do tourist homes have gas

British Gas boss says smart meters could be forced into every home

• Chris O'Shea has called for a 'street by street' installation of smart meters
• Had trouble with your smart meter? Email: [email protected] 

The boss of British Gas has said that every home should be forced to have smart meters installed in a bid to meet net zero targets. 

Chris O'Shea's comments come two months after government data found that almost four million smart meters across Britain are not working properly leading to customers being overcharged for energy bills. 

Speaking at the House of Commons energy select committee, the chief executive of Centrica - which owns British Gas - called for a 'street by street rather than customer to customer' installation for the devices over a five year period. 

He said: 'We think that in order to have the proper smart grid that's required to keep costs low in the future, everybody should have a smart meter. One of the things we should consider as to whether this is a voluntary programme, or whether it should be mandatory.'

Mr O'Shea went on to claim that more than a third of British Gas' seven and a half million customers had ignored offers to install a smart meter. 

The chief executive, who was paid £8 million last year, said: 'I have customers that write to me saying, "Please stop bothering me. I don't want a smart meter."

'We found that 44 per cent of our customers don't have them, of whom 600,000, or about 8 per cent, have said they don't want one. 

'So for 36 per cent of customers we are not sure whether they will take one or not.'

In words reported by The Times , Mr O'Shea argued that if the government 'mandated' a smart meter installation scheme, they could be installed by 2029. 

According to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, smart meters make up 61 per cent of all domestic meters in the country. 

While customers are not legally obliged to accept a smart meter if they are offered one, suppliers do often insist on installing smart meters when older meters reach the end of their life. 

They often say that some non-smart meters are no longer being manufactured and are under obligation to install a smart meter if the old one is deemed unsafe. 

One woman was charged £900 without warning by her smart meter  in December last year. 

Paula McCracken, from East Yorkshire, said her smart meter had never worked properly and she was overcharged despite taking regular manual readings.

The 48-year-old said EDF Energy took more than £900 from her account twice with no warning, leaving her with a 'my £500 overdraft fully taken'.  

How to check your smart meter is working 

Smart mode means your meter should automatically send readings to your supplier. If it's not working in smart mode, you'll need to send regular meter readings yourself. 

Citizens' Advice has an online tool that shows you how to ensure your meter is working properly. 

She said she was refunded on both occasions but not straight away. 

'If I had no family and friends around me to lend me a bit of money for shopping and things, I would have been completely penniless with two children for a week,' she said.

At the time, EDF Energy apologised and admitted it 'fell short'.

A spokesman said: 'Having taken actions to diagnose and resolve the issue remotely, which were unfortunately unsuccessful, we set up an appointment to reattempt commissioning but could still not receive reads due to further technical issues on site that could not be resolved.'

Sharlene Peppard, 42, from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, has 11 children and used her smarter meters to budget.

After 18 months she was told by EDF that the meters were not compatible with each other.

'I went to the ombudsman who contacted the engineer. I was told the government had set a date for December 2025 to fix the problem and I'd have to wait until then,' she said.

Mrs Peppard said EDF estimated her bills to be £2 a month.

She added: 'I'd be in thousands of pounds worth of debt if I believed that. So I'm manually logging in to make the extra £200 payment each month.' 

Celebrities have also been overcharged by EDF. In December last year, Turner Prize-winning artist Grayson Perry revealed that his smart meter raised his electric bill from £300 to a whopping £39,000 and they tried to take the amount from his account. 

EDF pointed to an 'erroneous meter reading' as a possible explanation for unusual changes in amounts charged, and said such increases were verified through a human check.

Six flat owners at a Victorian property in Ealing, West London, suffered a major misbilling when they had an SSE smart meter installed early last year for the lighting of the property's common areas - stairs and exterior.

Monthly bills used to work out at about £20, but when the smart meter was installed, they began to rise and rise, reaching a staggering £600 a month.

They contacted SSE and were told the reason was - bizarrely - because readings that the supplier received were for a meter 270 miles away in Sunderland.

The occupants, which include actress Jilly Bond, contacted the Energy Ombudsman, which looks into disputes between suppliers and customers. In November last year, it ordered SSE to refund the overpayments.

Smart Energy GB, a non-profit organisation which promotes smart meters, said there were now nearly 35million of the devices in the country. It added that 88.6 per cent of them were operating in smart mode at the end of 2023, a rise of 1.3 percentage points from 87.3 per cent the previous year.

The group also pointed out that the sharp increase in the number of meters not operating in smart mode was due to a data reporting error, which has been rectified in the latest Government figures - released in March. 

A Smart Energy GB spokesman told MailOnline at the time : 'We know that most people have a very positive experience with their smart meter, but we also understand the frustration felt by some whose meter may be temporarily operating without all of its smart features.

'If your smart meter is not sending automatic readings to your energy supplier, please be reassured that it will still be recording your energy use correctly.

'We would recommend that you send your supplier meter readings to make sure you receive accurate, rather than estimated, bills until all of the features of your smart meter have been restored.'  

In November last year, it emerged that six of the country's largest energy suppliers will pay £10.8million in penalties for failing to meet targets to install smart meters.

Energy regulator Ofgem ordered British Gas, Bulb, OVO, E.On, Scottish Power and SSE to cough up. With British Gas being ordered to pay the most after being handed a bill for £3.4million. 

All six missed their targets for 2022, which was the first time suppliers had to meet a target. The firms should have installed a total of 1.3million more smart meters than they did.

Ofgem said the money will go into a fund that mostly helps Brits in vulnerable situations most at risk from cold homes and high energy bills. 

How to tell if your smart meter is faulty and what you can do to fix it

How do smart meters work?

Smart meters measure how much gas and electricity a household uses and share that information with you in close-to-real time.

They also send this information to your energy supplier via a wireless network similar to the internet but exclusively for smart meters.

If they lose connection, customers often rely on estimated bills, which are supposed to be corrected once the supplier has manual meter readings.

How do you know if your smart meter is faulty?

Some customers have either paid too much on their energy bills and struggled to get their money back - or too little and gone into debt - because their meters have not been in smart mode.

You can see if your supplier is getting your readings by checking your latest statement - or looking at your supplier's app if they have one - and seeing if readings are marked as 'smart'.

If they are not, you can check how often your smart meter is supposed to be sending readings to your provider - either monthly, hourly, or half-hourly. Making this more frequent could improve the accuracy of bills.

Another possible cause of the issue, which is not necessarily your smart meter's fault, is if the supplier itself is having connectivity issues. In this case, you may need to submit readings manually to ensure your bills are accurate.

What can you do if your smart meter is faulty?

If you still think it might be your meter that is at fault, you can check its connection using this Citizens Advice tool .

Contact your energy provider if your smart meter is not connecting properly, making sure you submit manual readings while the issue is ongoing to make sure your bills are accurate.

If your smart meter monitor is at fault, then you can try moving it closer to your meters, checking its battery or that it is plugged in, or check your supplier's website for further troubleshooting tips.

If a smart meter monitor is broken, or not working as it should within 12 months of installation, your supplier should replace it free of charge unless you damaged it yourself. After 12 months, you can be charged for a new smart meter, although some energy firms will waive this fee.

How is the smart meter rollout going?

The installation programme of smart meters, launched by the Government in 2011, is hugely over budget and behind schedule.

Ofgem has said it is concerned about the 'slow progress of installations for smart prepayment meters, and the potential impact of that on vulnerable households'.

Late last year, six companies were fined a combined £10.8 million for missing the regulator's 2022 targets.

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What appliances use gas—and is it time to switch?

Do you actually need natural gas in your home? And what’s up with the gas stove controversy? Is gas still safe to use? Find out here.

If you’ve been online recently, you’ve probably heard of the recent gas stove controversy. “Gas stoves are a health hazard ,” says one source. “Gas stoves can be hazardous to children’s lungs ,” says another. 

In this guide, you’ll find answers to questions like What uses gas in my house? , Do I need gas for my house? , and—most importantly— Should I still use natural gas in my home?

Jump to table of contents

Meanwhile, another report talks about the gas stove conversation as “the new range war .”

Gas stoves and…war? That’s scary stuff. 

And if you’ve been paying attention at all, you’ve probably been wondering: Is all this arguing justified? And is natural gas safe to use in the home?

We’ll be honest. While there’s been a lot of noise on the news and social media about this question, and a lot of it is just talk and hyperbole.

So, since we’re home energy experts, we decided to dive deep into the research to figure out what’s actually going on— including a real-life example from our team.

Plus, if you’re interested, Sealed can help you get hassle-free home energy upgrades, like improving air quality and home ventilation with expert weatherization, at no upfront cost if your house qualifies. Discover how.

Table of contents:

• What uses gas in the house?

What’s the concern with natural gas?

• Is natural gas better for home heating and cooking?
• How seriously should you take the new natural gas stovetop study?
• Indoor natural gas pollution: A real-life example from our team

How to make your indoor air quality safer with natural gas appliances

Should you convert your natural gas stove.

• Should you upgrade to an electric heat pump?
• Final verdict: Do you really need natural gas in your home?
• Learn how to electrify your home—at no stress and no upfront cost

Before we dive deep into the subject, let’s briefly look at which appliances in your house could be using natural gas.

What is natural gas used for in the house? 

Here are the three appliances that most commonly use natural gas in American homes:

A natural gas-powered stovetop

We’ll start with the most obvious appliance—and the one that’s the subject of all the controversy! As many as 1/3 of all US homes have a natural gas stovetop—up to 40 million houses ( 1 ).

If you have a natural gas stove, there’s a decent chance your furnace is also natural gas. How can you tell?

Take a look at the front panel of the unit. If you see a small blue flame when looking through that panel, it’s a gas heat exchanger—which means you definitely have a gas furnace.

Water heater

It’s also pretty common to have a gas water heater. If you’re not sure whether your water heater runs on natural gas, just look for a small pilot light (it’s usually beneath the water tank itself) ( 2 ).

Of course, these are just the most common uses for natural gas in your home, but they aren’t the only natural gas appliances on the market.

These appliances can also run on natural gas:

• Clothes dryer
• Refrigerator

So okay, you have one (or a few!) of these appliances in your home. What’s the big deal? Should you be worried about your safety?

Back to top

It probably isn’t news to you that natural gas-powered appliances carry more inherent risk than electric appliances. 

(What homeowner hasn’t had the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning explained to them in lurid detail?)

But the headlines we’ve been seeing recently aren’t about the conventional risks we already knew about—they’re covering new ( or, at least, less well-known) information from recent studies. 

And that’s where things have gotten a little confused and controversial in recent months.

Below, we’re going to break down the risks of natural gas into two categories: 

• Natural gas risks you already knew about, and 
• Risks we’re learning more about right now

The natural gas risks that most folks already know

Here’s a quick refresher on the three most commonly-known natural gas risks:

• Asphyxiation
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• Fire and explosion

1) Asphyxiation

Let’s get this out of the way: If gas is leaking from your appliance, it can cause oxygen levels in your home to decrease dramatically. 

That can lead to a lack of breathable air. There’s no nice way to put that. Safety first, always: If you ever suspect a gas leak, evacuate and call your utility’s emergency line right away.

2) Carbon monoxide poisoning

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that’s released when natural gas combusts. The more carbon monoxide in the air, the less oxygen you will breathe (see problem above!).

But even if it doesn’t kill you, carbon monoxide can cause severe health issues, ranging from dizziness and nausea to coma. The CDC reports that more than 100,000 people go to ER each year because of carbon monoxide poisoning—it’s nothing to joke about ( 3 ).

(Big PSA for both of the above: If you do nothing else after this article, please install a carbon monoxide detector on each floor of your house and keep them clean and well-maintained.)

The CDC reports that more than 100,000 people go to ER each year because of carbon monoxide poisoning.

3) Fire and explosion

The other big concern with natural gas is the risk of fire or explosion from improper use or leakage. 

These disasters can be caused by lots of things: malfunctions in appliances, human error, or even just wear and tear on gas lines that results in dangerous leaks.

Whatever the cause, though, these fires aren’t as uncommon as people think. 

According to the National Fire Prevention Association, as many as 4,200 home fires per year are due to the ignition of natural gas ( 4 ).

And the stats for gas leaks are even worse: According to the American Chemical Society, there are up to 630,000 gas leaks in the US per year ( 5 , 6 ).

Again, these are the risks most homeowners already know about—they’re not great, but millions of Americans have already decided to live with them.

But what are these new risks? Should we be more worried about them?

According to the American Chemical Society, there are up to 630,000 gas leaks in the US per year.

Natural gas risks we’re learning more about now

Here are the two major risks of natural gas that have been highlighted in the news lately:

• Increased health issues in children
• Indoor and outdoor air pollution problems

1) Major health risks to children

We’ll start with the big one—it’s now becoming extremely obvious that gas stoves play a causal role in childhood asthma and other breathing problems.

In a study published this year in a prominent, peer-reviewed journal, researchers found that nearly 13% of childhood asthma cases are directly attributable to gas stove use ( 7 ). 

The study doesn’t deal directly with the nature of the link, but there’s good, established science that shows how pollution can have a greater effect on children’s respiratory systems ( 8 ).

In fact, Brady Seals, who co-authored the report, said that for “childhood asthma, exposure to gas-stove pollution is similar to being exposed to secondhand smoke” ( 9 ).

2) Significant pollution—which can lead to health problems for just about everyone

Nitrous oxide, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, methane, hexane, and toluene.

These are chemicals and gasses you definitely don’t want to breathe in.

And, unfortunately, if you have a natural gas appliance in your home, you’re at risk to breathe in any (or all) of them if your:

• Appliances aren’t vented correctly
• House has airflow issues (ie, is under significant negative pressure) and flue gasses backdraft into your house

This is why proper appliance maintenance and home energy audits are so important.

Case and point: One home energy services company found malfunctioning gas appliances or gas lines in about 15% of assessed housing built after 1980 and in 25% of homes built before this period, as reported by Canary Media ( 1 0 ).

In short, recent studies are pointing to the fact that gas stoves can pollute your indoor air far worse than anyone previously thought ( 11 ).

And sure, we already knew about some of these pollution risks with gas appliances, so maybe this real-life example seems like common knowledge. But seeing the numbers are staggering. 

Besides, we’re finding out even more now about just how much these dangerous gasses can create (or exacerbate) a host of other health problems, including headaches, eye and throat irritation, dizziness, and nausea ( 12 ).

And new research indicates that the natural gas delivered to stovetops can contain other chemicals such as benzene—which is a carcinogen that has no safe level of exposure ( 13 ).

Again, yikes. 

If anyone in your house already has any kind of sensitivities or respiratory issues—or if you’re just worried about keeping your home air pure and clean—these are findings you don’t want to ignore.

The proper fix to avoid these major concerns? Ensure that:

• Your house is free of gas leaks
• All gas appliances are appropriately maintained and expertly vented
• You have the appropriate safety precautions in place, like carbon monoxide and smoke alarms

So what now? And, maybe a more important question: Should you even take these findings seriously?

Is natural gas better for home heating and cooking? How seriously should you take the natural gas stovetop study?

A quick disclaimer: There’s obviously no guarantee that these issues will happen in your home, and the new studies are still being interpreted and debated. 

There’s also been a lot of pushback on these findings (to say the least!), and scientists will need to do more research to verify the nature of the link between natural gas pollution, childhood illness, and respiratory disease.

But, at Sealed , we feel there’s reason to take this research seriously—especially if you have children (or older folks with breathing challenges) at home.

Why? These findings aren’t actually new. In fact, there have been dozens of studies over the past several decades that link gas stoves, indoor air pollution, and respiratory issues ( 14 , 15 ). 

Basically, the natural gas risks everyone is arguing about now are risks that experts have known about for years— but older studies just haven’t gotten the kind of publicity and national coverage that this most recent finding has.

In short: This “controversial” study is really just the latest in a long string of scientific research that proclaims more or less the same thing:

Stoves powered by natural gas are not good news for your health.

At Sealed, we’ve actually witnessed in-home air quality issues firsthand. Here’s an example of what natural gas pollution can look like in real life.

