The invisible dangers of common home appliances

The average American spends roughly 17 hours of their day at home, yet most of us aren’t doing all we can to make sure our homes are safe. No, we’re not talking about deadbolt locks or security cameras—we’re talking about the health risks associated with everyday home appliances.

Most U.S. households still power their home appliances and HVAC systems by burning fuel, despite dozens of studies that found it can be toxic to humans, cause health issues, and lead to increased ER visits.

We often tout the widely discussed benefits of adopting clean energy in your home—like saving money and slowing the effects of climate change. But what if upgrading to sustainable appliances could also save you and your family a few trips to the doctor?

We dove into the data and spoke with two researchers at the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) to learn why most Americans have largely ignored the health risks associated with common home appliances.

Disclaimer: This article is intended to provide an informational overview of health risks associated with combustion-source appliances. It does not provide medical advice. No material on this site should be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Two-thirds of U.S. households burn fuel to heat their homes, dry their clothes, and cook their food:

• 60% use methane (better known as natural gas)

• 15% use propane, fuel oil, and kerosene

• 9% use wood

It’s important to understand that our appliances aren’t 100% efficient, meaning they don’t use all the energy they create. The excess goes into the air, where it can then make its way into our lungs and, in some cases, our bloodstream. If you’re relying on combustion-source appliances—those that rely on wood or fossil fuels—these air pollutants can be harmful or even deadly.

Dozens of studies have linked combustion source appliances with negative health effects, including:

• Asthma and other respiratory issues

• Lung disease

• Heart effects

• Increased risk of cancer, including leukemia

• Increased risk of diabetes

• Increased susceptibility to allergens 

• Decreased lung development and IQ development in children

• Headaches

• Nausea

• Dizziness

• Inability to smell or taste

We’ve included source links to various studies in the sections below if you’d like to explore further.

Fireplace or wood-burning stove

An estimated 9% of Americans use wood to cook or heat their homes. According to the American Lung Association, wood smoke can include particle pollution, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds (e.g. benzene and formaldehyde).

The ALA states these emissions can lead to harmful health effects, including coughing, wheezing, asthma attacks, heart attacks, and premature death.

Gas stove

When we turn on our gas stove, traces of carbon monoxide, methane, benzene, and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) disperse into the air. Inhaling these toxins at high levels has been linked to various health issues, including the following:

• Nearly 13% of current childhood asthma in the U.S. is attributable to gas stove use (source).

• The health effects of inhaling NO2 have also been linked to child learning deficits, increased risk of lung infection, deleted tissue antioxidant defenses, and various respiratory issues (source).

• Cooking with gas stoves can raise indoor levels of benzene—a chemical linked to leukemia—higher than that of secondhand smoke (source).

• Women who cook with gas have an increased risk of asthma attacks, wheezing, and waking with shortness of breath (source).

• Gas stoves produce formaldehyde, a respiratory irritant and carcinogen (source).

• Gas appliances increase the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, which can cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and confusion. (source).

Gas stoves emit higher levels of NO2 than what is considered safe by the World Health Organization (WHO). As seen in the chart below, WHO advises that indoor NO2 emissions stay under 90 parts per billion (PPB). However, simply turning on your gas stove can emit emissions up to 300 PPB, while turning on your oven emits 130 to 546 ppb.

Polluted air from gas stoves extends beyond the kitchen

A peer-reviewed research study published in May 2024 revealed that using a gas stove sends toxic air pollutants throughout your home.

Researchers tested air quality in 18 homes and apartments across the U.S. before, during, and after gas stove use. They found over half of the kitchens, living rooms, and bedrooms tested had levels of NO2 pollution that exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) 1-hour benchmark of 100 ppb.

While the pollution improved when the stove was used with outside-venting range hoods, surveys show that range hoods are only used 15-29% of the time. 

In a separate natural gas appliance study from last year, researchers collected indoor air samples from 480 homes that use natural gas across the U.S. and Canada. They found that 99% of the indoor air samples were polluted when the stoves weren’t even on.

They also uncovered another major risk factor with having natural gas appliances…

Natural gas appliances may lead to gas leaks

As they collected air samples, the researchers discovered that 4% of the homes were experiencing a “relatively large” natural gas leak. One of the leaks was so large that they had to emergency evacuate all tenants from the four-unit apartment, yet none of the tenants reported being able to smell the leak.

We’ve known about the health risks of gas stove appliances for decades

The American Gas Association (AGA) conducted its own research on health and indoor pollution risks from gas stoves back in the early 1970s, according to a report by DeSmog.

In 1972, AGA authored a draft report that included a section titled “Indoor Air Quality Control,” which highlighted concerns over carbon monoxide and NO2 (or NOx, as it’s referred to in the report) emissions and indoor air pollution. The draft was meant to be featured in an official report published by the National Industrial Pollution Control Council, but the entire section on indoor air quality was missing from the final publication.

The final report said the only issue with gas was its limited availability. It didn't even mention its health risks or environmental impact.

Yet so many Americans still swear by the gas stove. Why is that?

