by STAR-K
Mazal tov! Whether you have
just purchased your very first house, the lot on which you’re building one from
scratch, or you’ve finally saved up money to renovate your 70-year-old home,
let the buyer/builder/remodeler beware! This is not your grandfather’s house!
The average Torah-observant consumer would have to have a thorough
understanding of things like electricity and plumbing – and their applications
vis-à-vis halacha – to ensure that their newfangled home improvements providing
safety, comfort, and convenience are also Torah-compliant. These include
everything from comfort pumps to induction stovetops.
Comfort Pump Perks
Comfort
Pumps (aka recirculation pumps) are popular in large houses because, in
addition to their easy installation onto established plumbing, they can
decrease water waste by thousands of gallons per year and can save you up to
10% on your water bill. They also offer less wait time for warm water that
could normally take five to seven minutes to travel from your hot water heater
to your faucets. Their special options include continuous run, timer- or
thermostat-activated, or motion sensor.
How do they
work? Think of a comfort pump, installed on your hot water heater, as a
recycler of already heated water. The pump sends water back to the heater to be
reheated and recirculated. Hot water is sent through your pipes while
simultaneously pulling hot water from the heater and sending cool water away
from hot water lines and back to the water heater. It can be accessed by any
sink or faucet in your home.
Comfort Pump Halachic Pitfalls
Many people
don’t even realize that they have a comfort pump in their house. You can tell
that you have one by looking at your hot water heater; the pump is visible. The
halachic issue with comfort pumps is that they run the hot water around the
house by running it through the cold water. Normally, if you don’t want to turn
on the hot water on Shabbos, you simply don’t, and this problem is avoided, but
with a comfort pump, when you turn on the cold water, it is as if you are
turning on the hot water. If you’re not a plumber, you’re not going to
understand it, but the bottom line is that a comfort pump causes you to use hot
water on Shabbos. So, you must find a way to avoid this. Call STAR-K (410-484-4110)
to help you find a solution.
Basement Ejector Pump Perks
Basement
ejector pumps (aka sewage ejector pumps) move wastewater and solids from a
basement to the main sewer line or septic tank, since gravity cannot move
wastewater from below-grade areas. Without one, accumulated wastewater can
cause clogged pipes, sewage backups, sewer gas in the home, unpleasant odors,
and bacteria growth.
How do they
work? A float switch detects when the water level in the ejector pit, which is
usually dug underground in the basement floor, reaches a certain height and
turns on the pump. This signals the pump to send the wastewater up to the sewer
or septic line. The pump turns off when the water level in the pit drops. The
downside is that they can be prone to clogging and jamming from solid waste,
such as toilet paper.
Basement Ejector Pump Halachic Pitfalls
Harav Moshe
Heinemann, shlit”a, holds that a basement
ejector pump should not be used on Shabbos unless you can set it up in such a
way that you know, by flushing it, that you will not be causing its electric
motor to go on. It is important to consult STAR-K (or your local Orthodox
rabbi), regarding circumventing this problem so it can be used on
Shabbos.
Smart Security Systems
There are
numerous components you can choose for your smart security system, and sensors
are the most important part of it. They enable you to know what is going on in
every area of your home, and they enable you to set up routines to help you
better manage your life.
There are
glass break sensors, tilt sensors, motion sensors, flood sensors, fire and
smoke sensors/detectors, and window/door sensors.
Security
cameras on smart systems add an extra level to your security. They offer
two-way talk features, built-in sirens, or security lights that can activate
when motion is detected. Nowadays, most security system brands offer smart home
devices beyond sensors and cameras. They include smart door locks, doorbell
cameras, smart thermostats, smart garage door openers, and smart medical alert
items. Insurers offer discounts on home policies to those who have smart
security systems.
Halachic Pitfalls of Smart Security Systems and Other
Smart Technology
RING alarms
and doorbells have motion sensors. When you press the doorbell or simply walk
past it, you are causing it to light up by triggering the motion sensor. There
is a way to turn the sensors off; you just must remember to do it before
Shabbos/Yom Tov. Other smart home technology, such as smart thermostats made by
Nest and Ecobee, help homeowners save on heat and air conditioning
bills. They both have proximity sensors and passive motion sensors
that are triggered when a person gets close or passes by the thermostat. These
can be disabled, but advance planning is needed, especially if you are a renter
or short-term guest, to make sure you don’t wind up being too hot or too cold
over Shabbos or Yom Tov. There are various ways these problems can be avoided.
Here, too, one should consult STAR-K (or your local Orthodox rabbi). Uncertified Sabbath Modes
If you are
buying new appliances for your kitchen, here is some important pre-purchase
appliance advice.