Indoor natural gas pollution: A real-life study

Let’s look at a real-life example from one of the home energy experts at Sealed.

Martin Bures, a principal engineer at Sealed and co-founder of InfiSense , decided to get really technical in monitoring the indoor air quality in his family’s apartment that they’re currently renting. 

Martin’s apartment has a natural-gas-powered stove, water heater, and forced-air furnace, and he lended us the data from his own air quality monitor for this article. 

Martin installed a Milesight AM-300 indoor air quality monitor, which provides real-time feedback, in the kitchen of his rental. 

As soon as he installed it, it was immediately obvious to Martin that he had a problem. 

Good, normal outdoor ambient CO2 measurements are in the 400 ppm range.

(What does ppm mean? Well, ppm means parts per million , and 400 ppm of CO2 means that for every million air particles, 400 of them are carbon dioxide molecules.) 

But the only time that his family gets close to that number in their home is in the spring, summer, or fall when they have the windows open. 

Otherwise, the baseline CO2 levels in their home are somewhere in the 700-800 ppm range— double the outdoor ambient CO2 measurements.

Because the Bures family is renting right now, they can’t simply upgrade to all-electric appliances to solve this air quality issue (although they would like to!). 

To reduce their indoor CO2 levels, they always run the exhaust hood—which is vented to the outside—when they have the gas appliances running. 

But unfortunately, since their HVAC is not designed with fresh air intake, the hood is not very effective. 

To mitigate the issue, the Bures family tries to keep their windows open as much as the weather or season allows, and they use a single-burner induction cooktop on their counter when they can. 

Ultimately, Martin Bures and his family are facing what many American families are now facing: the reality that an energy source they assumed would be safe could actually be a health concern.

If that’s your situation, too, let’s talk about what you should do right now.

If you have a natural gas appliance in your home and you want to make your indoor air safe and clean, there are two routes to choose from:

• Keep your current appliances and maximize your safety and their efficiency
• Replace your current home appliances with ones that run on electricity

Let’s look at both of these options

Keep your natural gas appliances and make them as safe as possible

This strategy includes:

• Installing and maintaining a carbon monoxide detector.

Making sure your kitchen has excellent ventilation

Use other kitchen appliances whenever possible, installing and maintaining a carbon monoxide detector.

Carbon monoxide detectors are affordable, and every household with a natural gas appliance should have them. It’s really that simple.

Turn that fan on every time you cook—and keep it on until well after everything is off the stove!

If you have a fan, you need to make sure it actually vents to the outside. Some fans simply recirculate the air, and that does nothing to keep your household healthy ( 16 ).

If you can avoid using your gas stovetop, you should. That can mean firing up the microwave; using your air fryer, Crock Pot, or Instant Pot more; or investing in a countertop induction cooker ( 17 ).

All of these strategies are ways to mitigate risk if you keep your natural gas appliances around. 

But there’s no getting around the fact that even the most careful natural gas-powered household will still have to deal with some level of natural gas air pollution indoors.

And even if your house is properly, expertly vented, you’re then sending all those harmful gases straight into your neighborhood.

And if that’s unacceptable to you, there’s another option.

Replace your natural gas appliances with safer appliances

In other words, electrify everything ! 

That might sound like an intimidating task, but don’t worry—replacing your natural gas appliances can be a lot less stressful than you think. ( You might even be able to get some replacements for no upfront cost through Sealed.)

Next, we’ll walk you through how to think about converting each of your natural gas appliances to electric ones.

Given the risks associated with natural gas stovetops, our professional opinion is that if you can switch to an electric stovetop, you should.

And luckily, there’s already a great alternative: The electric induction stove.

Electric induction stoves have been on the market for a while now, and they’ve already gotten the stamp of approval from professional chefs ( 18 ). Why?

Power and precision

Cleanliness, energy efficiency.

It’s a myth that gas stoves offer the most control over your food. (Hey, we get it! Change is hard.)

The truth is that the latest models of induction cooktops offer unmatched power and precision when it comes to controlling how your food cooks. 

Just set the stovetop to the precise temperature you want, and… boom! Magic! A perfectly even, perfectly hot cooking surface. Fast. Every time.

Unlike with a gas stove, there is no risk of food splattering onto hot burners or flames when using an induction oven, making clean-up much easier and less time consuming. 

(Also: No more scrubbing out the gross crevices of stove top burners.)

Induction cooking is much more efficient than gas cooking, as it uses up to 90% of the energy produced compared to only 40% with a gas stove ( 19 ). 

This means you’ll use a lot less energy to cook—and those savings add up over time (and could help offset the cost of converting your kitchen to electric).

Electric induction stovetops won’t pollute your air with benzene and other nasty airborne chemicals. Full stop.

But, in addition to that extremely useful benefit, it’s important to call out that electric induction stovetops have no open flames or burning-hot surfaces, making them a safer option all around—especially if you have young children or pets in the home. 

(Or if you’re prone to clumsily burning yourself on hot surfaces, as is the writer of this article.)

Okay! You probably get the picture.

An electric induction stove is, by far, a better choice than a gas range—which is why many chefs are converting their kitchens to electric right now. There are a lot of tricky decisions in life, but we feel this isn’t one of them.

Finally, if you’re at all nervous about converting, keep in mind that you can buy a stand-alone countertop induction unit pretty affordably—less than $100 at time of publication!

And that makes it possible to try out all the benefits of induction without committing to a whole new stove right away. It’s worth a shot, especially if you want to reduce your usage of natural gas ASAP.

Next, let’s look at alternatives for the other two natural gas appliances that are often found in homes.

Upgrading from a natural gas furnace to an electric heat pump

There are plenty of great reasons to switch from a natural gas furnace to electric heat (specifically, an electric heat pump). Here are just the top three:

1) Electric heat is more efficient—by far

Heat pumps are up to 3x more efficient than your natural gas furnace. That’s a huge differential that you’ll absolutely notice in your energy usage next winter ( 20 ).

(Related: Why is my gas bill so high? )

2) A heat pump is much safer than a natural gas furnace

No risk of indoor air pollution (you know, carbon monoxide or unreasonable CO2 levels) with a heat pump, since it runs on clean energy.

3) Your home will feel a lot better

With a heat pump, your home will have perfectly even temperatures year round (even in the summer, since it also functions as a superb AC).

Heat pumps also expertly circulate fresh air throughout your home while also regulating your home’s humidity better than conventional HVAC systems.

Heat pumps are—very simply—a life upgrade .

We could say way more, but if you’re interested, we’ll just direct you to get the full scoop on converting from gas to electric heat .

(If you’re trying to ensure even heat in the winter, also check out our guide on weatherizing your home .)

Also, remember that you can switch to an electric heat pump for no upfront cost if you qualify to work with Sealed.

Switching from natural gas water heater to an electric heat pump water heater

One last appliance! If you have a natural gas water heater, is it worth the trouble to switch?

We think so. Here’s why:

You’ve read a lot about this already, so we’ll just restate: Electric heat pump water heaters don’t come with the pollution or anxiety risks of natural gas heaters.

Electric heat pump water heaters (sometimes called hybrid water heaters) are way more energy-efficient than gas models. How much more efficient are they? Up to 3 times more. (Really) ( 21 ).

Electric heat pump water heaters are more comfortable than even the most efficient tankless natural gas water heaters. Why?

Well, hybrid heat pump water heaters have a full tank of efficiently heated water ready to go for washing dishes, cleaning clothes, and still getting in a hot shower after a long day of weekend chores.

Learn more about hybrid heat pump water heaters here . (Or see if you’re eligible to get one at no upfront cost !)

Final verdict: Do you really need natural gas in your home? Can you move away from natural gas appliances?

Yes. And—as we hope you know by now—we’re not just saying that because of the recent studies and the controversy in the media.

In fact, there are plenty of great reasons to electrify your home— even if you take pollution and health risks out of the equation.

One reason? Electric appliances come with huge comfort and usage benefits . 

• Induction cooktops are faster, more precise, and better looking (yes, we went there).
• Electric heat pumps provide amazingly even comfort—without any noxious fumes.
• Electric heat pump water heaters offer beautifully specific temperature control at seriously efficient energy usage.

Electric appliances are just better appliances all round. It’s hard to deny that electric appliances are the future.  

Some states are already beginning to ban natural gas lines in new construction, and that’s a telltale sign of what’s to come, even if you don’t live in an affected area. 

The HVAC and kitchen industries are already moving over to electric appliances en masse, because electric home technology is simply better and more efficient. 

Everyone will have this technology in twenty years. Might as well start reaping the benefits now!

Finally, electric appliances are several times more energy efficient than their natural gas counterparts. (And as the cost of natural gas fluctuates —and gets inevitably higher over time—this isn’t a small benefit.)

Controversy aside, now is the time to electrify everything in your home. Because, ultimately, who cares about the culture war?

This is about what’s best and healthiest for you and the people who live in your home.

Electrify your home—at no stress and no upfront cost

Making the switch to electric appliances?

Do it without the stress (or the hit to the wallet).

With Sealed, you can get energy upgrades like a heat pump water heater, high-performance insulation, professional air sealing, or a super-efficient heat pump HVAC system at zero upfront cost if your house qualifies. 

You pay us back for the work done with one of the flexible payment options that’s best for you.

Sounds too good to be true? It’s not. See how the Sealed payment plan works.

Answer a few questions here to see if your house qualifies.

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The Rise and Fall of the Great American Motel

Mom and pop motels once dominated American highways. Now, they’re an endangered species

Andrew Wood, The Conversation

In 1939, when John Steinbeck  imagined Highway 66  as “the road of flight,” he evoked the crushing realities of Depression-era migrants who’d been pushed off their land by failing crops, relentless dust and heartless banks.

Struggling to find some sense of home on the road, these environmental and economic refugees searched for hope against a backdrop of unfathomable loss. On the road to California, they’d rest and recuperate in army surplus tents, hastily constructed Department of Transportation camps and  Sears Roebuck chicken-coop cabins .

They could hardly imagine the surreal indulgences of the tourist road that would begin to emerge after World War II: renting a room built to resemble a country cottage and adorned with plastic flowers; snapping photos of a neon cactus glowing through half-drawn window shades; sleeping in a concrete tepee appropriated from Native American culture.

They could, in short, never foresee the rise of the roadside motel.

But after its heyday in the mid-20th century, the traditional mom and pop motel – once ubiquitous along American highways and byways – has largely slipped from the public imagination.

Today’s road-tripper generally prefers lodging that boasts a professional website, guarantees a fast internet connection and promises easy-on-easy-off interstate access, leaving the older motels built along two-lane roads and numbered highways to go to seed.

As Mark Okrant writes in  “No Vacancy: The Rise, Demise and Reprise of America’s Motels,” approximately 16,000 motels were operating in 2012, a sharp drop from a peak of 61,000 in 1964. In subsequent years, that number has surely declined further.

Even so,  efforts to preserve  mom and pop motor lodges – particularly along Route 66, “the highway that’s the best” – indicate a desire among many historians and motorists to reclaim something of the motel spirit not yet entirely lost.

Before the motel…the farmer’s field?

To understand America is to travel its highways.

In the first three decades of the 20th century, America cemented its love affair with the automobile. For the first time, most people – no matter their struggle or station in life – could hop in their cars, hit the road and escape from the places and circumstances that bound them.

Of course, there were few of the amenities available to today’s interstate traveler. West of the Mississippi, camping was the most common alternative to expensive hotels. For motorists who didn’t wish to traipse across stuffy lobbies in road-worn clothing, the convenience and anonymity of a field or lake shore was an attractive option.

Back east, tourist homes provided another alternative to hotels. If you look around in dusty attics or antique shops, you can still find cardboard signs that advertise “Rooms for Tourists.” For example, the Tarry-A-While tourist home in Ocean City, Maryland, advertised, “Rooms, Running Water, Bathing From Rooms. Apartments, Modern Conveniences. Special rates April, May, June and after Labor Day.”

Because tourist homes were frequently located in town, they differed from most contemporary motels, which are often found near highways, away from the city center. However, each tourist home was as unique as their owners. In this, they contributed to a central tradition of the American motel: mom and pop ownership.

Fill up your tank and grab a bite to eat

As the Depression wore on, it became profitable to offer more amenities than those available at campsites. Farmers or businessmen would contract with an oil company, put up a gas pump and throw up a few shacks. Some were prefabricated; others were handmade – rickety, but original. In the book  “The Motel in America,”  the authors illustrate the typical visit to a “cabin camp”:

“At the U-Smile Cabin Camp…arriving guests signed the registry and then paid their money. A cabin without a mattress rented for one dollar; a mattress for two people cost an extra twenty-five cents, and blankets, sheets, and pillows another fifty cents. The manager rode the running boards to show guests to their cabins. Each guest was given a bucket of water from an outside hydrant, along with a scuttle of firewood in the winter.”

By the 1930s and ‘40’s, cottage courts (also known as tourist courts) emerged as a classier alternative to dingy cabin camps. Each cottage was standardized along a theme, like “rustic or "ranch,” and most were built around a public lawn. As the English Village East in New Hampshire’s White Mountains advertised: “Modern and homelike, these bungalows accommodate thousands of tourists who visit this beauty spot in Franconia Notch.”

Unlike downtown hotels, courts were designed to be automobile-friendly. You could park next to your individual room or under a carport. Along with filling stations, restaurants and cafes began to appear at these roadside havens.

The Sanders Court & Cafe  in Corbin, Kentucky, advertised “complete accommodations with tile baths, (abundance of hot water), carpeted floors, 'Perfect Sleeper’ beds, air conditioned, steam heated, radio in every room, open all year, serving excellent food.” And yes, that food included the fried chicken developed by Harland Sanders, the Kentucky colonel of KFC fame.

The rise of the motel

During the 1930s and ‘40’s, individual cabin camp and cottage court owners, known as “courtiers,” dominated the roadside haven trade (with the exception of Lee Torrance and his fledgling  Alamo Courts chain ).

For a time, courtiers lived one version of the American Dream: home and business combined under the same roof. Then, during World War II, almost everything road trip-related was rationed, with tires, gasoline and leisure time at a premium. But many troops traveling across the country to be deployed overseas saw parts of America that they would later want to revisit upon their return.

After the war, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, frustrated by the difficulty of moving tanks across the country, promoted a plan that mimicked the German autobahn: the  Federal Interstate Highway System . But the first of these four-lane highways would take over a decade to build. Until then, families took to whatever highways were available – cruising over rolling roads that followed the curves and undulations of the countryside. Whenever it suited them, they could easily pull off to visit small towns and landmarks.

At night, they found motor courts – no longer isolated cottages, but fully integrated buildings under a single roof – lit by neon and designed with flair. They would soon be referred to as “motels,”  a name coined  by the owner of the Milestone Mo-Tel (an abbreviation of “motor hotel”) in San Luis Obispo, California.

While motel rooms were plain and functional, the facades took advantage of regional styles (and, occasionally, stereotypes). Owners employed stucco, adobe, stone, brick – whatever was handy – to attract guests.

With families swarming to and from the rest stops that multiplied along the highways of postwar America, many of the owners settled in for a life’s work.

The good times wouldn’t last. Limited-access interstates, built to bypass congested downtowns, began to snake across the nation in the 1950s and 1960s. Before long, small-time motor courts were rendered obsolete by chains like Holiday Inn that blurred the distinction between motels and hotels. Single-story structures gave way to double- and triple-deckers. The thrill of discovering the unique look and feel of a roadside motel was replaced by assurances of sameness by hosts from coast to coast.

Today, with most travelers using the Interstate Highway System, few people go out of their way to find roadside motels. Fewer still remember the traditions of autocamps and tourist courts. However, a growing number of  preservation societies  and  intrepid cultural explorers  have begun to hit the exits and travel the original highways again – exploring remnants of Route 66, Highway 40, and U.S. 1 – searching for that one singular experience just around the bend.

