Submitted by DonHester on Tue, 12/11/2012 - 10:19.
The condition when looking at induction? Wenatchee and Cle Elum Home Inspection Services
As home inspectors we get so to see many items related to the “American Life Style”. Most of us will develop a general “norm” for our inspection area.
As a home inspector I will test appliances, such as kitchen and laundry appliances, to ensure that they activate and run them for a short period time. For me this is more about if the circuits and water supplies are working. I do look at general condition and function though.
The main issue for me, as a home inspector, is that many times I may not be able to know if the appliance is working optimally or as it should because I will not be putting it through a test long enough, as if I was cooking or washing clothes. This is one of the limitations of the home inspection process.
One thing if you are to test an appliance you must have a general understanding of how it works. Here is and interesting item I ran into during a home inspection.
Most cooking appliances are generally grouped into two camps- electric or gas. But there is actually more to the story. Electric cooking appliance can have various sub forms such as coils and halogen.
But wait, there is a third electrical form. Enter the “Induction Element”
This induction cooktop is an electrical cooktop that uses a principle that differs from the others. The elements in the induction cooktop are high frequency electromagnets. The heat energy is created by the element by actually heating the ferrous metals in the cooking pan that transfers the heat to the food.Ferrous metals are those materials that are composed of some iron and have magnetic properties.
The coil below the surface does not heat and or glow red. Heat energy is produces by an electromagnetic field and the energy passes through the cooktop directly to the pan. This causes iron molecules to vibrate 20,000 - 50,000 times per second and the friction between those molecules creates the heat. All of the heat is produced within the bottom of the pan. So to use or test an “Induction Cooktop” you must have a pan that has ferrous properties because the element itself creates no heat.
The benefits of induction elements is they offer more responsive cooking much more akin to a gas cooktop and are more energy efficient. The heat energy produced will boil water about 25% faster than gas or other electric cooktops.
And the most important part of this is that those homespun master chiefs have an appliance that will meet their critical needs to create the perfect dish… Bon Appetit!!!
Here is a short video on how this works.
Ancora Imparo
NCW Home Inspections, LLC is a Licensed Washington State Home Inspection service located in Wenatchee Washington serving Chelan County, Douglas County, Kittitas County, Okanogan County and Grant County Washington and the cities of Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Cashmere, Oroville, Cle Elum, East Wenatchee, Quincy and many more…
Your Wenatchee and Chelan Professional Real Estate, Home and Structural Pest Inspection Service