Is This Really The End for Gas Stoves?

Recently, we have seen several news stories concerning the possible ban of gas stoves used for cooking. So why is an HVAC company thinking about gas stoves? Hold that thought! To begin with, we wanted to try and cut through the excitement, confusion and inaccurate info to share a recap of the facts and only the facts:

Fact #1:

There are close to 40 million gas stoves in the United States and no, “the Fed” is not coming for your gas stove. Yet several cities — and some states — are already moving away from natural gas as part of efforts to reduce CO2, specifically in new construction homes. This will make it pointless to invest in a gas stove, despite what lawmakers are talking about.

Fact #2:

Gas stoves have been the subject of arguments due to multiple recent reports that have suggested that emissions from gas stoves may be dangerous to your health. Namely, leading to respiratory illness and asthma.

Fact #3:

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

Although gas stoves may contribute to poor indoor air quality, they certainly are not the only culprit. Others may be:

• Occupants Within the Home: People and pets at home produce carbon dioxide (CO2), odors, tobacco smoke and pet dander (a common allergen).
• Other Combustion Appliances: Other natural gas (or wood/oil burning) appliances such as space heaters, fireplaces, furnaces and water heaters.
• Building Materials and Furnishings: Paints, carpeting, fiberglass, particle board and fabrics may produce harmful 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 humidity may enter the home via the basement or crawl space from the soil around the home.
• Well-Insulated Homes: While there are significant energy efficiency benefits, 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 suitable indoor air quality (IAQ) levels. These guidelines are more commonly known as the ASHRAE 60.2 standard. Local building codes have largely embraced these standards to determine minimum ventilation requirements and other measures in an effort to reduce any harmful effects on your health, resolving both health and safety problems for everyone.

That being said, the final performance of your ventilation is not directly measured or audited. Even if it was, it’s highly dependent on the weather outdoors, the size of the home and other factors. The actual 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 potential for poor indoor air quality. Proper and consistent ventilation is the real answer to this debate.

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

Which leads to our next point. There are better whole-home ventilation solutions that will significantly improve your indoor air quality and home comfort while still enabling you to be the master chef in your home. Read on to find out more about the possible 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 solution might be best for your home, contact Service Experts at 208-488-4892.