Is This Really The End for Gas Stoves?

Recently, we have seen many news stories pertaining to the possible ban of gas stoves used for cooking. So why is an HVAC company talking about gas stoves? We'll tell you in a moment! To begin with, we wanted to try and cut through the drama, confusion and inaccurate info to provide a review of the facts and only the facts:

Fact #1:

There are close to 40 million gas stoves in the kitchens of American families and no, “the Man” is not coming for your gas stove. However, several cities — and some states — are already moving away from natural gas as part of efforts to reduce CO2, particularly in new construction homes. This will make it worthless to buy a gas stove, even if they haven’t been banned.

Fact #2:

Gas stoves have been the target of debate due to some recent reports that have suggested that emissions from gas stoves may be dangerous to your health. Namely, worsening respiratory illness and asthma.

Fact #3:

The air inside our homes (and businesses) is much less than ideal. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has studied this issue in-depth, sharing findings that indicate indoor levels of pollutants may be two to five times — and on occasion more than 100 times — higher than outdoor levels.

Although gas stoves may contribute to poor indoor air quality, they obviously aren’t the only cause. Others may be:

• Occupants Within the Home: People and pets at home produce carbon dioxide (CO2), odors, cigarette smoke and pet dander (a common allergen).
• Other Combustion Appliances: Other gas (or wood/oil burning) appliances such as space heaters, fireplaces, furnaces and water heaters.
• Construction Materials and Furnishings: Paints, carpeting, fiberglass, particle board and fabrics may release unhealthy substances known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), another common indoor allergen, through what’s known as “outgassing.”
• Cleaning Compounds: Household cleaning products may produce VOCs or other chemicals.
• The Soil: Radon gas and stormwater runoff may enter the home via the basement or crawl space from the soil around the home.
• Well-Insulated Homes: It may seem counter-intuitive, but homes that are well insulated are “sealed up” and as a result won’t have as much infiltration from fresh, outdoor air.

Fact #4:

There are common guidelines for residential ventilation and satisfactory indoor air quality (IAQ) levels. These guidelines are more commonly known as the ASHRAE 60.2 standard. Local building codes have generally followed these standards to identify minimum ventilation requirements and other measures in order to reduce any harmful effects on your health, resolving both health and safety problems for the entire household.

That being said, the overall performance of your ventilation is not directly assessed or audited. Even if it was, it’s highly dependent on the local environment outdoors, the size of the home and other factors. The precise ventilation performance in the average home may vary.

Fact #5:

It’s still entirely your choice. You don’t have to say goodbye to your gas stove and replace it with electric, and you also don’t have to pick between your gas stove and the prospect for poor indoor air quality. Proper and consistent ventilation is the real key to this debate.

First, anytime you cook with a gas stove, you ought to use the fan on your range hood so the combustion byproducts like smoke and CO gas are properly discharged out of your home. But honestly: how often do any of us use the fan on the range hood?

Which takes us to our next point. There are much more effective whole-home ventilation solutions that will dramatically improve your indoor air quality and home comfort while still allowing you to be the master chef in your home. Read on to find out more about the available solutions for your home.

So, why is a HVAC company thinking about gas stoves? Well, the “V” in HVAC stands for “Ventilation” and “There’s an Expert for That”! To learn more about gas stoves and which option might be best for your home, contact Service Experts at 469-250-0932.