Even Boiling Water on a Gas Stove Can Affect Your Lungs: Dr. Ferrer Speaks to HuffPost

Dr. Gustavo Ferrer recently shared his expertise with the Huffington Post for the article, “Why You Should Always Open Your Window Or Use A Fan When You Cook With A Gas Stove."

You turn on the gas stove to boil water for pasta or make your morning coffee. There's no smoke, nothing burning, and no reason to think the air in your kitchen might be unhealthy.

But the flame itself can release pollutants into your home.

Dr. Gustavo Ferrer, CEO of Moxie Health Group and board-certified pulmonologist, recently shared his expertise with the Huffington Post for the article, “Why You Should Always Open Your Window Or Use A Fan When You Cook With A Gas Stove,” examining how gas stoves affect indoor air quality and what families can do to protect themselves.

The topic raises an important question: could something as routine as cooking dinner affect your respiratory health?

Here, Dr. Ferrer shares additional insights about the risks, particularly for children and people with respiratory conditions, along with practical precautions that can make a difference.

What's Coming From Your Gas Stove?

Every time you turn on a gas burner, you're burning natural gas, primarily methane. That combustion produces pollutants regardless of what's cooking.

"The important distinction is that, even when no food is being fried or burned, the gas flame itself can affect indoor air quality," Dr. Ferrer explains.

One of the primary concerns is nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), a gas produced by high-temperature combustion. Gas stoves can also release carbon monoxide, particularly when combustion is incomplete, along with other pollutants. And you don't necessarily have to see or smell anything unusual to be exposed.

Who Is Most at Risk?

Nitrogen dioxide can irritate the airways and worsen symptoms in people with asthma or other respiratory conditions. Exposure can contribute to coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and shortness of breath.

A peer-reviewed study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine found that higher indoor nitrogen dioxide exposure was associated with increased respiratory symptoms among children with asthma living in multifamily housing.

Carbon monoxide presents a different danger because it interferes with the blood's ability to carry oxygen. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, significant exposure can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, confusion and potentially life-threatening poisoning.

Children, older adults and people with asthma, COPD or cardiovascular conditions may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of indoor air pollution.

"As a pulmonologist, I am particularly concerned about repeated exposure in poorly ventilated homes, where pollutants can accumulate over time," Dr. Ferrer says.

The Kitchen Habit Dr. Ferrer Wants Everyone to Change

According to Dr. Ferrer, one of the simplest ways to reduce exposure is to use your stove's exhaust fan every time you turn on a gas burner. That includes boiling water.

"Many people turn on the exhaust fan only when they see smoke or smell food. That is a misconception," Dr. Ferrer says. "Nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide are invisible, and harmful exposure does not necessarily produce a noticeable odor."

Dr. Ferrer recommends using a range hood that vents directly outdoors rather than one that simply recirculates air through a filter. Turn it on before lighting the burner, keep it running while cooking and leave it on for several minutes afterward. If you don't have an effective exhaust hood, opening a window may help dilute indoor pollutants when outdoor air quality is good.

Another tip? Use the back burners when practical. Many overhead exhaust systems capture pollutants more effectively from burners positioned directly beneath the hood, although performance varies by kitchen.

Do You Need to Replace Your Gas Stove?

"I do not believe families need to panic if they have a gas stove," Dr. Ferrer says. "The goal is to understand the risks and take practical steps to reduce exposure."

Beyond improving ventilation, he recommends keeping burners properly maintained, installing carbon monoxide alarms and never using a gas stove or oven to heat your home.

For simple tasks such as boiling water, an electric kettle or microwave can eliminate the need to turn on a gas burner.

Families already considering a new stove might also look into induction cooking, which eliminates combustion-related emissions at the cooktop. However, cooking food and oils can still produce airborne particles, so ventilation remains important regardless of the appliance.

Protecting Your Lungs Starts at Home

Indoor air quality is an often-overlooked part of respiratory health. While we tend to associate air pollution with traffic, factories and outdoor smoke, some exposures can originate inside our own kitchens.

"My central message is that indoor air quality is an important part of respiratory health, yet it is often overlooked," Dr. Ferrer says.

His advice is straightforward: you don't have to see smoke or smell something burning for indoor air pollution to be present. And protecting your family's lungs may begin with something as simple as turning on the kitchen exhaust fan.

Read Dr. Ferrer's interview in the HuffPost: Why You Should Always Open Your Window Or Use A Fan When You Cook With A Gas Stove | HuffPost Life.