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Thinking of swapping out a gas stove for induction? Here’s how

Woman's hand turns on induction stove with frying pan
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Today’s induction stoves are praised for how fast, precise, and safe they are.

The debate over gas stoves boiled over this week.

The federal agency that manages the safety of consumer products is weighing regulations on new gas stoves. “Any option is on the table,” said one of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety commissioners in an interview. He went on to say that products that aren’t safe can’t be banned.

That was partly in response to a new study that links gas stoves to asthma in kids. It’s the latest in a growing body of research that shows gas stoves are a risk to public health.

On Wednesday, the commission chair clarified the agency wouldn’t ban gas stoves, but was looking into their health risks and considering regulations — a process that will take a while.

Still, gas stoves are a source of indoor air pollution for the roughly 40 million homes in the U.S. that use them. One alternative is electric induction stoves.

In the Midwest, natural gas is commonly used throughout the house. It powers fireplaces, furnaces, water heaters, and, of course, gas stoves.

“While many of these devices are vented out of the house—your water heater, your furnace, and all that—a lot of times, your stove is not,” said Kevin Kane, chief economist at Green Homeowners United. “Or at least if it is, it’s connected to a range fan that you have to remember to turn on.”

Kane said when he does home energy assessments, he always runs combustion tests on gas stoves.

“A lot of times, we’re seeing that these devices are not well-ventilated,” he said. “There’s real health concerns of gas byproducts burned and left in the house.”

Burning gas creates pollutants that can cause or aggravate respiratory illnesses like asthma. The pollutants include nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide.

More and more research has shown that gas stoves aren’t good for us. In the latest peer-reviewed study led by researchers at the environmental think tank RMI, scientists estimated that almost 13% of asthma cases in kids can be attributed to living in a house with a gas stove. Researchers likened the exposure to living with a smoker.

Gas stoves are also not good for the planet. Even when they’re off, they leak methane — a powerful greenhouse gas that warms the atmosphere.

Generally, relying on gas stoves keeps fossil fuels streaming into our homes at a time when scientists say we need to be doing just the opposite.

“We want to do our part to help address climate change from home,” Kane said. “Looking at getting induction ovens, or other non-gas-fired appliances is both good for your health, and also good for the planet.”

If you’re interested in swapping your gas stove for induction, money is coming to help many people cover the cost.

Last year’s big federal climate change bill, the Inflation Reduction Act, created a rebate program to get more households to adopt electric appliances. Through the High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Program, consumers can get rebates for not just electric stoves, but also water heaters, heat pumps, and clothes dryers.

The rebates are intended for low- and middle-income households. They can be used both to purchase and install the appliance. And they’re offered upfront, so they work like a discount.

For a new electric stove, depending on their income, customers can get up to $840 off. Induction stoves start around $1,000.

Landlords can use the program if at least half the building’s residents are low- or middle-income.

States still need to set up their own programs to distribute the federal money, so the rebates aren’t available yet. Most are expected this year, and will be offered through Sept. 2031.

“The federal government will allow states to apply, they will provide the funds to the state, and the state will come up with a plan to get them out there,” Kane said. “We expect that later in 2023. So if you are able to wait a little bit longer, we might recommend it.”

Today’s induction stoves aren’t your grandma’s electric range. They’re praised for how fast, precise, and safe they are.

Jimmy Pieper is a sales associate at Grand Appliance on Layton in Milwaukee. He sees interest in induction, but also some misunderstanding.

“People sometimes get turned away because you need special cookware, but honestly most people already have the cookware,” Pieper said. “They just need to be magnetic. So you put a magnet to the bottom of it. If it attaches to the pan, then it will work.”

Before getting the stove, you’ll need to make sure your kitchen can take the electric load. Through that Inflation Reduction Act, homeowners can get tax credits for having an energy assessment like this done.

Some houses will need an electrician to install the right kind of outlet. Pieper said it’s a straightforward fix.

“If you have gas, then you’d need to switch over to a 220V cable instead,” he said. “Because gas, it obviously uses a gas line and then just the regular 110V.”

If you’re a renter, you could try discussing these incentives with your landlord. Or, if you pay for an electric stove yourself, you could plan on taking the appliance with you when you move.

I asked Pieper whether he talks about the health benefits of induction stoves with customers. He said he hasn’t before, but he might start.

If you want or need to keep using a gas stove, you can improve ventilation in your kitchen by using the range hood and opening windows when cooking. Range hoods work best if they vent outside, rather than circulate air indoors.

Lina is a WUWM news reporter.
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