Cooking Safety
Cooking with natural gas is convenient, versatile and offers complete control. It’s also safe. Gas stoves meet standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency and the World Health Organization, and there is no causal relationship between cooking with natural gas and asthma symptoms or diagnosis. No matter what energy you choose, there are safety precautions to consider while cooking.
Here are several things you can do to ensure you’re always cooking safely:
Make sure your gas range, oven or cooktop has been design-certified to building standards and installation codes, which includes requirements for proper operation and limits on emissions.
Keep your gas range maintained in good working order and periodically inspected by a qualified contractor.
Install an exhaust for all electric and natural gas ranges, cooktops and ovens to eliminate the normal byproducts of cooking such as steam, smoke, grease, and heat.
Indoor gas grills should have an exhaust system.
For any cooking equipment, a traditional overhead exhaust fan that runs through a wall or ceiling can be used. Other types feature “downdraft” exhausting, which uses a fan to draw cooking byproducts down from the cooking surface to the outdoors. Downdraft exhausting is appropriate for equipment installed in an island if not using a traditional oven exhaust hood in the center of the room.
For the greatest energy efficiency, choose a pot or pan that fits the size of your burner and is not too small or too large.
Use a slightly lower heat setting than your recipe calls for to get started – gas stove heat is quick and powerful.
Protect yourself from smoke, steam and grease – make sure to turn on your range hood or open your windows.
Gas stoves heat up fast because the flame is the heat source. Keep a close eye on your dish!
Watch your oven mitts and dish towels and keep them a safe distance from your burner while you cook.
If you smell gas, act fast. Learn how to recognize the smell of natural gas and how to keep everyone safe. Call 911, move to a safe location, and call Peoples Gas at 877-832-6747.
Don’t forget to turn off your burner as soon as you remove a pan from it.
Check the internal temperature of your food using the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s guide.
Plate your cooked food on a clean plate when finished.