Cooking produces odor, moisture, and air pollutant emissions in homes, whether done with a gas or an electric appliance. Indoor pollutant levels from cooking can exceed health guidelines for particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and aldehydes, especially for gas stoves. These pollutants can increase the risk of both short-term and long-term health effects. Residential cooking or space heating with a gas stove has been associated with respiratory problems in children, especially in unventilated kitchens. Cooking can also emit potent mutagens and carcinogens into the air, and the large amounts of moisture emitted by cooking can increase the risk of bio-allergens such as mold, bacteria, and dust mites multiplying in a home.

Using a range hood can help reduce pollutant exposures and health impacts from cooking, by keeping emissions from spreading into and lingering in a home. Opening windows alone is not nearly as effective as a good range hood, especially when wind speeds are low or outdoor pollutant levels are high. Range hoods also help cool a house by removing excess heat and moisture from cooking. They are required for new home construction, major remodels, and additions, and recommended by green and healthy building programs, 8 ventilation industry standards,9 and state and local building codes.

Read the ROCIS Issue Brief: DUCTED RANGE HOODS Recommendations for New and Existing Homes