The P. Gagnon & Son Blog

Are Propane Gas Stoves Safe to Use?

Look beyond the headlines and learn the facts

gas stove safety South Berwick, me You have likely seen a lot of headlines about gas stoves lately questioning their safety. This may have you wondering about either your home’s propane stove, or your plans to add a propane stove to your home.

In addition to the headlines, there have been rumors spreading like wildfire, especially on social media, that the federal government is going to ban people from using gas stoves.

Let’s start with that rumor. The government is not coming to take away your gas stove. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the government agency that focuses on reducing the risk of injury and death from faulty consumer products, is only seeking public input on potential hazards associated with gas stoves.

In a January 11 statement, CPSC Chair Alexander Hoehn-Saric said, “I am not looking to ban gas stoves and the CPSC has no proceeding to do so.”

Now we can look at what’s been covered in both mainstream and agenda-driven media.

It’s not just gas cooking that creates hazards

For years, research has warned against the potential hazards of cooking. Regardless of whether it’s done on a gas stove, electric range or wood-burning stove, all forms of cooking release some degree particulate matter (PM) into the air inside your home.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has characterized PM as tiny solids or liquid particles that are so minuscule, they can be drawn into the lungs and potentially result in severe health conditions.

Here’s an example. When you’re searing a steak in a skillet on your stovetop, it tends to generate smoke. That smoke contains particulate matter, making inhaling it not good for you. This is why indoor air quality experts recommend using your kitchen’s range hood to vent that particulate matter out of your kitchen. If you don’t have a range hood, open a near by window for at least a little ventilation.
As an example, think about all of the smoke that’s produced when you’re searing a steak in a frying pan on your cooktop. It’s not healthy to be breathing that in because of all the particulate matter the smoke contains.

This is why indoor air quality experts always advise using your kitchen range hood to vent particulate matter to the outside whenever you are cooking. If you don’t have a range hood, open a nearby window to achieve at least some ventilation.

Propane and natural gas are not the same thing

For years, there has been growing unease about the amount of methane being released from natural gas sources indoors, and not just in cooking stoves. This is particularly concerning because methane is an extremely potent greenhouse gas and makes up a vast majority of natural gas content.

However, what the studies don’t mention when they discuss gas cooking is that propane does not contain methane and is not a greenhouse gas!

With dependable propane delivery from P. Gagnon & Son, you can enjoy the benefits of cooking with gas in your Seacrest Region home! Become a customer today.