Indoor Air and Gas Stoves: A Beginner-Friendly Start
Indoor Air and Gas Stoves: the few things that matter most, and the mistakes that catch people out early.
Pollutants released indoors by gas stoves and other fuel-burning appliances, including nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and fine particles.
Key takeaways
- Pollutants from gas cooking: nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and fine particles
- Carbon monoxide alarms: on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas
- Most useful single change: Use a range hood that vents outdoors every time you cook, and use the back burners.
- Commonest mistake: Using a gas oven or stovetop to heat your home.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
Why bother
These pollutants can irritate the airways and worsen asthma, and carbon monoxide from any fuel-burning device can be deadly within minutes.
Start here
Start with two. Add the rest once those have stopped taking effort.
- Use a range hood that vents outdoors every time you cook, and use the back burners
- Open a window while cooking if you do not have a vented hood
Then add these
After that, these.
- Have gas furnaces, water heaters and chimneys inspected every year by a qualified technician
- Test CO alarms monthly and replace batteries as the maker directs
The numbers, in one place
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Pollutants from gas cooking | nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and fine particles |
| Carbon monoxide alarms | on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas |
| Portable generators | outdoors only, at least 20 feet from windows, doors and vents |
| Carbon monoxide | colorless and odorless; symptoms include headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea and confusion |
Common early mistakes
- Using a gas oven or stovetop to heat your home
- Running a generator, grill, camp stove or car in a garage, basement or other enclosed space, even with the door open
- Ignoring a CO alarm because no one feels sick yet
Related topics
- Carbon Monoxide During Power Outages: What the Evidence Actually Says (Heat, Cold and Weather Safety)
- Air Quality: What the Evidence Actually Says (Respiratory Health)
- Smoking and the Heart: What Published Guidance Supports (Heart Health)
- What the Guidance Really Says About Poisoning Prevention at Home (Injury Prevention)
Where to go next
- Understanding Indoor Air and Gas Stoves: A Plain-English Explainer
- Indoor Air and Gas Stoves: What to Do, in Order
- Indoor Air and Gas Stoves — the reference entry
- Environmental Health: The Complete Guide
- The Evidence on Pesticides at Home, Without the Hype
- What the Guidance Really Says About Everyday Noise Exposure
When to speak to a doctor
See your doctor if asthma or breathing symptoms are worse at home or while cooking. If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds or anyone has headache, dizziness, nausea or confusion that may be from CO, get everyone outside to fresh air right away and call 911.
Where this comes from
- EPA — Introduction to Indoor Air Quality
- Consumer Product Safety Commission — Carbon Monoxide Information Center
- CDC — Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Basics
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarized or generalized beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to your doctor, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 911.
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