ALLERGY: SENSITIVITY TO GAS
April 7th, 2009Natural gas is touted as the clean fuel. And that’s probably true in terms of its low contribution to polluted air in comparison with burning oil, coal or wood. But for chemically sensitive individuals, gas-fired furnaces and appliances are big trouble -they vent combustion fumes back into the household atmosphere. Pilot lights add to the problem. Burning nonstop, they continually discharge gas into your air – gas that contains carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide, as well as a group of compounds known as hydrocarbons (including benzene and acetylene).
No need to remember all those chemicals. Just follow the advice of Dr Randolph: ‘The most important thing you can do is to get rid of the gas heat and range.’
Clothes dryers and cooking ranges should be electric and vented to the outside to reroute gas emissions. The same goes for a self-cleaning oven. Refrigerators, too, should be electric. In fact, Dr Zamm states strongly, ‘A healthy house should not even be connected to a gas line.’
If you suspect gas fumes are a problem at your house, try this. Spend a few days at a friend’s house, where there is no gas heat or appliances. If you feel better there, but experience symptoms again when you return home, gas may be the culprit. Perhaps you’ve already noticed an improvement while away on a business trip or holiday, or during the summer when the gas heat is turned off.
If you are sensitive to gas – or other fossil fuels, for that matter – consider converting to an electric hot-water heating system and electric appliances. If you rent or for some other reason cannot easily convert, here are some alternatives.
• Ask your gas company to turn off the pilot light on your stove so it doesn’t needlessly give off fumes when it’s not in use. Light the stove with a match when you want to cook.
• Install an exhaust hood above the gas stove. This can eliminate up to half of the fumes generated while you cook.
• For the remaining fumes, use an air filter in the kitchen during and after cooking meals.
• Ask a furnace installation firm to ensure that your gas furnace is equipped to funnel all exhaust fumes up the chimney so that no vapors are allowed to escape into the house or ductwork.
• An air filter hooked up to the central heating or cooling system will also help dissipate gas fumes.
*41/65/5*
