Is This Really The End for Gas Stoves?

In the past few months, we have seen numerous news stories regarding the potential ban of gas stoves used for cooking. So why is a heating and cooling company talking about gas stoves? More on that question later! To begin with, we wanted to try and cut through the drama, confusion and inaccurate info to provide a recap of the facts and only the facts:

Fact #1:

There are approximately 40 million gas stoves in the kitchens of American families and no, “the Man” is not coming for your gas stove. But several cities — and some states — are already moving away from natural gas as part of efforts to reduce emissions, particularly in new construction homes. This will make it pointless to purchase a gas stove, whether or not they are actually banned.

Fact #2:

Gas stoves have been the focus of controversy due to several recent reports that have suggested that emissions from gas stoves may be hazardous to your health. Namely, it’s causing respiratory illness and asthma.

Fact #3:

The air found in our homes (and businesses) is much less than excellent. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has completed reports that indicate indoor levels of pollutants could be two to five times — and on occasion more than 100 times — higher than outdoor levels.

Even though gas stoves may play a role in poor indoor air quality, they are definitely not the only factor. Others could be:

• Occupants Within the Home: People and pets at home produce carbon dioxide (CO2), odors, vape 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 harmful substances known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), another common indoor allergen, through what’s known as “outgassing.”
• Cleaning Compounds: Many popular cleaning products may produce VOCs or other chemicals.
• The Soil: Radon gas and moisture may enter the home through the basement or crawl space from the foundation around the home.
• Well-Insulated Homes: Naturally there are energy savings benefits, but homes that are well insulated are “sealed up” and as a consequence won’t have as much infiltration from fresh, outdoor air.

Fact #4:

There are common standards for residential ventilation and acceptable indoor air quality (IAQ) levels. These guidelines are more commonly known as the ASHRAE 60.2 standard. Local building codes have widely adopted these standards to identify minimum ventilation requirements and other measures so that you can decrease adverse effects on your health, resolving both health and safety problems for you and your family.

That being said, the final performance of your ventilation is not directly measured or audited. Even if it was, it’s highly reliant on climate conditions outdoors, the size of the home and other factors. The true ventilation performance in the average home is not easily determined.

Fact #5:

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

First, whenever you prepare a meal with a gas stove, you should use the fan on your range hood so the combustion byproducts like smoke and CO gas are properly ventilated 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 products that will dramatically improve your indoor air quality and home comfort while still allowing you to be the #1 chef in your home. Read on to learn more about the available solutions for your home.

So, why is a HVAC company writing 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 system might be best for your home, contact Service Experts at 512-592-3072 .