Switching from gas to electric stoves can ease asthma symptoms

Ohio's MetroHealth study measured the asthma symptoms and household air quality in 85 homes before and after changing the hob from gas to electric.

Paul Moore, 37, from Cleveland, Ohio was one of the final people to make the switch and has been able to breathe and play basketball with his children for the first time in over a decade.

During the study Paul's asthma was assessed for four weeks before the stove replacement on June 27, 2025 and for four weeks after.

After suffering with breathing problems since he was 12 years old, the technician could not believe the difference.

Paul said: "It is something so small that has transformed my life.

"The new electric stove got put in and I felt like there was at least a 80 percent difference in the air in the house and in myself.

"It was like being in a factory and then going out into the countryside.

"Before that I used to barely be able to get through my shift at work I felt so ill. I had issues breathing and doing things with my children.

"In the second week I started playing basketball again and my children noticed I was moving better.

"My face and body was brighter, my wife noticed the difference too."

The study, led by Ash Sehgal, found that the average asthma patient improved drastically and had a decrease in asthmatic flare ups which meant fewer hospital visits and fewer days off work.

Sehgal said: "The thing that I was surprised at was the magnitude of the benefit.

"An average participant went from having moderate asthma symptoms to mild asthma symptoms. That is twice as large as that of what we see with medical treatment."

On average, nitrogen dioxide dropped by 70 percent in 44 of the homes where air pollution was measured.

Sehgal added: "We changed the stoves in the homes of 85 adults and children who had poorly controlled asthma, the asthma control improved dramatically after the stoves were changed and so did the air quality.

"We administered a standard asthma control questionnaire and an air monitor which we installed in the kitchen.

"There were 70 to 80 percent reductions in hospital room visits for asthma. I was just really surprised."

Paul explained that he believes a lot of people should make the appliance switch after his experience.

Paul said: "I have lived in that house my whole life and I had asthma from when I was 12 and it got worse over time.

"And now I can work fully and I am not feeling lethargic and go home or wake up in the morning.

"I barely use my inhaler now compared to before."