Gas stoves have been in the news a lot lately because of concerns over their emission of benzene. Without a proper venting fan, this gas is released into the home.
Should you get rid of our gas stove? Not necessarily. Let’s move the focus to strong venting, which, if maintained, will remove emissions of benzene from your home.
Just like your bathroom fan, which removes moisture to prevent the growth of mould, a venting fan directly above your stove will reduce harmful gasses from lingering while you are cooking, and afterward.
Test Your Fans
How do you know if your venting fan is doing its job? And what about your other fans? If you’re testing one fan, you should test them all. Here are three areas in your home where you’ll want to test your venting:
- Kitchen
- Bathrooms
- Fireplaces
Kitchen
A cooktop fan usually sits 24 to 30 inches above the stove and serves to exhaust smoke, gasses, smells, and steam from cooking. But how do you know if your fan is doing its job, and moving emissions and air out effectively?
Try this: Take a piece of paper and hold it parallel to the fan. Turn the fan on. If the paper sucks and sticks to the fan, then it is working well.
Another way to check is to turn the fan on and go outside to where the fan exhausts. Can you feel air pressure exiting the vent?
If the answer is no to either of those tests, then it’s time to upgrade the venting in your kitchen.
Bathrooms
Most people think that venting fans in the bathroom are to help remove smells. But they’re installed for a more important reason: to remove moisture.
Moisture buildup in the bathroom is a problem waiting to happen. Long, hot showers or baths release steam and moisture into the air. If that moisture is not vented, then it will accumulate on walls, tiles, and in dark corners. If this isn’t addressed, mould will breed and accumulate, resulting in damage and costly renovations to clear out this dangerous fungal growth.
Run the same tests as with the kitchen venting to check on the strength and effectiveness of your bathroom fans.
Fireplaces
If you have a gas fireplace, it’s important to ensure that it is venting to the outside. Have it serviced to verify that no fumes are seeping into your home.
If you only have a wood-burning fireplace, you’ll want to check it, too. Have an expert chimney sweeper ensure that your chimney is not clogged with buildup, preventing any smoke and soot from leaving your home.
Maintenance
It may not be necessary to replace your venting if any of your fan systems fail the tests above. When was the last time that grease accumulation was removed from your oven vent? You’ll be surprised what a good cleaning can do for the power and effectiveness of your vents.
While there won’t be grease accumulation in your bathrooms, dust accumulates in only a few months. Turn off the power to your fans in all instances, detach the fan, if possible, and clean the blades.
So, it’s not necessary to replace your gas stove. Just ensure that you have and maintain proper venting, which applies throughout your home.
Thinking of moving to the next stage? Let’s chat. Send me an email (hillary@hillarylane.ca) or text/phone (416-882-4707).
Photo by André François McKenzie on Unsplash
