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COOKING &
FOOD STORAGE
COOKING OUTSIDE
Only the simplest of huts will not have facilities for preparation of hot food. Huts in summer use may just be used for living and sleeping accommodation with food preparation outside. This has benefits in terms of providing adequate ventilation and avoiding fire risk.
An overhang or awning could provide some shelter and an open pit fire or barbeque arrangement could be formalised as part of the hut garden.
COOKING FACILITIES
As the hut is most likely to be off grid, it is not expected that cooking by electric stove or microwave will be possible. The use of camping stoves, propane bottle stoves or wood stoves (see Stoves, flues and chimneys) are alternatives. All require careful thought regarding working area, safe use, fuel storage and ventilation.
A barbeque, even a small disposable type, should never be used indoors and should not be brought indoors when outside cooking is complete. Even though there may be no visible flames if the coals are still hot, or even just warm, the combustion process will still be taking place producing life threatening carbon monoxide.
CAMPING STOVES
Being portable these might be used inside and out. Inside the hut it would be sensible to provide a worktop so the stove can be operated from the standing position. It should have a washable non-combustible surface including an upstand when positioned against a wall of at least 300 mm.
Provide ventilation to the room when the stove is being used (see Ventilation below).
PROPANE STOVES
These vary in size from simple ring burners, needing a worktop to sit on, to full freestanding stoves with gas ovens. They should be fixed down so they cannot move when in use. Fuel storage should be outside and not under the hut.
It should be easy to isolate the gas supply both inside and outside the hut. Provide ventilation to the room when the stove is being used (see Ventilation below).
SAFETY
Gas systems can cause explosion or asphyxiation. For this reason the installation, servicing, maintenance, repair and removal of systems should be carried out by registered “Gas Safe” engineers.
VENTILATION
If any cooking is carried out within the hut, including the use of portable stoves, adequate ventilation must be provided. This is covered in windows and doors. Special attention should also be given to provision of alarms and detection devices.
Note that a carbon monoxide detector is mandatory in a hut which may be used for sleeping whether a cooking appliance or stove is installed or not. Barbeques should never be used indoors. (see Cooking facilities)
FOOD STORAGE
Some place for food storage will be required. This will include dry goods, tins and bottles not requiring temperature control or other food needing to be kept cool. Both will require cupboards that are cleanable and secure from vermin. A cool space can be achieved by forming a traditional larder that is probably on the north side of the hut, outside the insulation envelope and with some thermal mass such as stone shelves if possible.
High and low level ventilators to the external air will allow the ambient temperature of the hut location to provide a suitable cooling effect and will also remove moisture. Due diligence will be required to ensure food remains fresh. An alternative is to have a small fridge run by gas or electricity, the latter perhaps having a photovoltaic supply.