Do gas ranges require venting?

Most gas ranges in the United States do not require venting to the outside. Check your owner’s manual for specific venting recommendations or requirements. We recommend venting any gas range to the outside of your home. A professional-grade range hood will evacuate harmful cooking fumes, reduce cooking odors, and improve your health and safety.

Improve Health and Safety

Gas stoves must be properly vented for your health and safety since they produce harmful PM 2.5 particles. These tiny particles can travel deep into the respiratory tract and lungs. They are especially harmful to people with asthma or other similar pre-existing conditions. Common symptoms include coughing, sneezing, irritation of the eyes, nose, or throat.

Gas stoves also produce nitrogen oxide, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide. Heavy exposure to these pollutants can be deadly. Carbon monoxide is particularly dangerous because it is both invisible and odorless. Five to about 15 ppm of carbon monoxide is an acceptable range of CO levels for a ventilated gas range. Poorly ventilated stoves may range from 30 to 50 ppm or higher.

Between 15 to 30 ppm, people may experience some short-term symptoms such as headaches, shortness of breath, or nausea. Those with asthma may experience more severe symptoms. Thirty or more and into the 100s of ppm, severe nausea, disorientation, and migraines can occur. Prolonged exposure to high CO levels can even lead to comas or death.

A kitchen exhaust fan will vent the harmful contaminants out of your home so you can enjoy fresh indoor air quality.

Whether you have a gas or electric stove, a range hood is a reliable option to keep your kitchen air clean and fresh. Learn more about whether you need a hood over your electric stove in this article.

Reduce Cooking Odors

In a poorly ventilated home, cooking odors will accumulate quickly. They may linger in your kitchen for several days or even weeks.

A range hood not only removes harmful contaminants like carbon monoxide but it also removes cooking odors from your kitchen.

U.S. Requirements for Gas Range Venting

PLJI 102

There’s no national code for gas venting in the United States. Generally, in the U.S., you don’t have to vent a residential gas range to the outside. But, we recommend that you buy a range hood to vent contaminants from your gas range to outside your home. It will dramatically improve your indoor air quality and reduce the risk of long-term respiratory problems.

Most restaurants and other commercial establishments require a range hood for ventilation.

Gas Range Venting Requirements in Colorado

In most cases, your gas range doesn’t require venting in Colorado. The state code only has restrictions for stoves with plastic venting. All plastic vent ducts must pass a 5 PSI air test. The manufacturer’s instructions will also be reviewed by a licensed professional to ensure compliance. For more details, take a look at the code here.

Gas Range Venting Requirements in California

California requires ventilation of 100 CFM or more, or at least 5 air exchanges per hour. This applies to new residential areas, remodeled homes, or additions of 1,000 square feet or more. We recommend buying a range hood to satisfy this requirement.

To learn more about ventilation requirements in the U.S., check out this complete guide.

Is it safe to have a gas stove without a vent?

It is not safe to have a gas stove without a vent. Although they are not required in America, vent hoods are crucial to improving your indoor air quality. Since Americans today spend over 90% of their time indoors, venting out pollutants and cooking exhaust is all the more important. The EPA found that some pollutants are 2 to 5 times more abundant indoors than outdoors.

So, whenever you use your gas range, turn on the range hood. If you’re cooking with high heat or for a long period of time, use the max speed. Otherwise, the low speeds are more than enough.

Why does a gas range not need to be vented?

It’s a common misconception that a gas range does not need to be vented. Opening windows and doors helps, but a range hood will provide the best ventilation.

While it’s true that gas ranges produce a small amount of harmful contaminants, they will build up over time. Carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and other compounds can sit in your home for days or weeks and build up slowly. In poorly ventilated homes, this build up will occur faster and be more of a health hazard.

Breathing in those compounds can cause symptoms ranging from headaches and nausea to death. So it’s vital to vent your gas range for your health and safety.

Do you need an exhaust fan for a gas stove?

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Yes, gas ranges produce a lot of heat and small concentrations of harmful chemicals. An exhaust fan will keep you and your family healthy for years. We recommend at least 600 CFM for a vent hood over a gas stove.

But, sometimes you will need more. To find the minimum CFM for your vent hood over a gas stove, divide the total BTUs by 100. For the most efficient ventilation, purchase a range hood with at least that much CFM.

For example, if your gas range produces 60,000 BTUs, divide that number by 100 to get 600 CFM. So, the minimum CFM for your vent hood is 600 CFM.’

Learn more about calculating CFM at this link.

What are the different types of vent hoods?

To vent your gas range, you have a few different types of hoods to choose from: wall, island, under cabinet, outdoor, and insert range hoods.

To learn more about each type of hood and which one is best for you, check out this article.

Best Range Hoods for Gas Stoves

Hopefully it’s clear that you should buy a range hood over your gas stove. But you might be wondering: which range hood is best? Today, range hoods vary widely in their quality of materials, CFM, and efficiency.

We prepared a complete guide with 10 great options for vent hoods over your gas stove. It’s packed with wall hoods, islands, inserts, and more. Check it out here.

How much CFM do you need to vent a gas range?

Every gas range is different, but calculating how much CFM you need is easy. Just take the total British thermal units and divide them by 100. If you can’t find the BTUs, check the owner’s manual. Most products today have manuals that you can look up online, or you can call in and ask the manufacturer.

Take a look at this video as we walk you through how to calculate the CFM you need for your hood.