Appliance
manufacturers, with the aid of modern technology, have designed kitchen
appliances to be safer and more efficient while incorporating various features
to enhance operation. However, the integration of this technology can pose a
challenge to their proper use on Shabbos and Yom Tov. For this reason, in 1997,
a historic technological project was launched between a major appliance
manufacturer and STAR-K Kosher Certification. Prior to that time, many of their
appliances did not conform to halachic guidelines. Whirlpool Corporation
(manufacturers of KitchenAid, Maytag and more) approached STAR-K to help modify
their ovens for use on Shabbos and Yom Tov. Following some adjustments, a
successful mode was developed. Whirlpool called it a “Sabbath Mode” and was
awarded a patent in 1998 for this concept. Subsequently, some technologically
advanced refrigerators also acquired Sabbath Mode certification. How does
Sabbath Mode work? Today’s ovens have a safety feature that automatically shuts
the oven off after 12 hours of operation. Sabbath Mode ovens are specially
designed to bypass many of the practical and halachic problems posed by the
modern oven. When in “Sabbath Mode,” no lights, digits, solenoids, fans, icons,
tones, or displays will be activated or modified during normal use.(Important
note: Sabbath Mode does not permit us to turn these appliances on or off during
Shabbos or Yom Tov, nor does it allow us to use these appliances completely at
will on Shabbos or Yom Tov. Rather, it enables us to use these appliances
within the guidelines of halacha as posted on the STAR-K website: www.star-k.org.)Consumers
should be aware, however, that some appliance companies are advertising “Sabbath
Mode” oven features that are not certified by STAR-K or any other reputable
rabbinical group. To be sure that all halachic concerns have been duly
addressed, you can check model numbers from specific manufacturers on the
STAR-K website or call the STAR-K office.
Induction Stovetops
Nowadays,
everyone wants to have an induction stovetop, rather than a gas or electric
one. Although an induction stovetop is acclaimed by Consumer Reports for boiling water 20 to 40% faster than tested gas
and traditional electric cooktops, and for its electromagnetic field providing
more precise, even heating compared to traditional cooktops, it may not be the
wisest choice for your kosher kitchen construction or remodel.
An
induction burner does not produce any heat of its own. Rather, when turned on,
it simply activates a magnetic field. Placing an induction-compatible pot or
pan onto the element is what activates the heating process; removing it
immediately stops it. Consequently, there are some halachic issues that arise
regarding their usage on Yom Tov and Shabbos.
Yom Tov: On
an ordinary electric or gas cooktop, the burners can be turned on before Yom
Tov; you are able to cook on them as needed for that Yom Tov. It would be
useless to leave an induction stovetop burner on before Yom Tov, because the
cooking connection is only made when you put the pot or pan on the burner.
Since there is a connect and disconnect of the current each time the pot is
placed on or removed from the burner, it is assur
(forbidden) to use an induction cooktop for Yom Tov.
Shabbos:
There are two reasons why an induction stovetop would not work for Shabbos use
– to cook cholent on it, for example. Removing the
cholent pot from the stovetop would cause it to turn off. Putting a blech on any glass cooktop would not
only cause it to shatter, it would also interrupt the magnetic connection
between the cooking element and the pot.
When Fences Are Required
Last, but
not least, the roofs, porches, balconies, and landings of your home must be
Torah compliant as well. This is in accordance with the pasuk found in Parshas
Ki-Setze: “When you build a new house, then make a fence for your roof…”
The object of this positive mitzva is to prevent a person from accidentally
falling, as the pasuk continues,
“…And you shall not put blood in your house, lest someone fall from
there.”
Under which circumstances is a person
obligated to erect a maakeh (fence)?
A maakeh is typically required at the
edge of any floor that people walk on, if the floor is more than 10 tefachim (31.5 to 37.9 inches, depending on your rav’s psak) above the ground or above the next
floor. The fence itself must be at least 10 tefachim
tall. Typical situations requiring a fence include
balconies, sun decks, and front and back porches whose floors are more than 40
inches from the ground.
It has come to our attention that
the porches on many homes in the Torah community are more than 40 inches from
the ground, but the porch rails are almost never the required height of a
kosher maakeh. This measurement is
almost 40 inches according to the Chazon Ish, but we use 40 inches to keep
things simple. A maakeh must also be strong enough that a person could lean
against it without falling. Finally, the maakeh must be constructed such that it does not have gaps through
which a child could fall. To learn more about this important halacha, see
Rabbi Mordechai Frankel’s article, “Halacha of Erecting a Fence Around a Roof,”
at https://www.star-k.org/articles/kashrus-kurrents/5295/insights-from-the-institute-8/.
Hopefully,
this article has enlightened homeowners about halachic considerations when
building or renovating their homes, so not only the food they eat but the homes
they live in are “kosher.”