No place to escape

You could argue that the decline of mom and pop motels signifies something else lost in contemporary American life: the loss of friction, of distance, of idiosyncrasy. In my book  “City Ubiquitous: Place, Communication, and the Rise of Omnitopia,”  I write of a nation defined less by travel than by the illusion that one may gather up all the world – all the same and dependable parts of it, at least – and navigate its safe interiors without fear of surprise.

There is pleasure – and some degree of satisfaction – in this fantasy. But there is something missing too. I don’t necessarily want to call it “authenticity.” But we might imagine motor lodges – those of the past and those that remain today – as representative of a pleasant and peculiar fantasy of freedom: a way to escape the global continuum of constant flow and effortless connection. They’re a departure from the script of everyday life, a place where travelers can still invent a new persona, a new past, a new destination.

Andrew Wood, Professor of Communication Studies, San José State University

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Gas prices throw a wrench into vacation plans: Families prepare for 'costly' 2022 travel

• While travel demand is still high, an AAA study found travelers are adjusting their vacation plans to compensate for rising gas prices.
• Paula Twidale of AAA suggested making bookings as soon as possible; this is not the time to wait for prices to go down.
• She also suggested a staycation that will put fewer miles on their car.

Chantel Claywell of Richmond, Indiana, favors "unique" destinations and found the perfect spot last year: Tybee Island, Georgia. 

Her four kids loved everything about it – the beach, the local ice cream and toy shops – and asked to go back this May once the school year wraps up.

"You can make memories without spending an arm and a leg to get on rides," Claywell said. "It's very quiet and peaceful. The sand is beautiful, the ocean is beautiful. It's just very friendly when it comes to family."

Claywell got as far as booking hotel rooms on Tybee Island before she had to pull the plug on the trip.

"Gas prices skyrocketed," she explained. As of Friday, the average cost of a gallon of regular gas in Tennessee was $4.03, according to AAA . 

Learn more: Best travel insurance

GAS PRICES ACROSS THE COUNTRY: Gas experts break down costs from state to state

Claywell did the math: the 24-hour round trip to Tybee Island and back in the family's Dodge Grand Caravan would cost them nearly $300 with gas prices at $4.25. 

To cut costs, the Claywells are considering switching to a road trip to Santa Claus, Indiana, which is less than four hours away. 

"My kids are super upset," she said. "We haven't told them where we might go instead, just in case gas is like $5.30 by the end of May. You never know. We don't want to keep breaking hearts."

Claywell isn't alone. While travel demand is still high , a recent study from AAA found travelers are adjusting their vacation plans to compensate for rising gas prices.

WHY ARE GAS PRICES RISING SO QUICKLY?: And how high are they expected to get?

High gas prices are making travelers adjust their plans

A survey of more than 1,000 U.S.-based travelers conducted by AAA last month found 52% of plan to take a vacation this summer. Of those travelers, over half (58%) said they would consider changing their plans if gas prices got "high enough."  

Some travelers, like Amie Jones of Sparta, Tennessee, are pushing back the family vacation.

Jones and her family were planning to take their camper to Gatlinburg, Tennessee – a three-hour drive – while two of her kids were on spring break. Once gas prices spiked, though, they decided to travel somewhere closer to home this summer to cut costs.

"My husband, he drives to Lebanon in Tennessee (for work), which is about an hour drive. We're already forking out a little bit more on gas, so we decided we'll just do a staycation," Jones said. "With the camper, we only get maybe 10 miles a gallon. We were just afraid what we budgeted for was going to go mostly to gas."  

Paula Twidale, senior vice president of travel for AAA, said while travelers may be adjusting their plans due to gas prices, it isn't deterring travel.  

"There's a little bit of a chameleon aspect going on," Twidale said. "Some things may be changing, but not necessarily canceling."

MY CAR REQUIRES PREMIUM GAS: Can I switch to regular gas to save on high gas prices?

Summer travel demand still high, despite gas prices

Twidale noted that 2022 bookings within warm-weather destinations like Hawaii, Florida and Mexico are actually surpassing 2019 levels, according to AAA data. 

Other travel companies are also seeing a surge in 2022 bookings. 

A March 10 statement from vacation rental site  Vrbo said  demand for Vrbo properties this summer is already outpacing last summer by nearly 15%. Airlines are also seeing  spring and summer bookings surpass 2019 levels.  

Twidale credited pent-up demand after the 2020 shutdowns and the additional discretionary income many Americans have in their pockets.

"(Travel) will be more costly," Twidale said. "Is it enough to make people change their mind about actually taking time off enjoying the vacation? I don't think so." 

Instead of outright canceling vacation plans, Twidale expects to see travelers alter their plans to save costs. 

'IT'S NOT FUN': Soaring gas prices are walloping Americans but hitting lower-income hardest

For travelers looking to save costs on their 2022 vacation, Twidale suggests:

► Changing travel dates to avoid peak room rates or flight prices;

► Taking advantage of travel rewards and points;

► Finding destinations that don't require rental cars or driving; or

► Considering a staycation that will put fewer miles on their car.

Twidale also suggested making plans and bookings including airline ticket purchases  as soon as possible; this is not the time to wait for prices to go down.  

"It’s all in the planning," she said. "I would say book early."

HAVEN'T BOOKED AIRLINE TICKETS YET?: Don't dawdle. Bookings are bonkers, pushing prices up

You can follow USA TODAY reporter Bailey Schulz on Twitter  @bailey_schulz  and follow our free travel newsletter here . 

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15 Ways to Save on Gas When You Travel

Ed Hewitt started traveling with his family at the age of 10 and has since visited dozens of countries on six continents. He wrote for IndependentTraveler.com for more than 20 years, producing hundreds of columns on travel and offering his expertise on radio and television. He is now a regular contributor to SmarterTravel.

An avid surfer and rower, Ed has written about and photographed rowing competitions around the world, including the last five Olympic Games.

He's passing his love of travel on to the next generation; his 10-year-old son has flown some 200,000 miles already.

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Over the last few years, average gas prices in the U.S. have ranged from less than $2.50 a gallon to well over $4 a gallon—meaning that the cost of gas could have a major impact (either positive or negative) on your next trip budget. No matter what you’re paying at the pump, I’ve come up with a few ways to help you save on gas when you travel.

Simple Stuff

1) Buy gas the day before you travel. You already know where the best gas deals are near your house or office, so you might as well purchase the first tank of your trip at a price you know and can control.

2) Empty out your ride. Leaving the 50-pound bag of dog food, the sack of grass seed, or the immovable box of magazines headed for recycling in your car on long trips adds weight to your car and gobbles up fuel at a rate of 1 – 2 percent per 100 pounds. Lighten your load before traveling to save on gas.

How to Save Gas During Highway Driving

3) Choose an exit with several gas stations. You can usually tell these from the amenity signs on the highway leading up to the exit—the ones that list several fast food joints, local diners, hotels, and gas stations. If the sign lists two or more stations, you will often benefit from the simple fact that there is competition for your business.

Upon exiting, you’ll typically see a sign that looks something like:

Brand A – 0.1 mi –> Brand B – 0.1 mi <– Brand C – 0.8 mi –>

In this case, you may want to choose the station that is farthest from the exit ramp. Typically, Brand C will have the lowest prices, simply due to the inability to gouge outsiders looking for a quick off-and-on fill-up (the locals often use this station).

Two things happen. First, it’s cheaper. Second, it is often less crowded. The extra mile’s drive will cost you a few cents, but you can sometimes recover that in the first few gallons, and ultimately save quite a bit if you are running on empty and fill your tank.

4) Use “official” rest stops—like those named after founding fathers, football coaches, nurses, mythical figures, and others surely lost to memory were it not for Wikipedia and New Jersey Turnpike rest areas. (Quick—who is Joyce Kilmer? Anyone? Anyone?) Oddly enough, these official rest stops tend to have fairly competitive prices; perhaps it would be unseemly for a station enjoying the considerable benefits of a government highway contract to soak us with high gas prices while trapped on the costly side of toll booths.

How to Save on Gas When Renting a Car

Anyone who has filled the tank of their rental car at the station just outside the cluster of car rental companies knows that you can get truly soaked by waiting until the last minute. These folks know they are your Last Chance Texaco, and price-gouge accordingly. There are a couple of ways to win this game.

5) Your most reliable tactic is to check nearby gas prices on your way out of the airport/car rental zone just after you pick up the car—this is when you should be thinking about saving money, not when you are returning the car and are under time pressure to make a flight. Then, when returning the car, consider purchasing your gas some distance from the rental return counter.

6) You can even pick the exact station at which you will purchase your gas on the way back in. Most rental companies require only that you fill the tank within 10 miles of the return lot; you will typically find much cheaper gas at this distance, out where real people buy gas for daily life. If you do this, get a receipt and take it with you to the counter as proof of purchase.

7) There are countless apps and online sources for checking gas prices; the best-known is GasBuddy.com , which lists gas prices in the U.S. and Canada, and offers mobile apps for many common platforms.

8) Even before getting in the car—in fact, even before booking the rental—you may want to make the fuel efficiency of your chosen vehicle a priority. You can research fuel efficiency by car class, model, year, and more at FuelEconomy.gov . The dollar amounts aren’t nothing — the site explains that “a vehicle that gets 30 m.p.g. will cost you $730 less to fuel each year than one that gets 20 m.p.g. (assuming 15,000 miles of driving annually and a fuel cost of $2.92).”

Save on Gas When Driving Around

There are a gazillion ways to keep fuel consumption down when driving; here are just a few.

9) Only use the grade of fuel you need. If your car does not require premium fuel, don’t get it. Check your owner’s manual before the next time you fill up—if your car only requires regular gas, stick to that.

10) Use your cruise control—especially on stretches of flat road. This will stop you from unconsciously speeding up and losing fuel.

11) Ease into a stop. Slamming on your brakes wastes gas. When you see that you need to slow down, ease off the gas and onto the brakes smoothly.

12) Use your air-conditioning. It is a popular myth that a car’s air-conditioning wastes gas—though at slower speeds or in stop-and-go traffic, this is true. However, having the windows open while driving on the highway will actually increase the drag on your car and force it to use more fuel to compensate.

13) Keep your tires inflated. Letting the air get low will force your car to work harder and use more gas.

14) Slow down. Most cars become less fuel-efficient once you reach speeds higher than 60 miles per hour. According to FuelEconomy.gov , “Each 5 m.p.h. you drive over 50 m.p.h. is like paying an additional $0.20 per gallon for gas.”

15) A recent study found that, when searching for parking spaces, people lose the most time and burn up the most fuel by trying too hard to get too close to the entrance of the store, restaurant, or hotel they are visiting. Not only that, they found that the harder you tried to park up close, the longer you waited overall.

The results found that:

• People who drove to the first obviously available spot and walked, no matter how far from the entrance, tended to get to the entrance first and burn the least fuel.
• People who drove around looking for the best spot, then parked when they found one, tended to get to the entrance next, and burned more fuel.
• People who waited to see someone who was about to pull out of their spot, then sat and waited for them to pull out and pulled into the spot, tended to get to the entrance last, and burned the most fuel.

So park a little further away and save yourself time, burn less fuel, and burn more calories.

More from SmarterTravel:

• 9 Nasty Truths of Car Rental Insurance You Need to Know
• 10 (and a Half) Tips for Road Trips
• 8 Things You Need for a Road Trip with Your Pet

Genevieve S. Brown contributed to this story.

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

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Most Americans want to electrify their homes — if they can keep their gas stoves

A poll finds less than one-third of americans want a fully electric home. that number jumps to 60 percent if people can continue cooking with methane..

Most Americans would prefer to live in a home where almost all major appliances run on electricity — but only if they can keep their gas stoves. Just 31 percent want to go fully electric. 

Researchers asked roughly 1,000 people to what extent they would prefer to have their appliances powered by electrons or fossil fuels (natural gas, propane, or oil). It was the first time such a question was included in the long-running Climate Change in the American Mind survey, conducted by Yale and George Mason universities. The surveys, which started in 2008, are conducted biannually to track attitudes toward climate-related issues, such as electrification. 

“We realized we didn’t really have a baseline for what people actually want,” said Jennifer Marlon, a research scientist at the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication who helped design the question and push for its inclusion. Combine those who said they would go fully electric with the 29 percent who would do so except for their gas stove, and 6 in 10 Americans are ready to decarbonize. ”As a starting point, this is quite encouraging.”

Addressing residential energy use is critical to combating climate change, as the sector accounts for 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Meeting the 2050 goals of the Paris Agreement will require an aggressive move to decarbonize the grid and move homes off of oil and natural gas onto efficient electric options such as heat pumps. 

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While the United States boasts one of the lowest rates of support for climate policies in the world , this polling question suggests many Americans are open to a more electric future. That said, the appetite for eschewing fossil fuels varies by political affiliation. Three-quarters of liberal Democrats, for instance, would prefer an all or mostly electrified home, while that number sits at half for conservative Republicans.

However, people across the political and demographic spectrum are very attached to their natural gas stoves — an affinity that was particularly strong among respondents who identified as Hispanic. Nationally, one-third of all homes use methane for cooking and when the Consumer Product Safety Commission said it might take steps to regulate gas stoves, it sparked a culture war . While that stickiness is perhaps evidence of industry efforts, dating to the 1970s , to promote the devices, the reality is they represent a small portion of residential energy consumption.

“If people did one thing in the home that really mattered, it would be to get rid of their gas [or oil] furnaces,” said Rob Jackson, a Stanford University professor who has researched methane extensively. But, he added, there are clear health reasons for cooking with electricity. 

“Gas stoves emit pollutants like nitrogen dioxide and benzene into the air we breathe,” he said, and nearly 13 percent of childhood asthma cases in the U.S. have been linked to the devices.

Beyond the gas stove caveat, there are other reasons to be cautious about the polling results, said Sanya Carley, an energy policy researcher at University of Pennsylvania. She says the framing of the question may have led to results that are particularly favorable to electrification. For example, using the term “fossil fuel” in contrast to “electricity” could prime people to choose electricity.

“People have far more extreme views when you’re talking about fossil fuels than they do when you’re talking about anything else,” she said, also noting that electricity is frequently generated by burning coal or natural gas. “I think it is either confusing to some people or misleading.”

The survey also told respondents to assume “costs and other features are the same.” That’s a big assumption, because the price and performance of gas, oil, propane and electric systems can vary widely. The cost of heat pumps, for instance, depends on state and local rebates, and homes in cold weather climates may still require backup sources of heating.

The language of the question was heavily vetted, said Marlon, and had to fit a national audience. Its aim was to elicit what people truly want in a way that allows comparison across various geographies and demographics. She also acknowledged that there is likely a gap between someone preferring an electrified home and someone actually taking steps to make that happen. 

But, she said, arguably the most important part of the poll is that it sets a baseline that future polling can be compared to. The plan is to continue asking the question at least annually and ideally add in other more specific queries as well.

“There are a lot of questions we’d like to ask,” said Marlon. “We squeezed in this one question to get started.”

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In Michigan, the controversial Line 5 pipeline gets one step closer to the finish line

California’s ev wave highlights the challenges ahead for utilities, how the miccosukee tribe plans to stop oil drilling in the everglades once and for all, illinois passed a law to clean up coal ash 5 years ago. what’s taking so long, epa finally takes on abandoned coal ash ponds — but it might be too late, in brazil, unprecedented flooding may force a political reckoning, want to contact the georgia public service commission here’s how., the world is obsessed with forests’ climate benefits. here’s the problem., behind the ‘butter board’: how the dairy industry took over your feed, modal gallery.

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Gas Stove Pollution Risk Is Greatest in Smaller Homes, Study Finds

Gas-burning ranges, a significant contributor to indoor pollution, can produce and spread particularly high levels of some pollutants in smaller spaces.

By Hiroko Tabuchi

For decades, scientists have worked to clean up air pollution from factories, cars and power plants. But researchers are increasingly turning their attention to the air that people breathe indoors. And one appliance has come to the fore as a source of pollutants harmful to human health: the humble gas stove.

