Bruce Wilson LEED AP's post

Bans on gas hookups in new construction explained Many areas in the country are banning gas hookups in new construction as the push for electrification takes hold. Though natural gas is better for the environment than burning coal it still released many dangerous pollutants including CO2! “Nitrogen dioxide, or NO2, is a gaseous air pollutant composed of nitrogen and oxygen and is one of a group of related gases called nitrogen oxides, or NOx. Nitrogen dioxide forms when fossil fuels such as coal, oil, methane gas (natural gas) or diesel are burned at high temperatures. NO2 and other nitrogen oxides in the outdoor air contribute to particle pollution and to the chemical reactions that make ozone. It is one of six widespread air pollutants for which there are national air quality standards to limit their levels in the outdoor air. NO2 can also form indoors when fuels like wood or gas are burned. A 2022 review of multiple studies found that elevated levels of NO2, as well as elevated particulate matter and sulfur dioxide, were strongly associated with heart and lung harm, affected pregnancy and birth outcomes, and were likely associated with increased risk of kidney and neurological harm, autoimmune disorders and cancer.”

Though fumes from gas used to heat water and from boilers and furnaces are vented to the outside, stoves and un-vented fireplaces do not vent and contain harmful compounds that are bad for indoor air quality and our health. “The most common pollutants from gas stoves are nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (inhibits blood cells’ ability to carry oxygen) and formaldehyde.” Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen.

In addition “the flames from just one gas cooktop burner can be more toxic than secondhand tobacco smoke exposure, according to a new study published in Environmental Science & Technology.”

#:~:text=To%20date%2C%20multiple%20studies%20have%20proved%20that%20combustion,linked%20to%20asthma%29%2C%20and%20formaldehyde%20%28another%20known%20carcinogenic%29.
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.2c09289

The dangerous chemicals include benzene, another known carcinogen. “The U.S. EPA substantively underestimates benzene emissions from total residential gas combustion,” the researchers wrote. “Our results show that gas burners on high and gas ovens set to 350 °F (grouped together) in the U.S. emit 7200 kg of benzene annually. In contrast, the EPA’s National Emissions Inventory estimates that all residential gas appliances (including furnaces and water heaters) emit 4300 kg of benzene in total annually.”
https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-09/documents/1.4_natural_gas_combustion.pdf

The study measured benzene concentrations in bedrooms showing that the chemical migrates around the house when an unvented appliance is used! Using a range hood fan can help reduce the indoor air pollution, but it does not eliminate it completely. ASHRAE, (The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) has declared that “Consumers who want to reduce the risk of adverse health effects due to exposure to combustion products should not use unvented appliances.” and that “Research should be performed that investigates the effects of unvented space heater combustion on indoor air quality in residential buildings.” Despite this and other industry recommendations to ban the use of unvented gas heaters the International Code Council ruled that there will be no changes to their recommendations about unvented gas appliances. The only requirement is that the appliances should equiped with an Oxygen Depletion Safety (ODS) device to shut down the appliance if oxygen levels fall too far for human health. If your house leaks air a lot, the danger of burning unvented natural gas or propane is not as great, but in new homes built to code where low rates of air infiltration are required and tested the pollutants from natural gas pose a threat to the health of those living in the house. As someone who cooked with propane for years and loved it, I understand the reluctance to make the switch to electric. When we moved into our current house it had an electric cook top and I didn’t like cooking on it, but when its burners started failing and I started to shop for a replacement I found that the new electric cook tops offered far more control of the heat and faster warming. Newer induction cooktops are more efficient but require pots and pans that conduct magnetism so all of your cookware might not work with an induction cooktop. In addition if you are considering using an induction cooktop you need to ventilate the area below the cooktop for safety. The coils that create the magnetic energy that creates the heat in the cookware create heat and need to be vented. An induction cooktop does not get hot, just the cookware, so the chance of burns is greatly reduced. There is a drawer under our electric cooktop so replacing it with an induction cooktop is not a possibility. Even cooking with an electric cooktop produces unhealthy emissions, so always turn on a vented range hood when cooking!

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