Is This Really The End for Gas Stoves?

In the past few months, we have seen numerous news stories concerning the potential ban of gas stoves used for cooking. So why is a heating and cooling company thinking about gas stoves? We'll tell you in a moment! First of all, we wanted to try and cut through the excitement, confusion and inaccurate info to provide a review of the facts and only the facts:

Fact #1:

There are close to 40 million gas stoves in the kitchens of American families and no, “the Man” 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, particularly in new construction properties. This will make it pointless to buy a gas stove, whether or not they are actually banned.

Fact #2:

Gas stoves have been the subject of debate 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 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.

Although gas stoves may help lead to poor indoor air quality, they are definitely not the only factor. Others may be:

• Occupants Within the Home: People and pets at home produce carbon dioxide (CO2), odors, cigarette 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.
• 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.
• Nearby Soil: Radon gas and stormwater runoff may enter the home via the basement or crawl space from the foundation surrounding the home.
• Well-Insulated Homes: While there are significant energy efficiency benefits, homes that are well insulated are “more restrictive” 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 suitable indoor air quality (IAQ) levels. These guidelines are more commonly known as the ASHRAE 60.2 standard. Local building codes have largely adopted these standards to determine minimum ventilation requirements and other measures in order to minimize 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 tested or audited. Even if it was, it’s highly dependent on climate conditions outdoors, the size of the home and other factors. The precise ventilation performance in the average home may vary.

Fact #5:

It’s still entirely your preference. You don’t have to say goodbye to 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 answer to this debate.

First, each time 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 safety released out of your home. But let’s be honest: how often do any of us use the fan on the range hood?

Which takes us to our next point. There are better 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 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 954-736-4314.