A new study from researchers at Stanford University sheds light on how much Americans may be exposed, indoors, to nitrogen dioxide, which comes from burning coal and gas and has been linked to asthma and other respiratory conditions.

The researchers found that, across the country, short-term nitrogen dioxide exposure from typical gas stove use frequently exceeded benchmarks set by both the World Health Organization and the United States Environmental Protection Agency. In the longer term, using gas or propane stoves meant that the typical American could breathe in three-quarters of the nitrogen dioxide levels deemed safe by the W.H.O. within their own homes.

As with outdoor pollution , disadvantaged households may be more exposed, the researchers found. Because gas more easily spreads throughout smaller spaces, people in homes smaller than 800 square feet were exposed to four times more nitrogen dioxide in the long term than people in homes larger than 3,000 square feet, the study found. Black and Latino households were exposed to 20 percent more nitrogen dioxide compared with the national average.

“We’ve done a really good job in this country of reducing outdoor pollution,” said Rob Jackson, professor of earth system science at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability and a principal investigator on the study, which was published on Friday in Science Advances. “But we’ve ignored the risks that people face indoors. And that’s the air that we’re breathing most of the time.”

And though home cooks who use a gas stove are particularly exposed to nitrogen dioxide, he said, “we’re getting a better handle on the migration of pollution down the hall, to the living room and the bedroom.”

The focus on gas stoves isn’t without critics. When a Biden administration official spoke about the health hazards of gas stoves last year, Republican politicians and their allies accused the administration of overreach and of planning to ban gas stoves outright.

Next week, House Republicans are set to meet on a bill called the Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act, which would make it harder for the Department of Energy to set more stringent energy-efficiency standards on household appliances, including gas stoves.

Health experts say that the health risks posed by gas stoves are significant. “There really is no safe amount of exposure to these toxicants produced by gas or propane, or any fossil fuel, outside or inside,” said Kari Nadeau, chairwoman of the Department of Environmental Health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

The Stanford study estimated that long-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide from stoves was likely causing up to 50,000 cases of asthma in children.

Some cities and counties have tried to move away from gas altogether, as part of a transition to cleaner forms of energy. Over the past few years, more than 140 cities and local governments have sought to restrict gas hookups in new buildings or have taken other measures to end the use of natural gas in new buildings, though those measures have been challenged in court .

“It isn’t ideal to tell people, they have to rip a perfectly good gas stove out of their home,” Dr. Jackson said. But requiring new homes to install electric stoves, which the study found had virtually no harmful emissions, made sense, he said. “Otherwise, we’re putting dirty polluting infrastructure into the next set of homes, and it will be there and 50 years. No one benefits from that.”

The Stanford team took direct measurements of nitrogen dioxide emissions and concentrations at about 100 homes in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City and other major U.S. cities, and used indoor air-quality monitoring and epidemiological risk calculations to estimate exposure and health consequences.

They found that home cooks were exposed to three times more nitrogen dioxide pollution compared to the average, said Yannai Kashtan, a Ph.D. candidate at Stanford and the study’s lead researcher. Mr. Kashtan was the subject of a recent article on the debate at Stanford about fossil fuel funding for climate research.

For this study, the researchers also found that the pollution traveled quickly out of the kitchen, down hallways, and into living rooms and bedrooms.

Good ventilation, for example turning on the range hood or opening a window, helped to reduce exposure. But more than that, the study found that “the kind of stove you cook on matters the most,” Mr. Kashtan said. “Ultimately, the best way is to reduce pollution at the source.”

Hiroko Tabuchi covers the intersection of business and climate for The Times. She has been a journalist for more than 20 years in Tokyo and New York. More about Hiroko Tabuchi

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Have questions about climate change? Our F.A.Q. will tackle your climate questions, big and small .

Giant batteries are transforming the way the United States uses electricity. Here’s how .

Are carbon offsets for air travel worth it? A lot of them don’t work and some might even be harmful, but there are alternatives .

Cattle ranches have ruled the Amazon for decades. Now, new companies are selling something else: the ability of trees to lock away planet-warming carbon .

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Did you know the ♻ symbol doesn’t mean something is actually recyclable ? Read on about how we got here, and what can be done.

How Does Natural Gas Reach Our Homes?

Have you ever wondered how natural gas gets to your house?

By the time that little blue flame is lit on your stove, that natural gas has actually gone through several processes, and traveled hundreds of miles, to arrive at your property.

Read on to learn more about what makes modern natural gas transport safe and efficient.

Natural Gas: Origins and Extraction

Natural gas is created deep below the surface of the earth, as organic materials are compressed and made into coal, rock, and minerals.

Originally natural gas was entirely a by-product of crude oil, but today there are various methods of detecting it underground, where it’s trapped in cracks and pools in large reservoirs.

Engineers use special testing techniques to discover where there are large quantities, and use wells and pumps to draw it out with pressure.

A well will either be drilled vertically or horizontally. When a horizontal well is used in combination with pressure, water, sand, and chemicals, we call this process hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.”

After it’s pulled from the earth, the natural gas gets to your house, eventually, via high-pressure systems that run through a series of pipelines.

Compressor Stations

After the gas is extracted from the source, it’s sent through steel pipelines.

A series of field compressors, located at stations about every 50 miles, is used to keep pressure high, as pressure naturally lowers while the gas travels away from its source.

While operators do work at these compressor stations, monitoring and adjusting gas transport for efficiency and safety, today they mostly run on automated systems.

These compressor stations can control and shut off gas as needed.

Gas here moves at speeds of about 30 mph and pressures of up to 1500 PSI. The pipes at this end are very large, built to withstand intense pressure, and carry large amounts of gas.

But the pipes eventually diverge into a series of branches as they move towards towns, cities, and your home.

The smaller the pipes get, the lower the pressure that pushes it forward. By the time the natural gas gets to your house, it’s typically only moving at a rate of about .25 PSI.

Processing and Transmission

Typically the natural gas extracted from the earth is also mixed with other gasses like butane, ethane, and propane. It may also contain water vapor, sulfur, helium, and carbon dioxide.

Processing plants are used to create a cleaner gas, and gate stations, usually located closer to the cities, also help with regulation and safety.

Once the gas has been through processing, it’s referred to as natural gas plant liquids (NGPL) or “dry” natural gas, which continues on its way.

Gate stations reduce pressure further, add the familiar “sour” scent, or rotten egg smell called “mercaptain” so that consumers can detect natural gas leaks, and monitor flow rates.

The natural gas gets to your house through a series of pipelines and local distribution companies. Sometimes it’s stored at large storage facilities outside of towns and cities so that it can then be distributed as needed to homes and businesses.

Getting Natural Gas Into Your Home

Gas lines near towns and cities are designed to deliver and withstand capacities in accordance with population density and demand.

The utility company will raise and lower pressure on various lines to adjust for variations in demand. Today these are driven by data gathered about both consumption and environmental factors.

This makes for a safe and efficient delivery system, which works to reduce wastage.

Finally, natural gas gets to your house via a service line.

Your local utility company will maintain this line and monitor your gas meter.

It’s important to note that any gas lines that are on your property are essentially your own responsibility. Here’s how to tell if you have natural gas lines on your property .

When natural gas gets to your meter, it will go through a pressure regulator to reduce it further so that once it arrives at a residential home pressure should be at the .25 PSI level.

The blue flame you see is there because the gas pressure is only a bit higher than the regular air pressure.

Questions? Just Ask!

Our incredible team of energy experts are committed to helping clients find solutions to their unique needs.

If you want to learn more about natural gas or have questions about your system, call us today and we’ll be glad to help.

Enjoyed this article? Here are three more to help you:

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Should California ban gas in new homes? A climate battle heats up

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Tim Kohut’s job is to build homes that are affordable and use energy efficiently. Lately, he’s decided the best way to do that is to create communities that are powered solely by electricity, with no natural gas hookups.

As director of sustainable design for National Community Renaissance, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit affordable housing developers, Kohut helped plan a recently opened senior community in Rancho Cucamonga that produces as much electricity as it uses, thanks to solar panels spread across rooftops and carports. The home builder went a step further with a development under construction in Ontario, designing homes with electric heating and cooking. Natural gas will be used only for clothes dryers.

Next up are housing projects in San Bernardino, San Pedro and Santa Ana, and these will be all-electric.

With electric appliances getting cheaper, Kohut is convinced that ditching gas entirely is the best way to keep housing prices and utility costs low — not to mention reduce the carbon emissions fueling the climate crisis.

“I don’t win any arguments by saying we have to do this because of environmentalism,” he said. “I have to make the dollar and cents argument.”

Kohut’s experience could become the norm for home builders in California. The question is how soon.

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As the California Energy Commission crafts its next update to building regulations, climate activists are urging the agency to ban gas hookups in new construction. Another influential agency, the California Air Resources Board, voted last month to support all-electric building policies, based on research showing that indoor air pollution spewed by stoves and other gas appliances can contribute to health problems , including asthma and heart disease.

Californians were reminded of the urgency of climate action in recent months by a record-breaking spate of fires, made worse by rising global temperatures . Fires have burned 4.2 million acres and killed 31 people so far this year.

As the flames devoured homes and forests, Gov. Gavin Newsom promised “giant leaps forward” on fighting climate change.

“While we’re leading the nation in low-carbon green growth, as we’ve led the nation in our efforts to decarbonize our economy, we’re going to have to do more, and we’re going to have to fast-track our efforts,” the governor said in September.

Newsom’s office declined to say whether the governor will weigh in on gas hookups in new homes.

With or without the governor’s involvement, the battle over the fossil fuel is heating up. Forty cities and counties have prohibited or discouraged gas hookups in new construction over the last year and a half, according to a Sierra Club list . Oakland joined the ranks last week with a ban on gas in new housing, the same day San Jose expanded its existing ban .

The spread of those policies has prompted sharp pushback from the gas industry , led by Southern California Gas Co., the nation’s largest gas utility. Other critics include gas utility workers and the California Restaurant Assn .

“What happens if I want to build a home with natural gas, and I’m told I cannot?” asked Richard Meyer, managing director of energy analysis at the American Gas Assn., an industry trade group that counts SoCalGas as a member. “What happens when I reply that it’s the fuel my family has always cooked with, and it’s a lot less expensive for me to use?”

The rest of the country is paying attention.

With gas industry prodding, lawmakers in Arizona, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Tennessee approved bills this year prohibiting local governments from banning gas . The battle could intensify under soon-to-be President Joe Biden, whose climate plan includes rebates and low-cost financing to help families install electric appliances.

At least so far, the California Energy Commission hasn’t given any sign it will include the all-electric requirement sought by activists in its next building code update, which is set to be finalized in July 2021 and take effect in January 2023.

Commission staff are still writing the new rules, with a draft expected early next year. But a coalition of building industry groups suggested in a recent letter that the agency previously agreed not to mandate all-electric homes or make other major changes this code cycle, in exchange for home builders supporting a solar mandate last time around.

Bob Raymer, senior engineer at the California Building Industry Assn., said the handshake deal was designed to give home builders time to “climb the Mt. Everest” of the solar mandate, which required solar panels on new houses starting in 2020. He said many builders haven’t designed all-electric homes and need time to get comfortable with technologies such as high-efficiency electric heat pumps.

He also noted that consumers typically say they prefer gas stoves, although many haven’t tried modern induction cooktops that proponents say are far superior than electric coil ranges.

California’s next frontier in fighting climate change: your kitchen stove

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April 4, 2019

Raymer expects state officials to prohibit gas hookups — but not until the next code update, which will take effect in 2026.

“It’s just a question of how soon can we get this done competently, and not have a very disruptive transition,” he said.

Raymer worries that moving too quickly could further slow California’s housing market, which already doesn’t produce enough homes to keep up with demand. A lack of housing has helped drive skyrocketing prices and a persistent homelessness crisis .

“I shudder to think what we’re going to look like in three to four years if things don’t get better,” Raymer said.

Most new homes built in the United States in recent years don’t have gas hookups. The U.S. Census Bureau reported last year that more than half of homes built from 2010 to 2017 use electricity for space heating, water heating, cooking and clothes drying.

But in California, the vast majority of homes being built today are dual-fuel, meaning they’re connected to both the gas and electric grids. The state added 570,000 residential gas customers from 2010 to 2019, federal data show , more than any other state.

Gas burned in homes and businesses accounts for about 10% of the state’s planet-warming emissions, according to the Air Resources Board. An additional 15% can be traced to power plants that generate electricity used in homes and businesses.

Those power plant emissions should eventually fade away, at least in theory, because California law requires a 100% carbon-free electricity supply by 2045. But there’s no statewide plan for zeroing out emissions from gas-burning appliances in buildings.

Climate activists see the next energy code update as an opportunity for big progress. By requiring developers to build all-electric homes, they say, the Energy Commission can begin to shift the housing stock away from gas and grow the market for electric heat pumps and induction cooktops, driving down costs and prompting installers to get familiar with those appliances.

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Waiting until 2026 to ban gas hookups would result in an additional 3 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions and more than $1 billion spent on new gas connections, according to an analysis by the Rocky Mountain Institute, a think tank in Colorado.

“New housing construction is a relatively small piece of the puzzle,” said Denise Grab, a manager on the institute’s building electrification team. “But for every house we build out, for every gas line we extend, we’re digging more in the wrong direction. When you’re in a hole, you stop digging.”

Andrew McAllister, the California Energy Commission member overseeing the building code update, said the coming changes will probably encourage more developers to go all-electric by ratcheting up efficiency requirements. But he said it’s not clear whether the agency has the legal authority to ban gas entirely — at least not until buying and operating electric appliances gets cheaper — because state law requires energy-efficiency regulations to be cost-effective.

Like Raymer, McAllister cautioned against trying to move the market too quickly. He pointed out that Newsom recently set a 2035 deadline for ending the sale of gasoline-powered cars . Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids made up 7.6% of new car registrations in the state last year, whereas electric heat pump water heaters had a market share of less than 2%.

“We have the nation’s most aggressive decarbonizing building code already,” McAllister said. “The question isn’t whether we have to get to zero-emission buildings. The question is what the path looks like.”

The costs of all-electric housing vary depending on the type of home and the appliances being installed. Building industry groups told state officials there’s usually no “significant difference” in cost between building an all-electric and a dual-fuel home, although they warned that Central Valley residents “should expect to pay $250 more per year to operate an all-electric home.”

Gas ban advocates disagree, offering their own data showing that all-electric homes can be cheaper to build and operate.

Kohut, from National Community Renaissance, is convinced that builders not embracing all-electric construction haven’t done their homework.

“If we can do this with affordable housing budgets, everybody should be able to do this,” he said.

UCLA researchers published a study last month concluding that Californians would probably pay more for energy under electrification mandates, and that “low-income residents of disadvantaged communities ... will be most adversely affected.” They also concluded that phasing out gas appliances could cause electricity use to rise dramatically in the evenings, when California has already had trouble keeping the lights on, as evidenced by brief rolling blackouts this summer.

But the study didn’t argue against electrification policies. Rather, it called for financial incentives to help low-income households buy electric appliances and for strategies to help avoid skyrocketing evening electricity demand.

“We believe in electrification,” said Eric Fournier, research director at UCLA’s California Center for Sustainable Communities and the study’s lead author. “We just want to make sure there are no surprises, particularly when you’re pitching it to low-income communities where they’re spending a large proportion of their income on energy.”

“It’s a no-brainer to require electrification of new construction projects,” he added.

Those nuances didn’t stop Frank Maisano — a media specialist at the government relations firm Bracewell who works with SoCalGas and other energy industry clients — from saying the UCLA study found that gas bans “disproportionately harm minorities/poor communities.” It’s an increasingly common line of argument from the fossil fuel industry, which has tried to stave off ambitious climate policies by casting itself as an ally of people of color .

The fossil fuel industry wants you to believe it’s good for people of color

The climate crisis disproportionately harms Black people, Latinos and Native Americans. But oil and gas supporters are trying to claim the moral high ground.

Nov. 23, 2020

There’s growing support for phasing out gas appliances among environmental justice activists, who advocate for cleaner air and healthier environments in low-income communities of color.

