It’s a good bet that you don’t know about this tasty tidbit: 96% of professional chefs prefer cooking with gas over electricity!
Think about it. If you’ve ever been to a restaurant with an open kitchen layout, you might have noticed that the searing, boiling and sautéing was all taking place over rows of beautiful blue flames. Simply put, gas is the gold standard for people who like to cook — whether professionally or at home.
It’s no wonder, then, that propane consumers in Iowa City, Pella, Cedar Rapids and many other communities want to know about gas stoves, as well as other propane appliances. Here are answers to some of the frequent questions we hear about propane gas stoves.
Generally, a propane gas stove for residential use will only need about 35 gallons of propane per year. If your family does a lot of cooking, anticipate higher usage in the 60-gallon range. You may be surprised by this relatively low annual usage, but there is a good reason. Propane gas ranges are incredibly efficient. One gallon of propane produces about 91,502 Btu of heat energy.
If one of the larger burners on your propane range produces 18,000 Btu per hour, then one gallon of propane will power that burner for over five hours.
That means you can power a propane-fired stove and oven — plus other propane appliances with a modestly sized propane tank on your property that doesn’t require too many fuel deliveries over the course of the year.
There are many reasons that propane stoves have been so prevalent in new home construction. Here are just three.
Besides the type of gas used to power your stove, the major difference between a propane stove and a natural gas stove are the gas jet nozzles. Because propane is highly pressurized, the nozzles have much smaller holes. Natural gas isn’t pressurized as much as propane, so the nozzles have larger holes. That’s the reason propane and natural gas stoves can’t be interchanged as is. If you wanted to switch from a natural gas stove to one that’s fueled by propane, you would need to get a propane conversion kit for stoves. This is needed to replace the gas jets. For safety reasons, this job is best left to a professional.
Some homeowners are reasonably concerned about the safety and eco-friendliness of propane stoves. But many of the emissions at the center of the current debate don’t come into play with propane. For example, propane itself is entirely methane-free and emits virtually no particulate matter.
Particulate matter refers to microscopic solids or liquid droplets that can be inhaled and cause health problems. It’s worth noting, though, that all cooking produces some particulate matter, regardless of whether it involves a gas, electric or wood stove.
But particulate matter and other emissions can be largely mitigated with proper ventilation. If you want additional peace of mind, consider indoor air quality products. Many experts recommend using an air purifier with a HEPA filter, which can significantly help reduce the level of nitrogen oxides that tend to build up in homes.
Read more about indoor air quality and gas stoves.
