Is This Really The End for Gas Stoves?

In the past few months, we have seen a number of news stories pertaining to the possible ban of gas stoves used for cooking. So why is a heating, air conditioning and plumbing company thinking 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 approximately 40 million gas stoves in the kitchens of American families and no, “the Fed” is not coming for your gas stove. But many cities — and some states — are already moving away from natural gas as part of a growing decarbonization, particularly in new construction homes. This will make it pointless to invest in a gas stove, even if they haven’t been banned.

Fact #2:

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

Fact #3:

The air within our homes (and businesses) is much less than ideal. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has completed reports that indicate indoor levels of pollutants can be two to five times — and sometimes more than 100 times — higher than outdoor levels.

Even though gas stoves may play a role in poor indoor air quality, they certainly are not the only culprit. Others could 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 fuel (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 release harmful substances known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), another common indoor allergen, through what’s known as “outgassing.”
• Cleaning Compounds: Home cleaning products may produce VOCs or other chemicals.
• The Soil: Radon gas and humidity may enter the home through the basement or crawl space from the foundation around the home.
• Well-Insulated Homes: While there are significant energy efficiency benefits, 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 well-known standards 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 identify minimum ventilation requirements and other measures in order to decrease any harmful 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 assessed or audited. Even if it was, it’s highly dependent on the weather outdoors, the size of the home and other factors. The true ventilation performance in the average home fluctuates widely.

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 be forced to decide between your gas stove and the prospect for lower indoor air quality. Proper and consistent ventilation is the real secret to this debate.

First, anytime you cook with a gas stove, you really 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 let’s be honest: how often do any of us use the fan on the range hood?

Which is our next point. There are more suitable whole-home ventilation solutions that will significantly improve your indoor air quality and home comfort while still enabling you to be the top chef in your home. Read on to find out more about the potential 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 system might be best for your home, contact Service Experts at 301-747-3140.