Is This Really The End for Gas Stoves?

In the past few months, we have seen a number of news stories pertaining to the potential ban of gas stoves used for cooking. So why is an HVAC company thinking about gas stoves? We'll tell you in a moment! To begin with, we wanted to try and cut through the excitement, confusion and misinformation to provide a review of the facts and only the facts:

Fact #1:

There are approximately 40 million gas stoves in the United States and no, “the Man” is not coming for your gas stove. But several 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 much less worthwhile to buy a gas stove, whether or not they are actually banned.

Fact #2:

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

While 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, vape 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: Many popular cleaning products may produce VOCs or other chemicals.
• Nearby Soil: Radon gas and moisture may enter the home through the basement or crawl space from the soil around the home.
• Well-Insulated Homes: While there are significant energy efficiency benefits, homes that are well insulated are “sealed up” and as a consequence won’t have as much infiltration from natural, outdoor air.

Fact #4:

There are well-known standards for residential ventilation and satisfactory indoor air quality (IAQ) levels. These guidelines are known by industry experts as the ASHRAE 60.2 standard. Local building codes have largely adopted these standards to determine minimum ventilation requirements and other measures in an effort to minimize 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 size of the home and other factors. The actual ventilation performance in the average home may vary.

Fact #5:

It’s still entirely your choice. You don’t have to say goodbye to your gas stove and replace it with electric, and you also don’t have to pick between your gas stove and the possibility for poorer indoor air quality. Proper and consistent ventilation is the real secret to this debate.

First, anytime you prepare meals 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 released out of your home. But let’s be honest: how often do any of us use the fan on the range hood?

Which leads to our next point. There are much more effective whole-home ventilation solutions that will dramatically improve your indoor air quality and home comfort while still allowing you to be the "Bobby Flay" chef in your home. Read on to learn more about the potential 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 system might be best for your home, contact Service Experts at 484-401-7577.