Is This Really The End for Gas Stoves?

In the past few months, we have seen a number of news stories concerning the potential ban of gas stoves used for cooking. So why is a heating and cooling company thinking about gas stoves? Hold that thought! First, we wanted to try and cut through the hype, confusion and misinformation to present a summary of the facts and only the facts:

Fact #1:

There are an estimated 40 million gas stoves in the United States and no, “the Fed” is not coming for your gas stove. Yet dozens of cities — and some states — are already moving away from natural gas as part of a growing decarbonization, particularly in new construction properties. This will make it pointless to buy a gas stove, despite what lawmakers are talking about.

Fact #2:

Gas stoves have been the focus of arguments due to some recent reports that have indicated that emissions from gas stoves may be hazardous to your health. Namely, it’s causing 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) references studies that indicate indoor levels of pollutants can be two to five times — and occasionally more than 100 times — higher than outdoor levels.

While gas stoves may play a role in 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, 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.
• 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 moisture may enter the home via the basement or crawl space from the soil surrounding the home.
• Well-Insulated Homes: While there are significant energy efficiency benefits, homes that are well insulated are “sealed tighter” and as a result won’t have as much infiltration from fresh, outdoor air.

Fact #4:

There are formal practices for residential ventilation and satisfactory indoor air quality (IAQ) levels. These guidelines are often referred to as the ASHRAE 60.2 standard. Local building codes have largely adopted these standards to identify minimum ventilation requirements and other measures in an effort to reduce adverse effects on your health, resolving both health and safety problems for you and your family.

That being said, the ultimate performance of your ventilation is not directly assessed or audited. Even if it was, it’s highly predicated on the weather outdoors, the square footage of the home and other factors. The true ventilation performance in your average American home may vary.

Fact #5:

It’s still entirely your choice. 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 prospect for poorer indoor air quality. Proper and consistent ventilation is the real secret to this debate.

First, anytime you prepare a meal 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 leads to our next point. There are more suitable whole-home ventilation strategies that will consistently improve your indoor air quality and home comfort while still enabling you to be the "Bobby Flay" chef in your home. Read on to find out more about the possible solutions for your home.

So, why is a HVAC company talking 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 587-315-5271.