How Cooking Affects Air Quality Beyond Smoke

What Cooking Produces

Every type of cooking generates fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from oil, food, and moisture heating. Gas stoves add nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) from combustion. Even electric stoves produce particles during high-heat cooking. The particles and gases are invisible under most conditions: you do not need to see smoke for pollutant levels to be elevated.

Ventilation Is the Variable

A ducted range hood that vents outdoors is the single most effective intervention. A recirculating hood filters grease but does not remove combustion gases. No range hood means pollutants disperse into the kitchen and from there throughout the home. The assessment evaluates your kitchen ventilation setup and its effectiveness.