• exasperation@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    14 hours ago

    I want to systematically test air quality when cooking with gas versus electric. Do you notice anything different in the air quality when you use a toaster or other electric appliance that heats food above 350°F/175°C?

    • Clent@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      12 hours ago

      I do not have a gas stove but I do have have multiple air quality sensors. Any amount of cooking causes particulates to increase from a base range of 2 to 200+ for 2.5 and 10 ppm.

    • AA5B@lemmy.world
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      12 hours ago

      I’m similar. Surprisingly quick jumps in particulates and voc in the family room when the stove in the kitchen was turned on.

      I don’t notice it on small electric appliances (but never explicitly tested them), and no longer have a gas stove

      I also have a hepa filter in the family room that would come on surprisingly quickly and made a significant difference …. When it was new. Unfortunately that has gotten bumped so many times that it is usually throwing an error

      • TranscendentalEmpire@lemmy.today
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        10 hours ago

        With gas stoves the issue is mainly NO2, however all cooking releases volatile chemicals which typically get worse depending on how oily the food is.

        Really the problem is with ventilation moreso how or what you are cooking. Most non industrial range hoods are severely underpowered and installed incorrectly.

        I have a relatively small range hood to which installed an industrial inline exhaust fan too. Even though it’s small, the motor is strong enough to clear any smoke in the kitchen within a min.

        • AA5B@lemmy.world
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          9 hours ago

          Yeah I’ve been a little worried about that ….

          My detector does not measure NOx, so I have no idea. But now that the gas stove is gone it’s no longer relevant

          And yeah, definitely concerned about ventilation. I also have a pretty powerful inline exhaust fan, however there is no hood at all. The previous owners installed a pot rack in place of the hood and the kitchen is small enough that I can’t really change that. The exhaust fan is just a ceiling vent. I have no idea whether that balances out as positive (strong fan) or negative (no hood), but now that the gas stove is gone, that’s also a bit less important.

          I don’t know if visual spatter/smoke, or smell are useful indicators but the induction stove has less of these. It only cooks what I intend

          • TranscendentalEmpire@lemmy.today
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            6 hours ago

            The hood is mostly important for capturing the vaporized grease and making sure it doesn’t get stuck to the ceiling in the event that your fan isn’t strong enough to keep up with sudden flared ups.

            The most important thing for air quality is just how many cubic meter/feet your fan can vent put of the room. As long as it is strong enough to create a draft large enough for the size of your room you should be okay. Hood is for larger particles that the fan can’t move quickly, the volatile chemicals are smaller and should be mostly going up towards your vent as long as it’s placed close enough or is strong enough.