Is gas the right cooking option for you?
Gas stoves are the easy decision for most professional chefs, restaurants and people who love to cook like I do. The are considered the best way to cook, which truthfully cooking with gas you can control the temperature so much easier than with electric. After doing a series of testing with air monitors we have decided to switch to electric stoves. Even with the hood vent going full blast, windows open and fans on, the air quality still plummeted. For us it was worth the sacrifice changing from gas to electric because it gave us peace of mind and data that our air quality wouldn’t have toxic chemicals like formaldehyde, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides.
What about people who work and dine in restaurants that have gas stoves. Do they have proper HVAC systems that exhaust VOCS coming from gas and providing fresh air inside the kitchens and dining spaces, as well as filtering them. The same goes for people cooking at home. For us it was time to have that conversation and decide to switch to electric to reduce the hazardous air pollutants that gas stoves emit.
What’s in natural gas?
Natural gas and propane stoves can release carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and other harmful pollutants into the air, which can be toxic to people and pets. Cooking with a gas stove is most likely releasing a large amount of dangerous VOCs into your home. Any method of cooking will lead to particulate matter released into the air. This is one of the reasons why kitchens and cooking areas should be well-ventilated. However, studies have shown that cooking with gas could cause potential health issues. The burning of gas produces PM2.5, which is a hazardous air pollutant. Research suggests that gas stoves create about twice as much PM2.5 as electric stoves, thus adding one more reason why you should consider opting for an all-electric home.
Gas stoves, mainly when they are not functioning correctly, will release nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), and formaldehyde (CH2O or HCHO) into the home. The largest sources of PM2.5 are tobacco (smoking), cooking and the burning of candles and incense.
Cooking on Electric Stoves
Electric stoves have their plusses and minuses. Plus is that they don’t emit hazardous air pollutants like gas stoves do and they are easier to clean. Minus is that they emit some higher EMFs especially if the dials and digital displays are in the front. It’s still important to ventilate when you are cooking with an electric stove. Cooking does emit VOCs from oils and food elements and ventilating is a good thing to do to help protect the indoor air quality for people and planet. Electric stoves do emit EMFs so best to cook from the back burners when you can and limit your time if you can when you stand in front of them.
Induction burners use magnets to generate heat, so the EMFs produced are higher than an electric coil burner. If you are sensitive to EMF's you may want to connect with me discuss your specific situation. We can get you a meter that can help you determine if it's right for you.
Cooking tip: turn off the burner about 2 minutes before you would normally turn off a burner as the burner is still hot and will continue cooking whatever is in your pan. Or remove the pan from the burner entirely when your dish is done.
Ways to improve ventilation in your kitchen if you have a gas stove or electric
If you have a range hood:
Use it while cooking or using your stove and open a window with a fan coming in not out. Introducing fresh air actually dilutes the VOCs in the testing that we have done. Check to make sure it vents to the outdoors.
Cook on the back burners, if possible, because the range hood exhausts this area more effectively.
If you don't have a range hood:
Use a wall or ceiling exhaust fan while cooking. Make sure it’s pointed inwards bringing in fresh air, then after you are done cooking turn it around and exhaust the inside air outside.
Open windows and/or exterior doors to improve air flow through the kitchen.
If you have a gas stove, inspect it every year for gas leaks and carbon monoxide. Have your local gas company come out to test.
Monitor your air with a quality air monitor that checks for total VOCs, CO2, Humidity and PM 2.5 as well as a CO and smoke detector.
The Austin Air Bedroom Machine® was used in clinical trials at the University of John Hopkins to reduce Nitrogen Dioxide levels in the homes of local residents. Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) is a gas often present in homes where there are gas stoves. High levels of NO2 are particularly dangerous for people with COPD. The gas can dramatically increase symptoms of coughing, wheezing and chest tightness. The results were dramatic. NO2 dropped in the kitchen by 27% and continued to stay low for the length of the study. Within a week NO2 levels in the bedroom dropped by 23%. Order yours today!
Indoor air quality can be tough to navigate because you may not know what toxins are polluting your specific environment. Let's connect to see how we can help you.
Email info@designwellstudios.com for more information on air monitors and air testing.