Is This Really The End for Gas Stoves?

In the past few months, we have seen a number of news stories regarding the possible ban of gas stoves used for cooking. So why is a heating, air conditioning and plumbing company writing about gas stoves? Hold that thought! First of all, we wanted to try and cut through the hype, confusion and misinformation to provide a summary of the facts and only the facts:

Fact #1:

There are close to 40 million gas stoves in the U.S. and no, “the Man” is not coming for your gas stove. But dozens of cities — and some states — are already transitioning away from natural gas as part of efforts to reduce CO2, particularly in new construction properties. This will make it worthless to purchase a gas stove, despite what lawmakers are talking about.

Fact #2:

Gas stoves have been the target of controversy due to several recent reports that have implied that emissions from gas stoves may be dangerous to your health. Namely, leading to 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 can be two to five times — and sometimes more than 100 times — higher than outdoor levels.

Although gas stoves may contribute to poor indoor air quality, they obviously aren’t the only cause. 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 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 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.
• Nearby Soil: Radon gas and stormwater runoff 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 tighter” and as a consequence won’t have as much infiltration from natural, outdoor air.

Fact #4:

There are formal practices 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 generally adopted these standards to identify minimum ventilation requirements and other measures in an effort to minimize any negative 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 local environment outdoors, the size of the home and other factors. The actual ventilation performance in the average home fluctuates widely.

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

First, anytime 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 is our next point. There are much more effective 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 learn more about the available 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 gas stoves and which solution might be best for your home, contact Service Experts at 574-218-6404.