The natural gas business has had quite a successful marketing campaign that’s spanned decades. Ever heard the phrase, “Now we’re cooking with gas”? It was popularized in the 1930s by someone who—surprise, surprise—worked for the AGA. He was reportedly well-connected with entertainment professionals and got them to start writing the line in scripts, including comedians like Bob Hope. Nearly 100 years later and we’re still saying it.

That was just the beginning of advertising for natural gas. There have been dozens of commercials, infomercials, and even an educational rap video about the so-called “benefits” of cooking with gas.

Gas stove marketing in 2025

While some of these examples feel outdated, stove marketing lives on in 2025. If you take a quick trip to cookingwithgas.org, you’ll read about how cooking with gas is “synonymous with speed and efficiency” (induction stoves are actually faster and more efficient—more on that later) and how the best chefs only cook with gas.

Dr. Sheena Mirpuri, head of sustainability at BIT Americas, says she’s felt the pull toward needing a gas stove despite having an extensive career in sustainability.

“I remember when my husband and I were looking at apartments, my only requirement to him was, ‘It has to be a gas stove. It just has to be!’” Sheena said. “I just had this sense that they cook better, they perform better, the food comes out tasting better.”

Natural gas isn’t exactly natural

Even the name “natural gas” is an incredible marketing move for fossil fuels. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, natural gas is an “odorless, gaseous mixture of hydrocarbons—predominantly made up of methane.”

Natural gas is technically natural in the same way coal and oil are—made from millions of years of decomposed plant and animal matter. But the name “natural gas” makes us think it’s a clean energy source, when in reality it requires the same type of extraction through processes like fracking, which have harmful environmental side effects. And once we have natural gas, as mentioned, it’s primarily made of methane.

So if you’re cooking on a gas stove, you’re technically cooking on a methane stove. But do you think the gas stove would have the same level of popularity if we called it a methane stove? There’s no way to tell, but we’re willing to bet not. 

When we hear the word “methane,” we typically picture something toxic… and for good reason. If you’re cooking on a gas stove, you are cooking on a methane stove—and it can have harmful effects.

A 2024 study from Rewiring America found that swapping out fossil fuel heaters, water heaters, and clothes dryers would lead to:

• 3,400 fewer premature deaths

• 1,300 fewer hospital and emergency room visits

• 220,000 fewer asthma attacks, and

• 670,000 fewer days of reduced activity or missed work

The study also found that electrifying America’s homes would equal $40 billion in health benefits every year.

“People don’t realize how impactful these investments are. When you get a heat pump or an electric stove… the impact is so much greater than things like turning out your lights every day or other things that people traditionally think of when they think of trying to save energy or cut costs,” said Anna Keleher, Senior Advisor at BIT Americas.

The new induction stove is 90% more efficient than a gas stove

Switching from a gas stove to an electric, induction stove reduces NO2 pollution by 56%, according to a 2024 study.

Instead of burning fossil fuels, induction stoves work by having an electromagnetic field (EMF) below the glass cooktop surface that transfers current directly to magnetic cookware. If the term “electromagnetic field” has you reaching for your tinfoil hat, I can assure you that you don’t need it. There’s no evidence of negative health effects from induction stoves.

Many people have been skeptical because electric cooktops have been far less efficient compared to gas stoves; however, the induction stoves on the market today are about 90% more efficient than gas and traditional electric cooktops.

Heat pumps heat (and cool) your home while improving air quality

Most Americans who haven’t electrified their homes are also relying on natural gas for heating. Switching to an electric source like a heat pump can provide many benefits.

“We’ve done a lot of work on heat pumps, and we know that heat pumps can reduce people’s exposure to leaking pollutants like carbon monoxide. They can also increase indoor air quality by adding air filtration and reduce humidity, which can reduce the likelihood of things like mold growth,” Anna said.

“If you fully electrify your house, you’re also eliminating exposure to gas from leaking gas lines into the house, which is more common than people realize,” Anna added.

From a cost-saving perspective, it’s also extremely beneficial to pair your heat pump, and other electric appliances, with solar panels.

“People who have solar often do get very interested in getting the rest of their house to run electric, because now it’s more affordable for them,” Anna said.

The process of electrifying your home can be overwhelming, and it’s not always financially feasible to rid all of your fossil-fuel appliances and upgrade to electric in one fell swoop. Dr. Sheena suggests taking it one step at a time. 

“It’s about starting with whichever appliance is most feasible to replace, or whichever appliance is closest to needing that upgrade. That’s just realistic, frankly, because we know that these appliances are incredibly expensive,” said Dr. Sheena.

As of the time of publishing, there are some local and national incentives available to reduce the cost of energy-efficient electric appliances like heat pumps and induction stoves.

Another big tip: Connect with a contractor who’s knowledgeable about electric homes.

“There’s so much nuance around if you want to upgrade more things down the line or upgrade more appliances—having the appropriate electrical load, for example. Thinking about all those things in advance is really important,” Dr. Sheena said. “I don't know all the nuances of that, I think most people don't! So having the right people in your corner is really critical.”