appearance and flavor. 

Horizontally fired grills use surface combustion plaques between 3 kW and 12 kW and are often accompanied by a rotisserie to cook food. The fat from the food can drop to be collected in a container at the base. Over-fired grills or salamanders have the heat source above the food and operate between 5 kW and 16 kW. They can also be used for toasting. This type of grill often has a grooved solid aluminum branding plate on to which the food is placed. This plate allows the hot fat to drain away but at the same time assists in cooking the food on both sides due to absorbed heat that is held in the aluminum plate.

Salamander

Grill

 

Green Living with LPG.

The world is moving towards a greener future with businesses and every day civilians becoming more self-aware of their carbon footprint.

These days people are opting for more environmentally friendly alternatives in their daily practices. Single-use plastics are being phased out for reusable alternatives, plant-based foods are becoming more popular by the day and alternative energy sources are being seen more frequently.

LPG is Liquified Petroleum Gas, also referred to as LP Gas or propane. It is a mixture of natural gas and propane. It is a portable, clean and efficient energy source that has many applications and is readily available world-wide. 

It's carbon footprint is 50% less lower than coal and produces virtually no particulate matter or soot when burned making it a clean-burning energy source. LPG is the perfect back-up fuel to use in conjunction with other eco-friendly alternatives such as solar power.

LPG can make daily life more convenient in the following ways:

- Gas Heaters used to heat your home and office.

- Gas Geysers used to heat water instantly.

- Gas Braais provide a stable heat when braaiing with very little cleaning afterwards.

- Gas stoves & hobs used for indoor cooking.

- Gas fireplaces used for indoor and outdoor heating.

LPG is even used to fuel vehicles. A simple, inexpensive conversion can be done so that your car can run on Autogas, making your vehicle duel-fuel. Your car will be able to alternate between using Autogas and petrol or diesel.

Once again, Autogas is a more eco-friendly vehicle fuel as it produces 96% less carbon emissions than diesel and 68% less than petrol.

With increasing electricity prices in South Africa and more load-shedding being implemented every year, #LPG is a great alternative fuel to use at home.

(Gas Dryers) Did you know?

 

Have you heard about gas dryers?

According to Energy Star, a government-backed program that helps consumers learn about energy-efficient homes and products, your tumble dryer (or clothes dryer) is most likely the most energy-hungry appliance in your home even more than your refrigerator. 

If you’re shopping for a new dryer, now is a great opportunity to learn about ways to save energy. 

Gas dryers heat up much more quickly and generate more heat which in turn dries clothes faster. An electric dryer takes longer to reach its hottest point and doesn’t get as hot, so it uses electricity for a longer duration because it takes longer to tumble the clothes dry. If you want to save money on electricity, a gas dryer is well worth the consideration.

We break-down the pro's and con's of the gas dryer.

Pros:

• More energy efficient than electric dryers. 
• Dries a load of laundry more quickly.
• Uses a standard electrical outlet.

Cons: 

• Requires a gas hook-up.
• Must be placed near a vent that goes outside the home.
• Often more expensive than a comparable electric dryer.

Importance of  a Service:

Both of these types of dryers (electric or gas) pose safety hazards that can be mitigated with proper installation, maintenance and usage. It’s worth noting that the safety concerns about gas and electric dryers apply to pretty much any major home appliance. It is recommended to have your gas appliances and installations serviced regularly to ensure that they use gas efficiently.

Designs:

                                       

LG Ultra Large Capacity
Gas Dryer
with Sensor Dry Technology

Need more convincing? Watch the video below.

Why Service your Gas appliances?

Why should you service your gas appliances?

LPG is a fantastic alternative energy source to use in your home especially, in South Africa where loadshedding impacts our quality of life.

You can still cook, have access to warm water and keep your house warm with LPG home appliances. 

Just like you service your car, regular servicing of your gas appliances is fundamental in ensuring that they operate safely and use gas more efficiently. Efficient gas usage means you save money on gas as your gas will last longer.

If you experience any of these problems, it may be a good idea to book a service for your appliance:

The gas jet is blocked:

The first potential cause of your problem to consider is a blocked gas jet. The jet (or injector, as it can be known) serves to inject the gas into the burner cup. It is perforated on top with a hole of a very precise diameter to ensure the gas is delivered at the correct rate. If this hole is partially blocked (by liquid for example), the flow of gas will be affected, and this will end up having an impact on the quality of the flame, which will not burn correctly.

The openings on the burner crown are obstructed:

Bad quality flames are frequently caused by obstructions or blockages in the openings on the burner crown. These can get blocked by dirt, fat/grease, spilt liquids and even residual water left behind after the hob has been cleaned.

These are the most common problems that your flame will not burn properly. There are many reasons why you could experience issues with your gas appliance, some of these may even be due to your gas installation or gas set-up.