Is This Really The End for Gas Stoves?

In recent months, we have seen many news stories concerning the potential ban of gas stoves used for cooking. So why is a heating, air conditioning and plumbing company talking about gas stoves? We'll tell you in a moment! First of all, we wanted to try and cut through the hype, confusion and misinformation to share a summary of the facts and only the facts:

Fact #1:

There are approximately 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 transitioning away from natural gas as part of efforts to reduce CO2, especially in new construction properties. This will make it worthless to buy a gas stove, despite what lawmakers are talking about.

Fact #2:

Gas stoves have been the subject of debate due to several recent investigations that have indicated that emissions from gas stoves may be harmful to your health. Namely, leading to respiratory illness and asthma.

Fact #3:

The air found in 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 can be two to five times — and occasionally more than 100 times — higher than outdoor levels.

Even though gas stoves may help lead to 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 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 emit 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 moisture may enter the home through the basement or crawl space from the soil surrounding the home.
• Well-Insulated Homes: Naturally there are energy savings benefits, but homes that are well insulated are “sealed tighter” and as a consequence won’t have as much infiltration from fresh, outdoor air.

Fact #4:

There are well-known guidelines for residential ventilation and acceptable indoor air quality (IAQ) levels. These guidelines are often referred to as the ASHRAE 60.2 standard. Local building codes have largely followed 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 overall performance of your ventilation is not directly measured or audited. Even if it was, it’s highly predicated on the local environment outdoors, the size of the home and other factors. The actual ventilation performance in the average home is not easily determined.

Fact #5:

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

First, anytime you prepare meals with a gas stove, you should use the fan on your range hood so the combustion byproducts like smoke and CO gas are safety released 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 more suitable whole-home ventilation products 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 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 these appliances and which option might be best for your home, contact Service Experts at 904-450-5672.