Kitchen Stove: propane or electric? (2014, rent, condo)

[townshend]

My house is being built and, the builder suggested that I might prefer a propane kitchen stove.

As it turns out, both a 220v outlet and a propane line were run to the kitchen, so now I have a choice. A microwave (with built-in exhaust fan) will be located over the kitchen stove, but there is no external vent. Regardless, I will use propane for winter heating, and the furnace is vented down to the crawl space beneath the floor (single-store house with no basement).

I understand the disadvantages of electric stove -- you can't just turn down the heat on the stove top. Though kitchen stoves are made with cooking by propane on top and electric in the oven, I have looked at those stoves and they are prohibitively expensive.

I did find this web page, authored by the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at Iowa State University: https://www.abe.iastate.edu/extensio...anges-aen-205/

As far as I understand, building codes allow for a propane stove without a vent.

In answering the question, "How important is installation and use of an exhaust hood vented to the outdoors?" the above-mentioned article provides the following answer:

"Very. Even when the kitchen range is properly tuned, there will be some carbon monoxide produced along with carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and water vapor. Kitchen range manufacturers recommend installation of a range hood to exhaust the combustion products along with cooking odors, grease, and moisture produced during cooking. Failure to use the range hood exhaust fans results in indoor air pollution."

Any comments?

[Mike from back east]

All I know is that propane is hideously expensive. I'd go with the electric range top.

How is the house to be heated?

[davebarnes]

Electric.
Induction, not resistance.
You can thank me later.
Also, ditch the microwave over the hob and put in a vent to the outside.

[Arrby]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

All I know is that propane is hideously expensive. I'd go with the electric range top.

I have a house in Missouri with a propane tank whose sole purpose is to fuel a cooktop. We cook most meals at home, use the cooktop regularly, and the consumption rate is something less than a gallon per month. Because of the venting issue our (wall) oven is electric.

In Colorado our range is propane, along with the furnace. First thing I did after buying the house was to put in a through-the-wall vent over the range. Now there is no gas smell in the house.

The energy content in propane is 91,000 btu per gallon. The energy content of electricity is 3413 btu per kilowatt hour. It takes about almost 27 kwh to provide the energy content of a gallon of propane. I am paying about 12 cents per kwh, and about $1.75 per gallon for propane. Do the math - propane is about half the price.

We just spent the past week in a condo (family event) with an electric range. I was reminded again how much I hate cooking on an electric cooktop.

[Nik4me]

Just A reminder how your choice may impact not only your cooking, but your health.
Get as much information as possible , then decide.

Electrical Induction could be more economical to run, but more expensive to buy and could be health risks.
https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist....o-buy-instead/

Do you have children/ elderly?

Natural gas/ propane could be dangerous - slow leaks, combustion produces harmful substances that are bad for your health. Read page 3 of the article- burning gas produces heavy metals and other contaminants
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3944372/

Do you have a problem controlling humidity in the house? Gas burning produces a lot of internal moisture...
Will you own or rent a propane tank? Read about safety, certification and testing.
Just something to take into consideration

[Mike from back east]

Arrby, thanks for the info. You're getting propane at a good price.

Here's a chart showing national average about $2.39/gallon.

Here's a page that shows how to calculate price comparisons.

Here's a chart from the COLO govt, a bit older, showing propane costs in COLO over $3.00/gallon. The page also has this info: "Despite significant propane production in Colorado, the state is vulnerable to shortfalls due to a lack of pipeline and storage infrastructure. The nearest major storage facilities are in Conway, KS and Mont Belvieu, TX. To obtain fuel from these storage facilities, Coloradans rely mainly on trucking."

Here's a chart from the EIA showing current costs just over $2.00/gallon.

Prices can be volatile.

Here's an article from a few years ago where propane prices in COLO spiked to over $6/gallon.

Here's an old post where one of our regular posters discusses the two options.

Sorry if the OP's eyes are glazing over. I'd still go with electric.

[flyonpa]

Propane will Continue to work in a power outage, (You would need to manually lite the stove/Oven.

Cooker prefer Gas as it has more BTU's and is better controllable.

When my Dad updated his kitchen, he just going to put in another Electric Stove, But he had Propane for the Tankless hot water heater, and I suggested he do Propane. When he sold the house Many of the buyers comments that they loved the fact that it had a Gas Stove. (He heated the house via Oil),

He had a small portable generator (Gasoline) , and transfer plug to provide limited power to the house to keep critical items running, The Oil Furnace, the Tankless, and a few plugs, It as enought power to keep the house warm and running until the power came back on (Could be 4-5 days sometimes), The Gen used about 2 Gallons of gasoline per Day.


Also cooking does not use that much propane, to make a cost difference of Gas Vs Elec.

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by Nik4me

Electrical Induction could be ... health risks.
https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist....o-buy-instead/

Quack science.
Here is the counter argument - Is Induction Cooking Safe?

[arleigh]

When the power goes off ,which you cannot control ,which do you want ?

[TCHP]

Also consider there are dual fuel ranges; gas/propane for burners, electric for oven.