How Does Cooking Pollute Your Indoor Air Quality?
There are a number of different ways to cook food — from gas to wood to electricity. Unfortunately, each of these cooking methods can create indoor air pollution. It’s important to remember that natural gas or propane stoves can release carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and other pollutants that are harmful to breathe. If you use a fireplace or woodstove to cook your food, this can create wood smoke that is unhealthy to inhale.
Cooking can also create unhealthy air pollutants when food ingredients such as oil are cooked at high temperatures. In addition, self-cleaning gas or electric ovens can create air pollution as food waste is burned away. Exposure to these fumes can lead to nose and throat irritation, headaches, fatigue and nausea. Children and people with asthma, heart or lung disease are particularly vulnerable to this indoor air pollution.
What Can I Do to Improve Air Quality While Cooking?
The best way to improve indoor air quality while cooking is to allow for good ventilation with a properly installed and high-efficiency range hood that is placed over your stove. A high-efficiency range hood will have a high cubic-foot-per-minute rating and a low noise rating.
What Are the Ways to Improve Ventilation in Your Kitchen?
If you have a range hood, be sure:
- That the hood vents outdoors
- You use the range hood when cooking
- The hood exhausts are working efficiently
If you don’t have a range hood, you can use a wall or ceiling exhaust fan while cooking. You can also open the windows or exterior doors to promote good airflow throughout the kitchen.
Where Can I Get the Best Exhaust System for My Kitchen?
Residents throughout Savannah, GA, and the surrounding areas turn to Savannah Air Factory when they need help with HVAC and indoor air quality services. Our crew can help you find and install the best exhaust system for your kitchen. We can also install, repair and tune cooling and heating systems. Call us today to learn more.