Martha Dina Argüello, executive director of Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los Angeles, told the Air Resources Board last month that policymakers should work with disadvantaged communities to ensure that electric building requirements don’t drive gentrification or increase energy costs for those who can least afford it.

“We’re also looking at it as an opportunity to create new jobs and new economic opportunities,” she said. “We look forward to working with you so that we can actually create healthy communities where our lungs are beloved and cared for.”

A variety of businesses have also weighed in on the future of gas in homes.

The sustainability nonprofit Ceres sent a letter to state officials last week on behalf of a coalition of businesses that advocate for climate policies, including Ikea, McDonald’s, Nike and Starbucks. The letter called for an all-electric building code, saying quick action is “critical to maximizing progress in the building sector and avoid locking-in carbon-intensive buildings for decades.”

Two dozen companies that sell gas fireplaces submitted letters opposing an all-electric mandate. So did the Western Propane Gas Assn., which said Californians would face higher energy bills because electricity rates are higher than gas rates.

“An increase to utility bills is an increase to housing costs. A deeply irresponsible action to take as California faces the combined threats of insurmountable homelessness, and an unprecedented pandemic,” the propane association wrote.

Even before Berkeley approved the state’s first gas ban , SoCalGas started asking local governments to support “balanced energy solutions” — a key talking point in the utility’s campaign against electrification policies. A resolution originally drafted by SoCalGas has now been approved by 114 cities and counties, along with 20 school and water districts, according to a gas company list .

That’s more than three times as many local governments as have voted to support all-electric buildings.

“Implementing a balanced energy approach allows California to minimize disruption, manage cost and preserve consumer choice,” SoCalGas said in a report earlier this year.

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Still, not every local government that’s been asked to support the gas company’s cause has said yes.

Redondo Beach’s City Council voted down the “balanced energy” resolution by a 4-1 margin in October. Councilman Christian Horvath warned that SoCalGas would use the city’s support to bolster its campaign to preserve gas, despite the company’s insistence that the resolution is not anti-electrification and doesn’t call out any one energy source for support or opposition.

“I think a lot of cities have been snookered by this,” Horvath said.

More to Read

Editorial: High electric bills threaten California’s clean future. This plan would help

April 15, 2024

Editorial: Berkeley’s backtrack on gas ban won’t stop the electrification trend

April 4, 2024

Opinion: Heat pumps cut costs and pollution. So why isn’t it easier to install one in California?

April 2, 2024

Your guide to our clean energy future

Get our Boiling Point newsletter for the latest on the power sector, water wars and more — and what they mean for California.

Sammy Roth is the climate columnist for the Los Angeles Times. He writes the twice-weekly Boiling Point newsletter and focuses on clean energy solutions. He previously reported for the Desert Sun and USA Today, where he covered renewable energy and public lands. He grew up in Westwood and would very much like to see the Dodgers win the World Series again.

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Gas Stove Pollution Lingers in Homes for Hours Even outside the Kitchen

Gas stoves spew nitrogen dioxide at levels that frequently exceed those that are deemed safe by health organizations

By Allison Parshall

Lucas Ninno/Getty Images

Nearly 40 percent of U.S. homes have gas stoves, which spew a host of compounds that are harmful to breathe , such as carbon monoxide, particulate matter, benzenes and high quantities of nitrogen dioxide.

Decades of well-established research have linked nitrogen dioxide, or NO 2 , to respiratory conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which especially affect children and older adults. This harmful link is so well established that some states have begun banning gas appliances in new construction. And now a new study has shown in stark detail just how long and far this gas spreads and lingers in a home . By sampling homes across the U.S., the researchers found that in many, levels of exposure to NO 2 can soar above the World Health Organization’s one-hour exposure limit for multiple hours—even in the bedroom that is farthest from the kitchen.

"The concentrations [of NO 2 ] we measured from stoves led to dangerous levels down the hall in bedrooms ... and they stayed elevated for hours at a time. That was the biggest surprise for me," says Rob Jackson, a sustainability researcher at Stanford University and senior author of the study, which was published on May 3 in Science Advances.

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The researchers collected real-world data on NO 2 concentrations before, during and for several hours after the use of gas and propane stoves in houses and apartments in California, Colorado, Texas, New York State and Washington, D.C. In six homes, they tested the levels of NO 2 in the bedroom farthest from the kitchen for a basic “bread baking” scenario: they set the gas or propane oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit (245 degrees Celsius) and left it on for an hour and a half. The team continued sampling the air for up to six hours after the oven was turned off.

In all six homes, the NO 2 concentration in the bedroom quickly exceeded the WHO’s chronic exposure guideline of about five parts per billion by volume. And in three of the bedrooms, the levels soared even above the Environmental Protection Agency’s and the WHO’s respective one-hour exposure guidelines, which both set the limit at about 100 parts per billion by volume. (The EPA’s guidelines are intended for outdoor air exposure because the agency does not regulate indoor air pollution.)

Amanda Montañez; Source: “Nitrogen Dioxide Exposure, Health Outcomes, and Associated Demographic Disparities due to Gas and Propane Combustion by U.S. Stoves,” by Yannai Kashtan et al., in Science Advances , Vol. 10, Article No. eadm8680. Published online May 3, 2024

The bedroom exposure data from the new study can be seen in the graph above. “Think about that graph happening two times a day," Jackson says. “You cook at lunch, and then you cook again at dinner. Maybe you cook breakfast. It’s over and over again, hundreds of days a year.”

Jackson and his colleagues next wanted to find out which factors had the greatest impact on the level of NO 2 exposure from gas stoves. So they used a computer model to estimate airflow and contaminant concentration in indoor spaces. They validated the model by comparing its estimates with directly measured concentrations of NO 2 from 18 homes of differing sizes and layouts before, during and after using a gas stove. The researchers tested this with the range hood on and off and with the kitchen windows open and closed, airing out the residences between each trial.

After confirming that their real-world observations matched the model’s predictions, the team could then use the program to estimate how much NO 2 someone might be exposed to depending on many different factors, such as their home’s size and layout, the amount of time they spend with the windows open and how often they use the stove’s range hood.

The researchers found that those living in homes smaller than 800 square feet or making under $35,000 a year were being regularly exposed to levels of NO 2 at or far exceeding the WHO’s threshold for chronic exposure. Finally, by combining these data with previous research on the link between long-term gas and propane stove exposure and pediatric asthma, the researchers calculated that such exposure could account for 200,000 current cases of childhood asthma, with 50,000 of those attributable to NO 2 alone.

"I think that this modeled data is valuable because it gives you very clear numbers” to see how much NO 2 we’re being exposed to at different time points during and following gas stove use, says pulmonologist Laura Paulin, who studies indoor air pollution at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. “We are blowing past these outdoor air regulations [and] recommendations” with indoor NO 2 exposure alone, she says.

In a 2014 study , Paulin and her colleagues showed how people can decrease concentrations of this pollutant in their home. The best way is to swap out a gas or propane stove for an electric one. But for some people, especially renters, this may not be a feasible option.

If you’re stuck with a gas stove, Paulin suggests turning on your range hood every time you cook with gas, even if the fan is loud and annoying. Still, these aren’t always very effective: Jackson and his colleagues found that the hoods in the homes they surveyed were anywhere between 10 and 70 percent effective. Those numbers applied only to hoods that vented outside. Some hoods instead spew air right back into your living space and do little more than disperse the pollutants throughout it.

Another way to improve ventilation is to open your windows while you cook—if weather permits and if the outside air is not polluted as well.

And if all else fails, high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) air purifiers can help filter out some of these indoor pollutants. If the purifier has a carbon prefilter, it can remove some NO 2 from the air. In Paulin’s 2014 study, she found that placing such filters in the kitchen could reduce NO 2 levels by 20 percent.

As we spend more of our lives indoors, it becomes increasingly important to pay attention to the quality of the indoor air we breathe . “Our outdoor air is getting cleaner. But we have ignored indoor air pollution in considering risk for people in this country,” Jackson says.

How Do I Know If My Home Is Gas or Electric?

If you have recently moved and are now in charge of paying utilities, or if you are a new homeowner and the previous owner used to cover all expenses.

Regardless of your situation, if you’re now in charge of paying utilities, you need to know how your home is powered; is it gas or electric?

To find out, look for these three parameters:

• The type of fuel your home uses
• The type of water heater in your home
• The type of heating and cooling system in your home.

Besides, looking at your monthly statements from the utility company for the word “gas,” then that’s how your home is powered.

However, if you don’t see the word “gas” but see “electricity” or “kWh,” your home is powered by electricity.

This article will discuss each of these three things in more detail, so you understand how your home is powered.

Moreover, we’ll offer tips on saving money whether your home is gas or electric.

The Type of Fuel Your Home Uses

To know whether your home is gas or electric, you need to know what fuel it uses.

The two most common types of fuel are natural gas and propane.

Natural gas is a fossil fuel composed of methane and other gases. It’s typically used to heat homes and power appliances like clothes dryers, water heaters, and ovens.

On the other hand, propane is a petroleum product most commonly used in rural areas for heating homes and power appliances like those powered by natural gas.

The type of fuel your home uses is determined by its location.

If you live in an urban area, chances are your home is powered by natural gas. However, your home is most likely powered by propane if it’s in a rural area.

To find out for sure, look at your monthly utility bill; the type of fuel used will be listed there. If you still can’t find it, give your utility company a call, and they’ll tell you.

The Type of Water Heater in Your Home

Another way to determine whether your home is gas or electric is by looking at the type of water heater.

The three most common water heaters are electric, natural gas, and propane.

Propane and natural gas water heaters look similar and are often mistaken for one another. The best way to tell them apart is by looking at the venting.

Propane water heaters have a vertical vent stack, while natural gas water heaters have a horizontal one.

As the name suggests, electric water heaters use electricity to heat water. They’re the most common type of water heater and are typically found in urban areas.

Thus, simply look at it to find out what type of water heater your home got.

The type of fuel it uses will be listed on the side or front of the unit. You will see either “natural gas,” “propane,” or “electric” listed.

The Type of Heating and Cooling System in Your Home

The other way to determine whether your home is gas or electric is by looking at the type of heating and cooling system.

The three most common heating and cooling systems are electric, natural gas, and propane.

Natural Gas Powered Heating and Cooling System

The natural gas system is the most common heating and cooling system. It uses a network of pipes that deliver natural gas to your home.

Natural gas then powers a furnace, which heats air and blows it through ducts to different rooms in your home.

Propane Powered Heating and Cooling System

This heating and cooling system is most commonly found in rural areas. It uses a network of pipes that deliver propane to your home.

The propane then powers a furnace, which heats air and blows it through ducts to different rooms in your home.

Electric Powered Heating and Cooling System

Electrically powered heating and cooling system aren’t as common as the other two. Nevertheless, you may have this type of system in your home.

It uses electricity to power a furnace, which heats air and blows it through ducts to different rooms in your home.

Pros and Cons of Electricity, Propane, and Natural Gas for Homes

Now that you know how to tell if your home is gas or electric let’s look at the pros and cons of each type of power.

Electricity

It’s an efficient way to power your home because the cost of electricity is relatively stable.

Electric heating and cooling systems are cheaper to operate than gas or propane systems despite being expensive to install.

Electricity is clean and doesn’t produce any harmful emissions. However, the main downside of electricity is that it’s not always available.

For example, during a power outage, you won’t be able to use your electric appliances.

Natural Gas

Natural gas is a clean and efficient way to power your home. It’s also cheaper than electricity, making it a good option for families on a budget.

The main downside of natural gas is that it’s flammable and is dangerous if it leaks. Natural gas leaks are also difficult to detect because they are odorless.

Propane is a petroleum product most commonly used in rural areas for heating homes and powering appliances like those powered by natural gas.

Propane is a clean and efficient way to power your home. However, it’s more expensive than electricity and natural gas.

Thus, gas is less expensive than electricity, making it a more affordable option for many people.

The gas heating system is more efficient than electric heating. However, electricity is cleaner and doesn’t produce any harmful emissions.

Gas is also more available than electricity, making it a more reliable option for many people.

Now that you know the pros and cons of each type of power, you can decide which is suitable for your home.

If you’re looking for a clean and efficient option, electricity is the way to go. However, if you’re on a budget, natural gas or propane is better.

Tips on How to Save Money on Your Heating System

• Install a programmable thermostat
• Insulate your home’s attic, walls, and basement
• Install storm windows and doors
• Close vents in rooms that you don’t use often
• Buy a space heater for supplemental heat
• Seal windows and doors to prevent heat from escaping.

By following these tips, you will save money on your heating system and have a comfortable home all winter long.

Final Thoughts

Knowing whether your home is gas or electric is vital for various reasons.

It helps you budget for your heating costs, choose the most efficient type of heating system, and even save money on your energy bills.

If you’re not sure which type of power your home uses, look at your appliances and ask your landlord or utility company.

They should tell you which type of power your home uses.

Once you know whether your home is gas or electric, decide which heating system is right for you. For instance, if you’re looking for a clean and efficient option, electricity is the way to go.

However, natural gas or propane may be the better option for you when on budget.

Jane is a tech enthusiast and a dedicated home improvement buff. Her passion for transforming spaces and integrating smart technologies into daily life makes her articles a delightful and informative read. With a background in interior design and a flair for DIY projects, Jane offers hands-on advice and creative tips for every home enthusiast. Her writings focus on the integration of home appliances & electronics, smart homes, and DIY home maintenance & improvement. In her spare time, Jane loves to garden and is always on the hunt for the next innovative gadget to elevate her home.

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Is increased tourism impacting gas prices ahead of total solar eclipse?

MIAMI VALLEY — Gas prices are averaging around $3.50 per gallon across Ohio, according to AAA.

>> WHIO Pump Patrol: Find Cheap Gas Prices

With the Total Solar Eclipse approaching, is this boost in tourism driving gas prices to go even higher?

News Center 7′s Xavier Hershovitz spoke with drivers on how they are coping and with an expert on why we are seeing those increases.

“I’m mad that I didn’t get gas yesterday,” said Teyon Conway of Xenia.

He stopped at the Xenia Speedway to fill up and saw that gas prices increased several cents.

“My car is driving the same as the other day, now the gas costs more. I don’t understand it,” said Conway.

>> TOTAL ECLIPSE 2024

Hershovitz says with thousands expected to come to the Miami Valley for Monday’s total solar eclipse, it has some people thinking, “Is that why the price at the pump has jumped?”

“Is it really going to be that many people that’s going to make that much of a difference?”

Hershovitz spoke with Patrick De Hann, head of Petroleum Analysis at Gasbuddy.com , about that.

“(It) has nothing to do with the Eclipse,” he said. “It has nothing to do with any holiday, so to speak.”

>> City council OKs state of emergency in Riverside to deal with solar eclipse events

De Hann also told Hershovitz that the way gas prices jump on a single weekend or even a day of increased demand is not enough to cause a jump at the pump.

“People think oh, ‘Yeah, everyone’s going to be doing something for the eclipse, they’re going be getting outside gasoline demand is probably through the roof,’ but it’s really not,” he explained. “It’s really just a one-and-done deal.”

Emergency management across Ohio has been advising people to fill up their gas tanks before the weekend.

>> Arrest made as FBI concludes investigation in downtown Dayton, but continues search in Troy

De Hann says while that is good advice, gas supplies will be just fine for the influx of visitors.

“There’s just a lot of wildcards and police departments are basically just trying to say, ‘Hey, don’t get too low on gasoline, because there’s a low-level chance that if you’re out in the sticks, you may have a problem,’” he explained. “So, I don’t expect any issues.”

As for Conway, his tank is filled up and ready for whatever the eclipse brings.

“I always try to fuel up like beginning of the week,” he said.

>> WHIO-TV to give away total eclipse sunglasses; How do I get them?

The average gas price in Dayton for a regular gallon of gas is $3.52, AAA’s website says .

Warren County is seeing the highest average at $3.574 per gallon and the second highest is in Miami County at $3.561.

