What kind of stove do you have in your home – electric or gas? If you still use a gas stove, it would be good to know what health risks you are exposed to and how to avoid them.
I have tried to anticipate some of the questions that may arise in connection with this topic. If you read this article, you will find the answers to them, as well as other useful information about how to avoid putting yourself at risk.
Why are gas stoves dangerous to health?
Numerous studies have shown that cooking on a gas stove poses serious health dangers.
The fact is that gas never burns 100%, and large amounts of carbon dioxide are released in the process. In addition, incomplete combustion of natural gas emits much more toxic substances. For example, carbon monoxide, the concentration of which can be 20-25 times higher than the permissible norm. This leads to headaches, allergies, nausea, and a weakened immune system.
In addition to carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, formaldehyde, benzpyrene – a strong carcinogen – are emitted into the air.
Experts are particularly concerned about the effects of nitrogen dioxide, its concentration in the room can be quite high during cooking. Prolonged exposure to this gas can increase susceptibility to asthma and other bronchopulmonary diseases, and it is especially dangerous for children, the elderly and those already suffering from asthma. Even short-term exposure can cause coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing.
To be more explicit, let's estimate the impact of the gas stove on our body in a more understandable equivalent – the number of cigarettes smoked daily! So, if a smoker consumes one pack (20 cigarettes) a day, a cooking person gets the equivalent of two to five cigarettes a day.
Who is most at risk of negative consequences?
Women, children, the elderly, and the chronically ill are most at risk of getting sick from the adverse effects of gas stoves. In addition, cooks and people who spend many hours at the gas stove at work are at particular risk.
What can you do to keep yourself and your family safe?
There are a few simple rules that, if followed, can reduce health damage from the gas stove by up to ten times:
- It is necessary to install a hood with an air cleaner over the stove. This is the most effective method. But even if for some reason you can't do this, the other seven rules combined will also significantly reduce air pollution.
- Keep an eye on the completeness of the gas combustion. If the gas suddenly becomes a different color than it should be, call the gas company immediately to adjust the defective burner.
- Do not clutter the stove with unnecessary cookware. Cookware should only be placed on working burners. This ensures free access of air to the burners and a more complete combustion of gas.
- It is better to use no more than two burners or the oven and one burner at the same time. Even if your stove has four burners, it is better to use no more than two at a time.
- The maximum time of continuous use of a gas stove is two hours. After that, you should take a break and give the kitchen a good airing.
- When the gas stove is burning, the doors to the kitchen should be closed and the window open. This will ensure that combustion products are vented outside and not through the living rooms.
- After the gas stove is finished working, it is recommended to ventilate not only the kitchen, but also the entire apartment. It is recommended that you ventilate thoroughly.
- Never use the gas stove for purposes other than cooking.
In fact, the best solution is to replace the gas stove with an electric stove and use other appliances for cooking. But, in case this is not possible, following the above recommendations will greatly reduce the risks.
All the threats associated with using a gas stove have been around for a long time, but the pandemic has exacerbated the problem as people spend much more time at home.
In rooms that often combine the functions of kitchen, dining room, study, and bedroom, special attention needs to be paid to air quality.
Are there any questions about the risks associated with using a gas stove left unanswered?