Could the government really ban gas ranges? What would that look like? What are the alternatives? An estimated 40% of homes in the United States have gas cooking appliances. Would they all be forced to switch to electric or induction?
Question posed by Steve in person
Don’t worry gas lovers, the answer is not quite. The focus of the ban was to remove new gas hook ups in new construction, not to remove it from any existing structures. The first city to adopt this was Berkeley, CA in 2019 which has led others to follow suit. Two years after New York City adopted the ban, a bill was finally passed in 2023 which extends that ban for the entire state starting in 2026 for all structures under 7 stories and taller buildings by 2029. Hospitals, laundromats, restaurants, and some other commercial structires are exempt to the ban at this time. The largest county in Maryland has already enacted a version of the ban and parts of Colorado are in the process of passing one as well. With New York’s symbolism in the United States, likely other Democratic-led states will follow by example.
These bans are an attempt to reduce emissions and improve indoor air quality. A study done by Stanford University shockingly found that even when gas ranges are not in use, they often leak methane gas. But that pales in comparison to a peer-reviewed International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health study which concluded that nearly 13% of the cases studied connected gas-burning ranges to childhood asthma typically caused by nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter produced from the combustion process.
After testing emissions, Consumers Reports found that nitrogen dioxide levels exceed the safety levels provided by the World Health Organization. In defense of gas appliances in the home, the CEO and president of the American Public Gas Association, Dave Schryver, has stated that the Environmental Protection Agency does not list natural gas as a contributor to negative indoor air quality. The statement is a moot point as the EPA does not regulate indoor air quality. The Consumer Product Safety Commission, however, is the federal agency charged with this task to which they have warned about the health effects of nitrogen oxides and indoor air pollution for years. If you find yourself interested in switching to electric or induction after reading all of this, there’s good news! The government is offering a $840 rebate for you to make the switch.
The Consultant’s Thoughts
A question I often ask my clients is how often they turn on their ventilation. Often, the answer I get ranges between seldom and never. For years, I have been a vocal reminder to clients of how this off-gassing can be detrimental to developing and at-risk respiratory systems. I like to be very clear that I am not “anti-gas”. Every home I have ever owned, I have had a gas range. We just need to make sure that those big gorgeous range hoods we put on the wall aren’t just for show.