Carbon Monoxide Levels in Kitchens and Homes with Gas Cookers

It always has been assumed that only a small amount of CO will be produced by a gas stove when mixture of air and gas are well adjusted and that that small amount will be dissipated by the home’s ventilation and by a combination of a fan and hood over the stove. However, preparation of meals may substantially increase CO. The immediate air supply may be progressively diminished when more than one burner is used and air supply may be partially cut off by vessels placed over the gas flame. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the amount of CO that may be expected to be produced during normal cooking. The experiment measured CO levels, using multiple burners with and without cooking vessels, and the rate of dissipation of the accumulated gas under various conditions of ventilation.