The lowest average is in Preble County at $3.364.

To find the lowest gas prices in your neighborhood, visit our Pump Patrol website .

©2024 Cox Media Group

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People with gas and propane stoves breathe more unhealthy nitrogen dioxide

A new study of air pollution in U.S. homes reveals how much gas and propane stoves increase people’s exposure to nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant linked to childhood asthma. Even in bedrooms far from kitchens, concentrations frequently exceed health limits while stoves are on and for hours after burners and ovens are turned off.

Stanford PhD student Metta Nicholson observes a gas burner in a home where scientists measured air pollution as part of their data collection in California, Texas, Colorado, New York, and Washington, D.C. (Image credit: Rob Jackson, Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability)

Households with gas or propane stoves regularly breathe unhealthy levels of nitrogen dioxide, a study of air pollution in U.S. homes found.

“I didn’t expect to see pollutant concentrations breach health benchmarks in bedrooms within an hour of gas stove use, and stay there for hours after the stove is turned off,” said Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability Professor Rob Jackson , senior author of the May 3 study in Science Advances . Pollution from gas and propane stoves isn’t just an issue for cooks or people in the kitchen, he said. “It’s the whole family’s problem.”

Among other negative health effects, breathing high levels of nitrogen dioxide, or NO 2 , over time can intensify asthma attacks and has been linked to decreased lung development in children and early deaths.

Although most exposure to NO 2 is caused by cars and trucks burning fossil fuels, the researchers estimate that the mix of pollutants coming from gas and propane stoves overall may be responsible for as many as 200,000 current childhood asthma cases. One quarter of these can be attributed to nitrogen dioxide alone, according to the paper’s authors, who include scientists from Central California Asthma Collaborative, PSE Healthy Energy, and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

“We found that just how much gas you burn in your stove is by far the biggest factor affecting how much you’re exposed. And then, after that, do you have an effective range hood – and do you use it?” said lead study author Yannai Kashtan , a PhD student in Earth system science.

Little room for additional exposure

Beyond asthma cases, the long-term exposure to NO 2 in American households with gas stoves is high enough to cause thousands of deaths each year – possibly as many as 19,000 or 40% of the number of deaths linked annually to secondhand smoke. This estimate is based on the researchers’ new measurements and calculations of how much nitrogen dioxide people breathe at home because of gas stoves and the best available data on deaths from long-term exposure to outdoor NO 2 , which is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The death toll estimate is approximate in part because it does not factor in the harmful effects of repeated exposure to extremely high levels of nitrogen dioxide in short bursts, as occurs in homes with gas stoves. It also relies on past studies of health impacts from nitrogen dioxide encountered outdoors, where additional pollutants from vehicles and power plants are present.

The researchers used sensors to measure concentrations of NO 2 throughout more than 100 homes of various sizes, layouts, and ventilation methods, before, during, and after stove use. They incorporated these measurements and other data into a model powered by National Institutes for Standards and Technology (NIST) software known as CONTAM for simulating airflow, contaminant transport, and room-by-room occupant exposure in buildings. This allowed them to estimate nationwide averages and short-term exposures under a range of realistic conditions and behaviors, and cross-check model outputs against their home measurements.

The results show that nationwide, typical use of a gas or propane stove increases exposure to nitrogen dioxide by an estimated 4 parts per billion, averaged over a year . That’s three quarters of the way to the nitrogen dioxide exposure level that the World Health Organization recognizes as unsafe in outdoor air. “That’s excluding all outdoor sources combined, so it makes it much more likely you’re going to exceed the limit,” said Kashtan.

“I didn’t expect to see pollutant concentrations breach health benchmarks in bedrooms within an hour of gas stove use, and stay there for hours after the stove is turned off.” —Rob Jackson Professor of Earth System Science

Understanding how gas stoves affect health

The study is the latest in a series from Jackson’s group at Stanford looking at indoor air pollution from gas stoves. Earlier studies documented the rate at which gas stoves emit other pollutants, including the greenhouse gas methane and the carcinogen benzene . But to understand the implications of stove emissions for human health, the researchers needed to find out how much pollutants spread through a home, build up, and eventually dissipate. “We’re moving from measuring how much pollution comes from stoves to how much pollution people actually breathe,” said Jackson, who is the Michelle and Kevin Douglas Provostial Professor in Earth System Science.

With any fuel source, particle pollution can rise from food cooking in a hot pan. The new research confirms that food emits little or no nitrogen dioxide as it cooks, however, and electric stoves produce no NO 2 . “It’s the fuel, not the food,” said Jackson. “Electric stoves emit no nitrogen dioxide or benzene. If you own a gas or propane stove, you need to reduce pollutant exposures using ventilation.”

Colin Finnegan of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability checks a simmering pot on a gas stove that does not have a range hood. Using a range hood that vents air to the outdoors can dramatically influence how much nitrogen dioxide fills the air in a home. (Image credit: Rob Jackson, Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability)

Home size matters

Even in larger homes, concentrations of nitrogen dioxide routinely spiked to unhealthy levels during and after cooking even if a range hood was on and venting air outdoors. But people who live in homes smaller than 800 square feet – about the size of a small two-bedroom apartment – are exposed to twice as much nitrogen dioxide over the course of a year compared to the national average, and four times more compared to those living in the largest homes, upwards of 3,000 square feet.

Because home size makes such a difference, there are also differences in exposure across racial, ethnic, and income groups. Compared to the national average, the researchers found long-term NO 2 exposure is 60% higher among American Indian and Alaska Native households, and 20% higher among Black and Hispanic or Latino households. This exposure to indoor air pollution from gas stoves compounds the fact that exposure to outdoor sources of nitrogen dioxide pollution, such as vehicle exhaust, is also typically higher among people in poorer, often minority, communities.

“People in poorer communities can’t always afford to change their appliances, or perhaps they rent and can’t replace appliances because they don’t own them,” Jackson said. “People in smaller homes are also breathing more pollution for the same stove use.”

Jackson is also a senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and Precourt Institute for Energy . Additional Stanford co-authors include Metta Nicholson , a PhD student in the Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources (E-IPER); Colin Finnegan , a laboratory manager in the Department of Earth System Science; and Earth system science postdoctoral scholars Zutao Ouyang and Anchal Garg .

This research was supported by HT, LLC.

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Share of houses consuming natural gas in U.S. 2020, by state

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Gas Leaks in the Home — How to Detect Them and What to Do

A gas leak in the home isn't necessarily a panic situation, but it is a serious one. Being highly flammable, gas can and does sometimes cause explosions and fires, so it's important to find and deal with leaks swiftly.

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Sometimes, gas leaks are obvious. Slow leaks, however, often prove to be far more subtle. Fixing small leaks is just as important as fixing big ones, but it can be harder to find the source of the leak when they're smaller. If you suspect you have a gas leak but aren't sure where, don't waste time trying to track it down. Instead, leave the house immediately and leave the door open behind you. Once outside, call the gas company and report that you may have a problem. A gas leak is a potentially volatile situation and something with which you don't want to take chances. Leave finding and fixing the issue to the professionals.

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How It All Works

Again, it's important that you evacuate quickly if you suspect a gas leak rather than tracking it down or even turning off your gas first. It is, however, a good idea to have a basic understanding of your gas system so you can shut it off if you need to or recognize when something looks amiss.

You'll find a gas meter outside your home where the gas comes into the building. On one side of the meter is the gas pipe that carries in gas from the gas company. This portion of the pipe, called the street side, has a shutoff valve that requires a wrench to close. As a general rule, gas companies prefer that you not mess with this valve. Closing this valve stops gas from entering your home.

On the other side of the meter, known as the house side, there is another pipe that carries gas from the meter to the interior of the home. There is a shutoff valve on this pipe as well, and this is the one you should use whenever possible. You'll find the shutoff valve somewhere between the pressure regulator, which looks like a little flying saucer, and the first gas appliance in your home's gas line. This valve is typically just a small lever that is open when it's parallel to the pipe. To close it, simply turn it 90 degrees so that it's perpendicular to the pipe.

Once inside, gas is carried through your home by metal piping that runs along the top of crawl spaces or along the basement ceiling, traveling horizontally until they reach a gas appliance . At this point, a vertical tube called a drop line extends down from the horizontal pipe and to the home's appliances. If the appliance is above the main gas line, the drop lines go up rather than down and are instead called risers.

You'll also note that there are flexible metal supply tubes between your gas appliances and the gas branch piping. These flexible tubes carry gas from the rigid pipes in your home to the appliance, allowing for a little wiggle room. Flexible connectors are not allowed to go through walls, floors or ceilings and thus are always visible behind your appliances. They're usually 3 to 6 feet in length.

This flexibility makes it easier to reach the gas intake on the appliance and gives you a little room if you need to pull the appliance away from the wall for service. Many times, you will find another shutoff lever or valve just before this flexible pipe so you can turn off the gas at the appliance.

Home Gas Leak Signs

Gas has a distinct sulfur smell (or rotten eggs) that is added to it intentionally. Since you can't see natural gas or smell it by itself, gas companies add that rotten egg smell so you can easily detect a leak. In most major gas leaks, the smell is potent and almost impossible to miss.

Unfortunately, small gas leaks may not create a strong smell. It's also possible to become accustomed to the odor if exposed to it for a long period of time. A slow leak, for example, may create only a mild smell that you get used to after being exposed to it for too long.

Fortunately, there are other signs for which you can look if you miss the smell. One is browning and dying plants. Whether they are outside near your meter or houseplants living indoors, vegetation will wither and die when exposed to a natural gas leak. You may also notice a whining or hissing sound when you get near a gas leak or see a small white dust cloud around the leaking area.

Your gas stove can also alert you to a problem in your home. The flames of your stove burners should be blue. If they're yellow or orange, you have an issue. Of course, visibly cracked or broken gas lines also indicate an obvious problem, as does an unexplained increase in your gas bill.

Outside, strange bubbles in a creek or nearby stream can indicate a gas leak. A spray of dirt rising into the air can also signify a leak. You won't see the gas itself, but the force of the leak is strong enough to disturb loose dirt, and you can see that.

Gas Leaks and Health Symptoms

In addition to causing problems around the house, a gas leak can affect your health — when exposed to natural gas, you may experience physical symptoms like dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath and fatigue. You may start to notice that you're having frequent headaches and nosebleeds along with a sore throat. Some people experience ringing in their ears, a reduced appetite and chest pain.

Of course, all of these symptoms can indicate other health issues that have nothing to do with gas. To identify gas as the cause, pay attention to when you get sick. If it happens often when you return home from being somewhere else or when you walk into a certain room, a gas leak might be to blame. Keep an eye on your pets as well. They can experience many of the same symptoms.

Gas Leak Don'ts

If you suspect a gas leak, don't doubt yourself. Trust your gut and get your family and pets out of the home. Don't hang around to try and turn off the gas or try to fix a leak yourself. This is a job always left to the professionals no matter how strong your DIY game.

As you're leaving, stay away from any and all appliances and light switches. Turn on nothing that uses electricity, as this can cause a spark and ignite any gas in the home. Don't start your car if it's in your garage. Walk to a safe place instead. If you have a minor issue, open your windows on your way out to air out the house. If the gas odor is strong, however, don't open them.

This seems illogical since airing out the house is smart and ultimately necessary, but the friction of the sliding window could be enough to cause a spark (a little static electricity is all it takes). Absolutely open your windows and air out your house when the gas company tells you it's safe to go back inside but don't do so before if the gas odor in your home is strong.

Of course, don't light a cigarette, candle or match if you suspect a gas leak. Never use a phone inside the home either, whether it's a cellphone or a landline. Call the gas company only when you're safely outside the home but do call them. Never allow a suspected gas leak to go unreported.

Stay Safe With Gas Personnel

Once a gas leak is reported, the gas company will absolutely send someone to do an inspection, fix any problems and turn your gas back on if applicable. You should listen to any safety instructions gas company personnel give you but make sure you are actually dealing with legitimate gas company employees.

Unfortunately, some unscrupulous people sometimes pose as utility company employees in an effort to gain access to homes. It's perfectly acceptable to ask gas company workers for their identification. If something strikes you as off, you can also call the gas company and verify whom they sent to your home. Legitimate utility personnel will never get upset when asked to show identification and will never need to discuss your gas bill or account payment status with you in order to fix a gas leak.

This is true whenever you report a gas leak and when you've called the gas company and asked them to check your home. Routine inspections of gas lines and appliances can help prevent gas leaks, but it's important to verify whom you're letting into your home, even when you're expecting a gas company representative. If the gas company appears at your door unexpectedly due to a problem in the neighborhood, always ask for identification.

Gas Leak Detectors

People often make the mistake of assuming that they're covered if they have carbon monoxide detectors , but this is not true — carbon monoxide is released only when gas burns. Having a carbon monoxide detector is smart, but it won't detect a gas leak. Never assume that you don't have a gas leak based on a carbon monoxide detector.

Instead, consider installing gas leak detectors in your home. These detectors will monitor for gas leaks and sound an alarm if they detect one. They're easy to install just like smoke detectors. Many of these units plug into an electrical outlet, but you can find battery-powered units for more flexible installation.

Preventing Gas Leaks and Problems

Gas leaks happen, but there are steps you can take to reduce the risk. The best way is to have professionals come and inspect your gas appliances and gas lines once a year. Inspections allow you to spot potential problems and fix them before they become an issue. Ask to have any applicable chimneys, flues or vents checked during the inspection.

It's also important that you allow proper ventilation space around gas appliances. This prevents gas from getting trapped and building up around the appliance. Always store flammable chemicals well away from gas appliances and gas lines as well.

Keep a fire extinguisher on hand in case you do run into a problem and make sure you have an emergency plan in place. Teach every member of your family the signs of a gas leak and make sure they know to evacuate and then call for help if they suspect or detect one.

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Storms batter Midwest one day after tornado leaves at least 1 dead in Oklahoma

Updated on: May 8, 2024 / 8:24 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Severe storms battered the Midwest on Tuesday, unleashing a curtain of heavy rain, gusty winds and tornadoes throughout the region a day after a deadly twister ripped through a small Oklahoma town and killed at least one person.

Tornadoes were spotted after dark Tuesday in parts of Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, while portions of Illinois, Kentucky and Missouri were also under a tornado watch, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecasters warned that the storms could stretch late into the night with the possibility of more twisters and large hail.

In southwestern Michigan, two tornadoes blitzed the city of Portage near Kalamazoo. The Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office said there were "multiple trees down and wires throughout" Portage and nearby Pavilion Township. A Portage city spokesperson said in a statement that there was significant damage to homes and businesses, but no immediate reports of serious injuries. A Kalamazoo County spokesperson told CBS News that about 15 to 20 people were taken to area hospitals with minor injuries.

Photos posted to social media showed major damage to a FedEx building in the Portage area.

@NWSGrandRapids significant damage in Portage. On Portage Road just north of Romence Road at the FedEx facility. pic.twitter.com/Nh4UIfe0rp — Alex Melendez (@Scraft_wxman) May 7, 2024

 In a statement to CBS News, a FedEx spokesperson confirmed its facility was damaged, but said there were "no serious injuries."

"We continue to assess the damage, and we are implementing contingency plans to lessen any potential impacts on service," the statement read. 

Portage Director of Public Safety Nicholas Armold told CBS News all FedEx employees were accounted for and none had been trapped beneath the wreckage of the building.

More than 20,000 people lost power in the Portage area, Consumers Energy said Tuesday night. The company estimated most would be without power until 10 p.m. on Wednesday.   

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency for Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, Branch, and Cass counties on Tuesday night after the storm brought "large hail up to four inches in diameter and at least two confirmed tornadoes," she said in a statement.

Overall Monday night and early Tuesday, at least 22 tornadoes  were reported  by the National Weather Service across seven states in the Great Plains and Central U.S. The severe weather threat was expected to continue Tuesday night into Wednesday, according to Alex Wilson, meteorologist for The Weather Channel, who reported that Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky were at risk.   

