Why your gas stove is bad for you (and terrible for the environment)

Heads up to the 40 million American households with gas stoves: your appliance is constantly leaking methane, a potent greenhouse gas, even when it’s turned off.

That’s according to a new study published late last month in Environmental Science & Technology Researchers from Stanford University found that even when gas stoves aren’t running, they release 2.6 million tons of methane into the air each year, a figure on par with the amount of greenhouse gas that Each year, 500,000 cars are sold.

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The study found that gas ranges are emitted unhealthy levels of nitrogen oxide. This gas is responsible for global warming. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) saysEven low concentrations can cause breathing problems in people with asthma and chronic obstructive lung disease (defined by the World Health Organization as 13 parts per million over 24 hours).

Natural gas can leak from pipes, plants, and wells. These have been extensively studiedLeakage inside the home has received relatively little research. “It’s probably the part of natural gas emissions we understand the least about, and it can have a big impact on both climate and indoor air quality,” Eric Lebel, lead author of the new study, says in A Stanford press release. Lebel is a senior scientist with PSE Energy, an Oakland-based nonprofit.

Lebel and his fellow researchers spent time in 53 homes (mostly rentals and Airbnb’s), sealing off the kitchens with plastic sheets and measuring the methane and nitrogen oxide that the stoves released. The team measured the appliances while they were on, and also while they were off, which was something that previous studies had not done. The stoves ranged in age from three to thirty years old and were made by 18 brands, including major brands like Whirlpool and GE.

The leakiest stoves were the ones that utilized a pilot light—a small, constant flame used as an ignition source for gas-powered appliances. Because they waste gas, most modern stoves no longer use pilot lights. Instead, they use an integrated electric sparker which, when gas is added to it, creates a flame.

Regardless of age or brand, methane was released into the air during ignition and extinguishment, about the same amount of methane emitted during ten minutes’ worth of cooking with the burner. Surprisingly more than three quarters of methane emitted when the stoves were switched off. These data allowed researchers to determine that only 1.3 percent of the gas used by stoves is leaked. According to Lebel, this suggests that the most important factor in natural gas escape is the connection and fittings to the stove. These gas valves are located at the burner and where natural gas enters the appliance through the wall.

While carbon dioxide is the most prominent topic in discussions about climate change, methane contributes significantly to global warming. And while it doesn’t linger in the atmosphere as long as carbon dioxide, methane’s Heat-trapping power 25 times strongerMethane can cause more heat in a shorter amount of time. Humans have increased the methane levels in the atmosphere by more than two-fold over the past 200 years (through agriculture and industry), which has resulted in steadily rising temperatures.

The study did not attempt to pinpoint the specific source of the leaks, though Zachary Merrin—a research engineer at the Illinois Applied Research Institute’s Indoor Climate Research and Training Program, who was not involved in the study—hazarded a guess. “I would not be surprised if some of the leakage is coming from the burner valves at the stove controls,” he wrote in an email to Popular Mechanics. “These valves need to hold back pressurized gas but allow it to open with the flick of a wrist; I would imagine it is hard to mass produce these valves so that they maintain a perfect seal for the lifetime of the device.”

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Thankfully, the levels of methane that the researchers found in the homes are not dangerous to humans and won’t cause explosions—but exposure to nitrogen oxide, a byproduct of burning methane, can worsen significant health problems. During the tests, the researchers detected levels of nitrogen oxide above 100 parts per billion, which exceeds the EPA’s outdoor air quality standards (it does not have indoor standards), within minutes of turning on the stove. The number of burners used and the time they were left on was a factor in how high the concentration of this toxic gas was. It was particularly noticeable in small kitchens with poor ventilation and smaller kitchens.

Recent years have seen a significant increase in States and local governments have banned natural gas connections in new construction, but the natural gas industry isn’t going down without a fight. It has spent many decades convincing Americans that gas stoves outperform electric. This outreach has taken many unusual forms. Tap into social media influencersIncredible! bad 80s “rap” video) and has recently Lobbying has been a successFor legislation against these bans.

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Meanwhile, the Washington, D.C.-based American Gas Association (AGA) has taken issue with some of the study’s findings, arguing that wrapping a kitchen in plastic is “in-no-way a realistic measure of the circumstances in a typical home,” and questioning the accuracy of taking “data from 53 houses in California and extrapolat[ing] it to the entire United States.” Furthermore, the group alleges that the situation is actually improving.

“Residential natural gas accounts for only four percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, and natural gas distribution system emissions have declined 69 percent since 1990,” AGA President and CEO Karen Harbert tells Popular Mechanics Through a spokesperson. Harbert claims the group is spending $30 billion each year to modernize the country’s natural gas system.

But what does this all mean for the average homeowner who, for now, is stuck with—or even prefers—their gas stove?

“We don’t want people to go out and completely ditch a perfectly good gas stove,” Lebel tells Popular Mechanics. “Running out and replacing your stove is not the right response at this time.” In other words, a pile of working appliances in a landfill is not an environmentally friendly solution.

Homeowners can protect their health by following one simple rule: “Any time there is a burner on, your vent should be on.” If possible, make sure your hood (or microwave fan) is pushing the air outside, not simply recirculating it. To promote ventilation, open a window nearby if all else fails.

“To help your stove perform better,” Merrin advises homeowners “keep the surface and the burners clean, making sure the burner caps are centered and well-seated, and fixing any issues with the igniters if the stove is not lighting quickly or completely.” Steady blue flames, he explains, indicate the stove is working well. “If the flames show a lot of orange or sound like they are gusting, it means that the air fuel mixture is not optimal and excessive incomplete combustion is occurring, which increases the generation of harmful pollutants.” Renters can also protect their health by keeping their stove clean and requesting their landlord provide proper maintenance.

Lebel claims he doesn’t know of any manufacturer efforts in fixing leaky appliances. Neither GE nor Samsung responded to requests to interview.

When it It isIf it is time to replace your stove, you might consider an electric induction cookertop. Induction stoves are more efficient than electric stoves and produce less heat.

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