Operating the Cooktop

important

•The flame should burn evenly around the perimeter of the burner, except underneath each grate support finger, where the flame height is reduced by Dacor’s Smart-Flame feature. A normal flame is steady and blue in color. Foreign material in the gas line, especially in new construction, may cause an orange flame during initial operation. The orange color will disappear with further use. Small yellow tips on the ends of the flames are normal when using LP gas.

•If the flame is not even around the edge of the burner, wait for the cooktop to cool and check to make sure the burner is assembled properly (see page 7).

•When the cooktop is cool the igniter may continue to spark if the control knob is set to the LOW position. The burner will stop sparking when warm. The tendency to spark when cold can be reduced by operating the burner at a higher flame setting for about 60 seconds. After 60 seconds, lower the flame to cook. The burner will also warm up faster if a utensil is placed on the grate. The igniter will also spark automatically if the flame is distorted by a draft or by the household ventilation system. Eliminate any drafts or reduce the ventilation blower speed to reduce this type of problem.

•To keep the burners operating properly, keep the burner igniters, burner rings and burner caps clean and dry. See Care and Cleaning starting on page 23. Dirty or wet igniters will result in constant sparking, even if there is a flame present.

Cooktop Tips

For superior cooking performance and to save energy:

•Reduce the flame height to the minimum level neces- sary to perform the desired cooking process. Food cooks just as quickly at a gentle boil as it does at a vigorous, rolling boil. A higher boil than is necessary wastes energy, cooks away moisture and causes a loss in food flavor and nutrients.

•Dacor’s SimmerSear burner allows you greater preci- sion control of the flame.

•Use low or medium flame heights when cooking in utensils made of materials that are poor conductors of heat, such as glass, ceramic and cast iron. Reduce the flame height until it covers approximately 1/3 of the utensil diameter to ensure even heating and reduce scorching.

•Minimize the amount of liquid or fat to reduce cooking times.

•Use a timer rather than repeatedly removing the lid to check food. Doing so will decrease cooking time and save energy.

•Thaw foods prior to cooking to reduce cooking time.

9