The deadly tornado that touched down Monday night in Oklahoma ripped through the 1,000-person town of Barnsdall, about a 40-minute drive north of Tulsa. The National Weather Service there had warned Monday evening that "a large and life-threatening tornado" was headed toward Barnsdall and the nearby town of Bartlesville.

It was the second tornado to hit Barnsdall in five weeks — a twister on April 1 with maximum wind speeds of 90 to 100 mph damaged homes and blew down trees and power poles.

Barnsdall Mayor Johnny Kelley said one person was dead while one man was missing after Monday's twister. Authorities launched a secondary search Tuesday morning for the missing man.

"The toughest thing on me as the mayor is this is a small community," Kelley said. "I know 75% to 80% of the people in this town."

At least 30 to 40 homes in the Barnsdall area were damaged Monday night, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported.

Aerial videos showed several well-built homes reduced to piles of rubble and others with roofs torn off and damaged walls still standing. The powerful twister tossed vehicles, downed power lines and stripped limbs and bark from trees across the town. A 160-acre wax manufacturing facility in the community also sustained heavy damage.

First responders rescued about 25 people, including children, from heavily damaged homes where buildings had collapsed on or around them, Kelley said. About a half dozen people suffered injuries, he said.

"We did take a direct hit from a tornado" in Bartlesville, said Kary Fox of the Washington County Emergency Management. "Please stay off the roadways. Stay out of those damaged areas. We're having a lot of difficulty getting in to do assessments to check on people, to see if they've got any injuries because of the traffic congestion."  

The Barnsdall Nursing Home said it evacuated residents because a gas leak could not be turned off due to storm damage. It later posted online that all residents were accounted for with no injuries, and they were being taken to other facilities. 

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, who toured the twister's damage on Tuesday, said it was rated by weather researchers as a violent tornado with wind speeds up to 200 mph. Stitt said he and legislative leaders have agreed to set aside $45 million in this year's budget to help storm-damaged communities.

"Oklahomans are resilient," Stitt said, "and we're going to rebuild."

At the Hampton Inn in Bartlesville, several splintered 2x4s were driven into the south side of the building. Chunks of insulation, twisted metal and other debris were scattered over the hotel's lawn, and vehicles in the parking lot were heavily damaged with smashed-out windows.

Matthew Macedo, who was staying at the hotel, said he was ushered into the hotel laundry room to wait out the storm.

"When the impact occurred, it was incredibly sudden," he said.

The storms tore through Oklahoma as areas including Sulphur and Holdenville were still recovering from a  tornado that killed four and left thousands without power late last month . Both the Plains and Midwest have been hammered by tornadoes this spring.

Oklahoma and Kansas had been under a high-risk weather warning Monday. The last time such a warning was issued was March 31, 2023, when a massive storm system tore through parts of the South and Midwest including Arkansas, Illinois and rural Indiana.

The entire week is looking stormy across the U.S. The eastern U.S. and the South are expected to get the brunt of the bad weather through the rest of the week, including in Indianapolis, Memphis, Nashville, St. Louis and Cincinnati, cities where more than 21 million people live. It should be clear over the weekend.

Oklahoma's State Emergency Operations Center, which coordinates storm response from a bunker near the state capital of Oklahoma City, was still activated from last weekend's deadly storms.

Monte Tucker, a farmer and rancher in the western Oklahoma town of Sweetwater, had spent Monday putting some of his tractors and heavy equipment in barns to protect them from hail. He said he let his neighbors know they could come to his house if the weather got dangerous.

"We built a house 10 years ago, and my stubborn wife put her foot down and made sure we built a safe room," Tucker said. He said the entire ground-level room is built with reinforced concrete walls.

Oklahoma and Kansas were under a high-risk weather warning on Monday. Bill Bunting, deputy director of the Storm Prediction Center, said such a warning from the center is not something seen every day or every spring.

"It's the highest level of threat we can assign," he said.

The last time it was issued was March 31, 2023, when a massive storm system tore through parts of the South and Midwest including Arkansas, Illinois and rural Indiana.

The increased risk is due to an unusual confluence: Winds gusting up to around 75 mph were blasting through Colorado's populated Front Range region, including the Denver area, on Monday.

The winds were being created by a low pressure system north of Colorado that was also pulling up moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, fueling the risk of severe weather on the Plains, according to the National Weather Service's Denver-area office.

Colorado wasn't at risk of tornadoes or thunderstorms.

Meanwhile, floodwaters in the Houston area began receding Monday after days of heavy rain in southeastern Texas left neighborhoods flooded and led to hundreds of high-water rescues. 

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Having an All Electric Home (No Gas): Pros and Cons

Founder | BPI® Energy Auditor Certified Professional

Most homes today use gas and electricity as the two main power sources for heating, lighting, cooling, and cooking.

If you are building a new home or remodeling your old one, it can be tricky to decide which power source to use.

Having an all electric home comes with a fair number of pros and cons, which you must weigh up before deciding what’s right for you.

An all electric home poses zero risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and gas explosions. It also reduces the home’s carbon footprint. It’s safer for indoor use and great for the environment. However, energy bills may be expensive, and power outages can be more problematic.

In this post, we’ll go over all the pros and cons of having an all electric home so you can make more informed decisions.

Read on to find out more.

If you’re already convinced you want to go all electric, you can find out how to do this in our article entitled, “ All-Electric Homes: How Do You Electrify? (5 Steps) .”

Table of Contents

Pros of an All Electric Home

You can find an electric version for pretty much any home appliance you can think of.

They don’t need any extra fuel source, making them easier to install and use. However, there are more reasons why an all electric home is a great choice.

All Electric Homes Are Safer

Electrical appliances in homes eliminate the risk of gas leaks, which can lead to devastating explosions.

Gas leaks can go undetected for long periods in homes where occupants have a poor sense of smell and don’t have carbon monoxide detectors.

While all energy sources have associated risks, manufacturers of modern electrical systems have taken giant steps to mitigate risks in their devices.

They have many safety features, ranging from surge protection and circuit breakers to fuses and automatic switches.

Natural gas appliances also have built-in safety features, but that doesn’t eliminate some of their potential hazards.

They have naked flames that can lead to kitchen fires, and leaks can lead to indoor air pollution and — even worse — explosions.

All Electric Homes Have Better Indoor Air Quality

Gas-powered appliances contribute to increased nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide gases in an indoor space.

These are all poisonous gases that adversely affect the health of occupants, especially in air-tight modern homes.

Worse still, these gases are odorless, tasteless, and invisible. They are hard to detect as they accumulate in the air and make their way into your lungs.

According to EPA estimates, people spend 90% of their time indoors. That’s why paying attention to indoor air quality is important for staying healthy.

A way to do this is shifting from using appliances that release pollutants to cleaner alternatives powered by electricity.

Ventilation is also very important for improving health and indoor air quality. We’ve written an article all about this here .

Electric Appliances Make Life Easier With Smart Features 

Technology integrates seamlessly with electrical appliances, leading to better control of their functions and more convenient usage.

For example, there are smart thermostats that you can connect to a smartphone to control your heating appliances and cooling systems.

With a smartphone app, you can remotely change the temperatures of various rooms or even the water in your washing machine.

While you’re on your way home, you can also set the temperature of your room to specific levels to make it more comfortable ahead of your return.

This means you don’t need to endure hot or cold temperatures for prolonged periods as you wait for your home to heat up or cool down.

Smart features like these make life much more comfortable.

Appliances in All Electric Homes Are Quieter and Mobile

If you value your quiet time indoors, you will appreciate the design of most electrical appliances.

They are relatively quiet, and some are noiseless. You can cook in complete silence. While your HVAC systems work, you’ll only hear a light hum as they provide the perfect ambiance to keep you cool or warm.

Electrical appliances are also convenient to move around. In large restaurant kitchens, it’s easier to move electric stoves from one location to another since they can function anywhere there’s an electric outlet . 

Away from the kitchen, you can use portable heaters. You can use most mobile electrical appliances anywhere, provided you can find an electric outlet.

With their complex gas lines and hoses, you won’t have the luxury of moving gas cooking appliances around beyond a few feet.

All Electric Homes Contribute to a Safer Environment

It’s common knowledge that the planet is getting warmer due to greenhouse gas emissions. There’s a clarion call to everyone by environmental agencies globally to limit carbon emissions as much as possible.

All electric homes that consume electricity from renewable sources don’t burn as much fossil fuels as gas or mix-powered homes. They play a significant part in making the environment safer.

You can also combine your all electric home infrastructure with solar power and say goodbye to monthly electric bills while contributing even more to a safer environment.

All Electric Homes Are Cost-Effective

Upfront costs on electrical appliances are cheaper. You only need an electrical outlet to power them, which most homes already have.

Even when you decide to retrofit your gas-powered home with all electric components, it’s cheaper and easier compared to switching from electric to gas.

Electrical systems will save homeowners more money in the long run than gas sources. According to one study , all electric homes spend less on energy than their gas-powered counterparts.

The study estimates that owners of all electric homes will spend $6,000 less on energy in the long-term (10 to 15 years) than when they use natural gas. This estimate is feasible regardless of the climatic conditions or the electric grid’s reliability in your area.

This finding isn’t surprising if you consider the impact of certain electrical appliances such as electric heat pumps. These systems serve the dual function of heating and cooling systems. They also reduce the cost of energy consumption, killing two birds with one stone.

It gets even better by integrating photovoltaic systems to reduce your monthly electric bills. Depending on your setup, you can sidestep energy bills forever.

All electric homeowners also don’t have to pay pricey connection fees for natural gas infrastructures such as gas lines and meters.

Cons of All Electric Homes

As great as electric appliances are, there are some downsides to embracing the all electric approach.

You need to weigh the downsides against the advantages to make the right decision for your home.

Here are some of the disadvantages of an all electric home:

Dependence on State Grid

All electric homes largely depend on state infrastructure for power supply, which can fail anytime. One unfortunate change in the weather can lead to a storm that will wreck the power grid and cause a blackout.

Other natural disasters can also lead to power outages. Even with your backup generator, you won’t be able to power your electric ovens, heating/cooling systems, and other electrical appliances simultaneously.

The situation becomes dire if you don’t have a backup generator or an alternative energy source like gas. These power outages may last from two to several days, depending on the degree of the disaster and the extent of the damage.

Also, most homes get solar energy through the solar PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) system. A third-party developer installs, operates, and maintains a solar photovoltaic system on your property in this system.

You then purchase the power output from the system and automatically sell any excess energy the system generates back to the grid.

If the grid eventually fails due to a natural disaster, you could experience a power outage for extended periods due to the non-standard equipment and additional party involved in getting everything back online.

You can’t count on solar panels to provide energy when there’s no sun unless you have backup batteries.

Bland or Non-Existent Aesthetic Appeal

All electric homes often lack the visual warmth of gas-powered homes.

Electric appliances usually fit better in small spaces, but there’s this unique appearance and ambiance that a wood-burning fireplace brings to a home that electric systems can’t match.

These gas fireplaces also perform better than their electrical counterparts in heating the space.

If you care about aesthetics, you’ll miss the classic appeal of a real fireplace. Many also swear by the benefits of cooking with a flame rather than an electric stovetop.

While this might seem like a minor downside, some people value aesthetics more than others, and some adjustments that change the look and feel of appliances won’t work for them, regardless of how well they work.

Higher Running Cost Depending on Location

All electric homes flaunt the advantages of being cheaper in upfront cost and over time. However, this will not be true for some locations, as electricity costs vary from region to region.

According to the US Energy Information Association, a resident in California pays as high as 27 cents per kilowatt-hour . In comparison, someone in Nevada would only pay 13.5 cents for the same kilowatt-hour of electricity.

These cost variations depend on the number of customers, location, time of the year, etc. However, one reason stands out: energy availability within a region.

Some regions far away from the national grid may have access to abundant natural gas. Using natural gas in such a location will usually be cheaper than electrical energy.

Electrical Appliances in All Electric Homes May Be Slower

An electrical appliance won’t be the best option for your kitchen if you run a large eatery, club, diner, or restaurant.

Electric ovens and induction stoves tend to burn with lower intensity than gas stoves, so they will be slower at reaching higher temperatures.

Gas appliances instantly produce flames, letting them reach high temperatures quickly and setting the cooking process in full motion. In contrast, electrical appliances produce heat by radiation, which is slower than other heat sources.

Furthermore, electrical appliances won’t be ideal for some cooking needs. The heat produced by a gas oven creates more moisture, which is often desirable when baking cakes and cookies.

Meanwhile, the heat produced by electric ovens is drier. This might be a disadvantage in some cases, but it’s great if you’re going for a crispy texture.

All Electric Homes Consume More Heating Energy

Traditional electric heating systems typically demand more energy to heat a space. They also take longer to heat or cool larger spaces than gas furnaces.

It’s a reality that will be more glaring in winter. Your electric heating systems may overwork to warm your home, leading to higher electricity costs and draining your energy budget.

If you decide to use portable electric heaters, they can only heat one space at a time. They will also demand more time and energy to heat a room fully and may not output enough heat during winter.

Electricity Is Not Entirely Clean

Are you considering going all electric in your home because you strongly advocate for clean energy?

Do you despise traditional gas systems because they contribute to global warming? If that’s the case, you might need to think again. Electric energy sources aren’t entirely clean.

Much of the electricity that you receive from the grid comes from turbines. The turbines transfer kinetic energy to a generator that utilizes the energy to create electrical currents. But why does this matter?

The most common way to power these turbines is burning coal. That means that, while your home is not directly contributing to emissions, you are still encouraging the use of fossil fuels.

Nuclear, wind, geothermal, and solar are all clean energy sources, but they cover a small percentage of power needs in most countries.

In some places, you might have the option to source your energy exclusively from clean sources. You can consult your local government about it.

Although electricity might appear clean at the point of use, you need to question the source if you are serious about walking the talk when it comes to cutting emissions.

The Bottom Line

As you can see, electrical homes are not perfect.

Your choice of power might come down to which energy source is cheaper or more available in your location. Also, consider your energy needs, your energy budget, and the size of your home.

A good middle ground is to use electric appliances where they make the most sense and install gas-powered systems where electric systems won’t be as efficient.

Striking the right balance will ensure you stay comfortable all year and avoid the downsides of leaning heavily toward one side.

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A huge solar storm is slamming into the Earth. Scientists say you should look up

Geoff Brumfiel

The solar flare as captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory on Thursday. The flare has triggered a severe geomagnetic storm watch for the first time in nearly 20 years. AP hide caption

The solar flare as captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory on Thursday. The flare has triggered a severe geomagnetic storm watch for the first time in nearly 20 years.

Planet Earth is getting rocked by the biggest solar storm in decades.

The first wave of particles is already reaching the Earth. Earlier this afternoon, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declared that the planet was experiencing a G4, or "Severe," geomagnetic storm. This is the first G4 storm to hit the planet since 2005.

NOAA Issues First Severe Geomagnetic Storm Watch Since 2005

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NOAA warns several waves of flares will slam into the Earth over the next few hours and days, potentially disrupting communications and navigation, triggering power outages, and damaging satellites.

The most powerful wave of charged particles is expected to hit Earth's atmosphere later tonight. NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center says that it may induce auroras visible as far south as Northern California and Alabama.

Stronger activity on the sun could bring more displays of the northern lights in 2024

The source of the solar storm is a cluster of sunspots on the sun's surface that is 16 times the diameter of the earth. The spots are filled with tangled magnetic fields that can act as slingshots, throwing huge quantities of charged particles towards our planet. These events, known as Coronal Mass Ejections, become more common during the peak of the Sun's 11-year solar cycle.

Usually, they miss the Earth, but this time, NOAA says several are headed directly towards our planet.

G4 conditions have been observed... pic.twitter.com/uWZC96N9F1 — NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (@NWSSWPC) May 10, 2024

"We have high confidence that a series of coronal mass ejections ... are directed right towards Earth," says Shawn Dahl, service coordinator for the Space Weather Prediction Center.

