It's hard to find the perfect apartment — but for one Brooklyn, New York, resident, their new apartment's red flag wasn't just a design flaw, it was downright dangerous.
In a post on the subreddit r/AirPurifiers, they wrote: "I just moved into a new apt that is wonderful in every way except it has a windowless kitchen with no vent (not even a microwave 'hood') and a gas stove. It's a galley kitchen, so open to the rest of the apt (for better or worse) but our windows only open about 4" because we are on the 4th floor and they are on the other side of the apt."
They wanted air filter recommendations to "know I'm not poisoning myself," they wrote.
Commenters chimed in with concern. "That's not safe in any way," one said. "No reasonably cost air filter system will be able to filter out all the toxic combustion and cooking byproducts. Only ventilation."
While gas stoves — the kind with an open flame — have long been the norm in many kitchens in the United States, research has shown they create major health concerns because of the pollutants they emit.
Namely, these stoves generate gases, including carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide, that can quickly accumulate to toxic levels. Several of these gases have been linked to respiratory illness and cancer. Carbon monoxide is particularly worrying because the gas is both colorless and odorless and therefore difficult to detect without an alarm. It can also be fatal even in low concentrations.
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"Did you buy or are you renting? Do you cook often or for large groups?" another commenter queried. "If I were renting and only use one stovetop at a time, I'd be tempted to buy an induction cooktop and use that only, instead of using the stove."
Indeed, upgrading to an induction — or even electric coil — stove not only eliminates the risk of indoor pollution but also reduces inefficiency and is therefore more affordable. The Department of Energy found that induction stoves are 300% more efficient than gas stoves, which means those savings will add up quickly.
If making the switch or buying an affordable single induction burner is not an option, you can gain peace of mind by making sure your carbon monoxide alarm is in working order — and by opening whatever windows you have any time you cook.
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