About a third of US households cook primarily with gas. It’s common to have those burners running for a while, a few times a day. But even minimal use of burning fossil fuel can have a devastating effect on your home’s indoor air quality.
In a review of decades of science by the Rocky Mountain Institute and multiple environmental advocacy groups, experts noted that fossil-fuel-burning stoves are likely exposing tens of millions of Americans to air pollution levels that would be illegal if they were outside.
Despite the risks, there are still no set standards for indoor air quality. It’s a problem that may present itself more clearly these days, with large numbers of people spending time indoors, and cooking at home.
According to the new report, gas stoves are making people sick
Gas stoves emit nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide, in addition to the particle pollution that all types of stoves produce. Older, poorly maintained stoves can be even worse contributors to air quality.
Even slight increases in short-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide can increase asthma risk in children.
One analysis found that children in homes with gas stoves have a 42% higher chance of having asthma symptoms. Another in Australia attributed 12.3% of all childhood asthma to gas stoves. Nitrogen dioxide also makes the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease worse and may be linked to heart problems, diabetes and cancer.
Strategies to improve your air
If you cook with a gas stove or have a gas heater in your home, there are some ways to mitigate the pollution being created. You can open windows, cook on your back burners, use a quality exhaust hood, install a carbon monoxide detector, and run an air purifier with a True HEPA filter.
Air purifiers like Airmega can help protect your family
One of the best ways to protect yourself from the negative effects associated with indoor air pollution is to use an air purifier, like the Coway Airmega. The Coway Airmega captures and reduces up to 99.999% of particles 0.01 microns in the air, including pollen, pollutants and other allergens.
What’s especially useful about Airmega is it can constantly monitor your air for contaminants. When the unit senses an increase in air contamination, it can automatically speed up the air purification process and remove harmful particles. Even in a home where gas is used for every meal, Airmega can help provide safe, clean indoor air.
