Although scientific studies show that natural gas stoves emit high levels of nitrogen oxides and other health-damaging pollutants, the relationship between those pollutants and human health remains unclear.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: Gas stoves produce carbon monoxide (CO), a colorless, odorless gas that can be deadly in high concentrations. If used in an enclosed space for extended periods, it can lead to CO buildup, which poses serious health risks.
Gas stoves and respiratory illnesses
Cooking with gas produces indoor air pollutants that irritate the respiratory system and cause inflammation in the lungs. This inflammation can lead to asthma symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and trouble breathing.
New studies have also linked gas stoves to increased rates of childhood asthma and have shown that using a gas stove can produce elevated levels of benzene on a par with those from secondhand tobacco smoke, or more tiny toxic particles than the exhaust of a diesel-powered vehicle.
The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. CO symptoms are often described as “flu-like.” If you breathe in a lot of CO, it can make you pass out or kill you.
If the gas stove and oven is not vented outside, open a window when cooking. A fan in the window can help vent gases. Use the exhaust hood when cooking.
Gas stoves also pose the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, especially if they are installed incorrectly and not properly vented or maintained. In January 2023, nearly 30,000 gas stoves were recalled because they could emit dangerous levels of carbon monoxide while in use.
Air purifiers are another device you can add to your home to help mitigate indoor air pollutants including the ones created by gas stoves.
Carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that can make you seriously ill if you breathe it in. Carbon monoxide can be made by fires and appliances that burn gas, wood, oil or coal.
Gas leaks are subtle in smell but very obvious in bills. They can even go on for months undetected.
Cooking with gas releases air pollutants that harm human health and the environment. Gas cookers are a major source of indoor air pollution and the main source of nitrogen dioxide pollution in the home.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas. A by-product of combustion, it can be produced by ordinary appliances, and is a common hazard in the home. Mild exposure can cause symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, or headaches; while severe poisoning can result in brain or heart damage or even death.
NO2 can cause respiratory problems, particularly for those with asthma or other respiratory illnesses, and long-term exposure to NO2 from gas stoves has also been linked to an increased risk of developing heart disease.
Safety and Health
When you use a gas burner on a cooktop there are poisonous gasses emitted. Carbon monoxide poisoning from a gas stove is a very real possibility without a vent. There are other poisonous gasses emitted, nitrogen dioxide and formaldehyde for example, that are hazardous to human lungs.
Try to keep the unit clean. Use an exhaust hood vented to the outdoors. Don't use the self-clean feature, as it can release carbon monoxide. Cook on the back burners so gases can be routed through the hood.
The ventilation of gas appliances, such as your gas cooktop, is not just necessary but also essential for maintaining a healthy and safe kitchen environment. Gas burners produce byproducts like carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and formaldehyde during the combustion process.
Play it Safe. If you experience symptoms that you think could be from CO poisoning: DO GET FRESH AIR IMMEDIATELY. Open doors and windows, turn off combustion appliances and leave the house.
If You Don't Smell Gas, Relax, and Turn Off the Stove
If you left the stove on and don't smell gas, you may see a flame that has been burning the gas, preventing it from leaching into your home. In that case, turn off the stove. If you aren't 100% certain or are hard of smell, don't turn on your stove.
No, carbon monoxide (CO) alarms cannot detect natural gas leaks. They are designed to detect the presence of carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas formed during incomplete combustion of fuels like oil, gas, propane, and wood.