There’s been a lot in the press about how bad gas stoves are for your health. They can cause asthma in children and have other gases which are not terribly good for adults (www.ecowatch.com/gas-stoves-asthma-children.html). Using the range exhaust hood helps but the best answer is to graduate to an induction stove. The stove acts quickly the way a gas stove does, is more efficient than a normal electric stove and only heats the pot, not the room. If you have a favorite pan that a magnet will not stick to, you can use a metal desk on a handle ($15 cost) under the pan. To try out this new type of cooking, I purchased an induction hotplate ($50) and used it for a year. It was great! There is help to finance an induction stove. Mass Save has a rebate of up to a $500 rebate (www.masssave.com/residential/rebates-and-incentives/inductionstove). The Inflation Reduction Act, (IRA) has a rebate of up to $840 on an induction stove and $500 to help cover the costs of converting from natural gas or propane to electric (https://pirg.org/articles/how-the-inflation-reduction-act-can-help-you-move-on-from-your-gas-stove/). The IRA rebate amount is dependent on how your household income compares with the median household income of a particular area. You can use the Fannie Mae Median Income Lookup Tool (https://ami-lookup-tool.fanniemae.com/amilookuptool/). If you earn: Up to 80 percent of the median HHI in your area, you get up to 100 percent of the cost of the new appliance (or up to $840, whichever is less). More than 80 percent but less than 150 percent of the HHI in your area, you get 50 percent of the cost of the new appliance. Above 150 percent of the median HHI in your area, you do not qualify for a rebate. At my address in South Hadley, the area median income is $91,300. 80% Area Median Income is $73,040.

John Howard

South Hadley

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