NOAA's GOES-16 satellite captured a flare erupting occurred around 2 p.m. EDT on May 9, 2024.

While they expect the storm to be large, there's still a lot of uncertainty about what the other effects could be, Dahl says.

"I wouldn't want to speculate on that," Dahl says. "However, severe levels are pretty extraordinary."

Shocking problems

The most disruptive solar storm ever recorded came in 1859. Known as the "Carrington Event," it generated shimmering auroras that were visible as far south as Mexico and Hawaii. It also fried telegraph systems throughout Europe and North America.

While this geomagnetic storm will not be as strong, the world has grown more dependent on electronics and electrical systems. Depending on the orientation of the storm's magnetic field it could induce unexpected electrical currents in long-distance power lines — those currents could cause safety systems to flip, triggering temporary power outages in some areas.

The storm is also likely to disrupt the ionosphere, a section of Earth's atmosphere filled with charged particles. Some long-distance radio transmissions use the ionosphere to "bounce" signals around the globe, and those signals will likely be disrupted. The particles may also refract and otherwise scramble signals from the global positioning system, according to Rob Steenburgh, a space scientist with NOAA. Those effects can linger for a few days after the storm.

What Causes The Northern Lights? Scientists Finally Know For Sure

Steenburgh says it's unclear just how bad the disruptions will be. While we are more dependent than ever on GPS, there are also more satellites in orbit. Moreover, the anomalies from the storm are constantly shifting through the ionosphere like ripples in a pool. "Outages, with any luck, should not be prolonged," Steenburgh says.

The radiation from the storm could have other undesirable effects. At high altitudes, it could damage satellites, while at low altitudes, it's likely to increase atmospheric drag, causing some satellites to sink toward the Earth.

The changes to orbits wreak havoc, warns Tuija Pulkkinen, chair of the department of climate and space sciences at the University of Michigan. Since the last solar maximum, companies such as SpaceX have launched thousands of satellites into low Earth orbit. Those satellites will now see their orbits unexpectedly changed.

"There's a lot of companies that haven't seen these kind of space weather effects before," she says.

The International Space Station lies within Earth's magnetosphere, so its astronauts should be mostly protected, Steenburgh says. NASA did not immediately provide details on what, if any, actions its astronauts would take.

While this storm will undoubtedly keep satellite operators and utilities busy over the next few days, individuals don't really need to do much to get ready.

"As far as what the general public should be doing, hopefully they're not having to do anything," says Dahl. The largest problem could be a brief blackout, so keep some flashlights and a radio handy, he says.

I took these photos near Ranfurly in Central Otago, New Zealand. Anyone can use them please spread far and wide. :-) https://t.co/NUWpLiqY2S — Dr Andrew Dickson reform/ACC (@AndrewDickson13) May 10, 2024

And don't forget to go outside and look up, adds Steenburgh. This event could create auroras that are visible much further south than usual. A faint aurora can be detected by a modern cell phone camera, he adds, so even if you can't see it with your eyes, try taking a photo of the sky.

The aurora "is really the gift from space weather," he says.

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Politics latest: Keir Starmer accused of 'rank hypocrisy' by Rishi Sunak after setting out what he'll do to tackle small boat crossings

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer lays out his party's plans to try and tackle small boat crossings if it wins power. Listen to the latest episode of the Electoral Dysfunction podcast as you scroll.

Friday 10 May 2024 18:30, UK

• Starmer says small boat crossings 'one of the greatest challenges we face'
• Explained: What's in Labour's plan to try and tackle problem
• Darren McCaffrey: Will Labour's plan cut it with voters?
• Starmer says no flights to Rwanda will take off under Labour
• Sunak accuses Starmer of 'rank hypocrisy'
• Electoral Dysfunction:  Jess Phillips says Elphicke defection like 'being punched in gut'
• UK exits recession | Economy 'returning to full health'
• Faultlines:   Can British farming survive?
• Live reporting by Tim Baker

Across the UK, anger is brewing amongst some farmers.  

Protests have already been held in London, Dover and Cardiff, with more planned - mirroring similar tensions seen across Europe in the last six months.     

They say they’re annoyed about cheap foreign imports and changes to subsidies forcing them to give up land in favour of environmental schemes.    

But what does this mean for the food on our table - and does British produce risk becoming a luxury product for the wealthy only?    

On the Sky News Daily , Niall Paterson is joined by West of England and Wales correspondent Dan Whitehead to find out why farmers are so concerned, and speaks to Liz Webster, the founder of Save British Farming, about why she believes eating British isn't just good for our farmers - it's good for the nation's health, too.   

In response to our report, Farming Minister Mark Spencer, said: "We firmly back our farmers. British farming is at the heart of British trade, and we put agriculture at the forefront of any deals we negotiate, prioritising new export opportunities, protecting UK food standards and removing market access barriers. 

"We've maintained the £2.4bn annual farming budget and recently set out the biggest ever package of grants which supports farmers to produce food profitably and sustainably."

The Welsh government said: "A successful future for Welsh farming should combine the best of our traditional farming alongside cutting-edge innovation and diversification. 

"It will produce the very best of Welsh food to the highest standards, while safeguarding our precious environment and addressing the urgent call of the climate and nature emergencies."

👉  Listen above then tap here to follow the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts   👈

Following the defection of the Dover and Deal MP Natalie Elphicke to Labour, Beth, Ruth and Jess discuss the surprise move and whether it could have been handled differently by Sir Keir Starmer.

They also talk about Beth's interview with the former immigration minister Robert Jenrick and his warnings about Reform UK.

Plus, how significant was the defeat of former Conservative mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street? Beth and Jess were both there to tell the story.

And they answer a question on Labour and the Muslim vote, and what the party can do to restore confidence and trust.

Email Beth, Jess, and Ruth at [email protected] , post on X to @BethRigby, or send a WhatsApp voice note on 07934 200 444.     

👉 Listen above then tap here to follow Electoral Dysfunction wherever you get your podcasts 👈

In January 2023, Rishi Sunak made five promises.

Since then, he and his ministers have rarely missed an opportunity to list them. In case you haven't heard, he promised to:

• Halve inflation • Grow the economy • Reduce debt • Cut NHS waiting lists and times • Stop the boats

See below how he is doing on these goals:

The Sky News live poll tracker - collated and updated by our Data and Forensics team - aggregates various surveys to indicate how voters feel about the different political parties.

With the local elections complete, Labour is still sitting comfortably ahead, with the Tories trailing behind.

See the latest update below - and you can read more about the methodology behind the tracker  here .

Speaking to Sky political editor  Beth Rigby , Sir Keir Starmer has defended his decision to allow Tory MP Natalie Elphicke into Labour.

Ms Elphicke was on the right of the Conservative spectrum, and previously defended her sex-offender ex-husband, comments which she apologised for this week following her defection.

Addressing Tory voters, Sir Keir says he wants Labour to be a "place where they who have ambitions about their families, their communities, their country, can join and be part of what we are trying to build for their country".

Asked by Beth if he was ruthless, Sir Keir said: "Yes, I'm ruthless in trying to ensure we have a Labour government that can change this country for the better.

"Not ruthless for my own ambition, not ruthlessness particularly for the Labour Party - I'm ruthless for the country. 

"The only way we'll bring about a change in this country is if we're ruthless about winning that general election and putting in place a government of public service, that’ll be a major change.

"Politics, I believe, should be about public service, that's what I've been about all my life."

More now from political editor Beth Rigby's interview with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.

She reminded him that he previously ruled out doing a deal with the SNP - but has not done so for the Liberal Democrats.

Sir Keir again ruled out a coalition with the SNP - adding that he is aiming for a "majority Labour government".

He says Labour needs "to keep working hard, keep disciplined and getting our message across, which is something fundamental to me".

Pushed on his lack of ruling out a possible agreement with the Lib Dems, Sir Keir says: "I'm going for a majority.

"That's the answer I gave you a year ago. It's the same answer I'm giving you now."

Sir Keir Starmer was earlier today pushed on whether Rwanda deportation flights will take off if he was prime minister - although it was not clear if he would cancel flights which had already been organised.

Sky News understood that previously booked deportation flights to Rwanda would still go ahead if Sir Keir entered Number 10. 

But the Labour leader has now gone further.

Speaking to political editor Beth Rigby , Sir Keir has ruled out any flights taking off.

"There will be no flights scheduled or taking off after general election if Labour wins that general election," he says.

He says: "Every flight that takes off carries with it a cheque to the Rwanda government. 

"So I want to scrap the scheme - so that means the flights won't be going."

Sir Keir says he would rather spend the money on his own measures to counter small boats.

"No flights, no Rwanda scheme. It's a gimmick," he says.

By Alix Culbertson , political reporter

Scotland's new first minister has told Sky News that the controversial gender recognition reforms "cannot be implemented."

John Swinney,  who became first minister this week , has faced questions over his stance on gender recognition after MSPs voted in 2022 to pass a bill to make it simpler for people to change their gender without having to obtain a medical diagnosis.

The UK government blocked the bill from being made into law and the Supreme Court rejected a request by the Scottish government for a judicial review.

Asked if he would be fighting to push the bill through, Mr Swinney told Sky News: "The reality of the situation we face is that the Supreme Court has said that we can't legislate in that area. We can't take forward that legislation."

The UK economy is no longer in recession, according to official figures.

Gross domestic product (GDP) grew by a better-than-expected 0.6% between January and March, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

Economists had predicted the figure would be 0.4%.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said it showed the economy had "turned a corner".

He told Sky News's Ed Conway: "I am pleased that while there's more work to do, today's figures show that the economy now has real momentum, and I'm confident that with time, people will start to feel the benefits of that.

"We've had multiple months now where wages are rising, energy bills have fallen, mortgage rates are down and taxes are being cut... I'm pleased with the progress that we're making."

Mr Sunak added: "I am confident the economy is getting healthier every week."

You can read more here:

Rishi Sunak has criticised Sir Keir Starmer's position on Rwanda as "rank hypocrisy".

Speaking to broadcasters, the prime minister says the Labour leader has announced things the government is "already doing".

He gives the example of "punching through the backlog, having more law enforcement officers do more, that's all happening already".

"We've announced all of that more than a year ago," the prime minister adds.

"The question for Keir Starmer if he cares so much about that, why did he vote against the new laws that we passed to give our law enforcement officers new powers? 

"They've now used those to arrest almost 8,000 people connected with illegal migration, sentenced them to hundreds of years in prison.

"And if it was up to him, all those people would be out on our streets, so I think it's rank hypocrisy property of his position."

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Quick Thoughts on Purdue's Schedule of Big Ten Opponents for the 2024-25 Basketball Season

Dustin schutte | may 1, 2024.

• Purdue Boilermakers

The Big Ten didn't force basketball fans to wait long to get excited about next year. On Tuesday, the conference released the list of league opponents each team will face during the 2024-25 season. With the schedule being released, it gives us a chance to take an early look at what is on Purdue's plate from a conference standpoint.

Purdue is losing a lot from last year's Final Four squad. Zach Edey, Mason Gillis, Lance Jones and Ethan Morton are all departing from last year's team, which finished 34-5 and won a second consecutive Big Ten regular season title.

Matt Painter does return star guards Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer, as well as big man Trey Kaufman-Renn. Myles Colvin and Caleb Furst are likely to see more playing time, and there's a good chance that highly-touted recruits Kanon Catchings and Gicarri Harris make quick impacts.

So, while the schedule has a lot to do with Purdue's pursuit of a third straight Big Ten title, it's worth reminding everyone that the roster will look vastly different in the 2024-25 season. Now that we've addressed that, here's a quick look at the Big Ten opponents, as well as a few quick thoughts.

Purdue's 2024-25 Big Ten opponents

Home-only opponents.

• Maryland Terrapins
• Nebraska Cornhuskers
• Northwestern Wildcats
• Ohio State Buckeyes
• UCLA Bruins
• USC Trojans
• Wisconsin Badgers

Away-only opponents

• Illinois Fighting Illini
• Iowa Hawkeyes
• Minnesota Golden Gophers
• Michigan State Spartans
• Oregon Ducks
• Penn State Nittany Lions
• Washington Huskies

Home-and-away opponents

• Indiana Hoosiers
• Michigan Wolverines
• Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Thoughts on Purdue's 2024-25 schedule

Revenge for the boilermakers.

A quick look at the schedule and the first thing that stands out is that Purdue will have a chance to get some revenge on Nebraska, Northwestern and Ohio State. Last season, those were the only three teams to defeat the Boilermakers in the regular season. All of those were away games.

This season, Purdue will play Nebraska, Northwestern and Ohio State in home-only matchups. It gives the Boilermakers a shot at redemption — although they did defeat the Wildcats at Mackey Arena in the return game last season.

All three venues have proven to be tough places to play over the years for Purdue. So, avoiding Pinnacle Bank Arena, Welsh-Ryan Arena and Value City Arena seems like a win for the Boilers.

Toughest road game

It was tempting to mention Michigan State or Illinois, but Indiana is the answer to this question — at least for right now. Not only is Assembly Hall one of the top venues in college basketball, Mike Woodson has done some excellent roster construction through the transfer portal this offseason.

Indiana may have made the biggest splash in the transfer portal this offseason, adding Arizona's Oumar Ballo, who averaged 12.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per game last season. They also added Washington State's Myles Rice and Stanford's Kanaan Carlyle — both averaged double-digits in scoring a season ago. Plus, Illinois' Luke Goode is also heading to Bloomington.

Rarely is it easy to get wins at Assembly Hall. And by the look of Indiana's roster next season, Purdue probably won't cruise to a win like it did last year.

Scariest home game

Keep an eye on Nebraska whenever it makes the journey to Mackey Arena. Like Woodson at Indiana, Fred Hoiberg has added a lot of talented pieces to his team via the transfer portal.

The Huskers added 7-footer Braxton Meah, as well as Wisconsin sharp-shooter Connor Essegian. They've also picked up a guard in Rollie Worster (Utah) and Rutgers wing Gavin Griffiths.

Nebraska is coming off a 23-11 season and will be looking to build off that success. The Huskers had some serious struggles outside of Pinnacle Bank Arena last year, but it will still be a team with the weapons to give Purdue a game, even at Mackey Arena.

Purdue and Indiana appear to be travel partners

It's not quite clear yet if the Big Ten will utilize travel partners for the men's college basketball season, but it sure looks that way. And, if that is the case, it appears as though Purdue and Indiana would be paired together, which ... makes perfect sense.

Both Purdue and Indiana have home-only games with UCLA and USC. The Boilers and Hoosiers both have away-only contests against Oregon and Washington. It only makes sense that, when the dates of the games are released, Purdue and Indiana will travel to the West Coast together for those two games.

Biggest bummer

Unfortunately, Purdue and Illinois will only meet once and the game is played in Champaign. The Boilers playing at State Farm Center isn't the disappointing part, it's that the two teams only play once.

While no team will ever trump Indiana as Purdue's biggest nemesis, Illinois has turned into a bit of a rivalry clash for both schools. Both the Boilermakers and Fighitng Illini have been near the top of the league each of the last four seasons, with Purdue winning two regular season crowns and Illinois claiming one.

Although both rosters will look different next season, this has been a fun matchup to see played in both arenas. It's unfortunate we won't see a home-and-home series between the two next year.

Related stories on Purdue basketball

• ETHAN MORTON TRANSFERS TO COLORADO STATE:  Purdue senior wing Ethan Morton will finish his career at Colorado State. He spent four years with the Boilermakers and is deciding to utilize his Covid-19 waiver from the 2020-21 season.  CLICK HERE
• PURDUE SCHEDULING MARQUETTE:  Purdue is reportedly scheduling a home-and-home series with Marquette. The two teams played in the Maui Invitational last season. The Boilermakers have won three of the last four meetings.  CLICK HERE
• CATCHINGS, HARRIS TOP 100 RECRUITS:  ESPN released its list of top-100 recruits in the 2024 college basketball class. Purdue commits Kanon Catchings and Gicarri Harris both made the list.  CLICK HERE

DUSTIN SCHUTTE