We have debated and discussed and gone back and forth on whether to put a gas stove in this house. There is not one thing I like about cooking on an electric cooktop . . whether it’s glass or coils.
My reasons for staying with electric:
- It is going to be expensive to change to gas – my guess is at least $5,000, maybe closer to $6,000. There’s not a lot of payback in that expense. Even if we live in this house ten years, is it worth $500/year? The next person may want electric. At least the electric plug stays. I think we have a 220 plug in the basement garage so I may keep the electric stove down there so if we run out of propane or the cost gets too high or . . I just need another oven, I can use it but I’m thinking we need space more than we need another stove.
- With the cost of fossil fuels going up and probably continuing to go up, the cost of using the electric stove, with the solar panels, is going to be way less than the cost of propane.
- With propane, the thought almost never leaves my head “do we need propane?” In Texas, I checked the propane levels way too often. Currently in MO, we have two propane fireplaces and I never worried much about the propane levels. I used the upstairs fireplace every now and then to take the chill off the room when I first got up . . probably didn’t use it more than 20 minutes a dozen times during the winter. Vince lkes having the one on downstairs but he wasn’t here much during the winter. If I’m cooking with propane, I’m going to be checking it more often. By the way, we never came close to running out of propane in Texas.
Ater the winter storm in Texas and Vince was without power for three days, he’s now the one pushing for the gas stove.
When cooking yesterday for Chad and Nicole, I found myself saying “I hate this stove!” With something on every burner, if I had a burner up high and wanted to turn it down, I couldn’t move a pot to another burner and it takes a while for a hot electric element to cool down so . . today we start the work to get the gas stove.
The propane company here seems a bit more picky than they did in Texas. They have to come in and inspect the installation of the line and then come back before we turn the gas on to the stove (assuming the line will be put in before the stove arrives). I had read that you should have an external vented hood for a gas stove. I do not and cannot so we talked to the propane people this morning and they do not require the hood to be vented outside. Hurdle #1 cleared.
The propane guy is coming this afternoon to talk about a second tank. If we put a tank on the side of the house closer to the kitchen, instead of running the gas line from the sewing room (in the basement on the far corner of the house from the kitchen), then (1) it should be quite a bit less to run the line from outside to the kitchen and (2) we’ll have one tank for the stove and one tank for the fireplaces.
In Texas, we bought our tanks. We had one 500 gallon and one 250 gallon for the house and a 250 gallon for the greenhouse. Here, they seem to rent them more than buy sell them. We pay $50/year to rent a 350 gallon tank. That’s way less for us than buying one.
The tank has to be 6′ or 10′ (I can’t remember) from the house so there may not be a good place to put it where it’s not really ugly. We can plant shrubs around it but I’m just not sure about the unsightliness of it. We’ll have to think about that.
So, today, the propane man comes and we talk about where to put a second tank. Then the plumber comes and we tell him our idea of running the line from the side of the house vs. the current tank at the back of the house. If we can all come to terms on those two things, then we order the gas stove and wait forever for it to get here.
One thing for sure – it will be nice to have this decision made and one less debate going on in my head.
Debbie Koczela says
I am surprised you don’t need to vent outside. We moved into a house in 2005 and it had a basic gas stove with just a hood vent. At the time I cooked, a lot. Like you!!! I upgraded to a Thermador (sorry, I was spoiled back then) and we absolutely were required to vent outside. My husband did that work. Perhaps it depends on what you get for a stove.
Judy Laquidara says
Nope. Has nothing to do with the stove. The gas man was here this morning and he said they have no rules (all of Missouri I think) as far as venting to the outside. I’ve had gas stoves at several houses, including Texas, and never had a vent that went to the outside.
Debbie Koczela says
I’m not judging, just so you know. It was just what we had to do and we were solely on propane. I have natural gas in my current home but electric stove. How I wish I had a gas stove. I ultimately nixed it even though we can do it because we cook on the grill as often as possible. However, I covet a lovely gas stove. ?
Judy Laquidara says
I really tried to love the glass top. It’s a matter of those burners staying hot and so gradually cooling down. When I’m cooking, I like to turn the burner up or down and get immediate results plus, if there’s snow and ice on the ground/deck and the power is off, I’d rather not be out grilling. With a gas stove, so long as there’s propane in the tank, I can use the cooktop.
I know you’re not judging. Some prefer electric. Some prefer gas. Some prefer gas and use electric for other reasons. We all have to weight it all out and decide what’s best for us. Heck, in the back of my mind, I thought . . we’ve been eating out a lot and I kinda like it. With a new stove, Vince is going to expect me to cook more . . and considered keeping the glasstop because who wants to cook on a stove they don’t like? 🙂
Carolyn says
Go gas and don’t look back. Vince could always build a screen of lattice and you could grow plants up it or something to disguise the tank. I’m with you…I hate electric cooking, but I will never get my husband to consider changing to gas, even though there’s gas in the house at the fireplace. He says he will put in a gas fireplace though because it’s on the same side of the house as the gas for the boiler, water heater and dryer. The house isn’t that big…I’m sure he could bring it to the stove! It’s worth any expense to get a gas stove!
Sara Fridley says
Is your enjoyment of cooking worth $500 per year? I would think so! You love to cook, so if you can afford to put that gas line in, then I would say Go For It. You’ll enjoy the gas stove much more. And do you really want to spend the next 10-15 years WISHING you had a gas stove?
Judy Laquidara says
You’re right. I’d always want one if I didn’t have it but once I get it, won’t regret spending the $$ to get it. The longer I wait, the more per per it costs.
Rosalie says
I am very thankful that we have propane stove and space heaters – no worries about power being out as far as cooking and staying warm.
Just think of the expense as what some other people would pay for a vacation for a couple of weeks and you will have years of enjoying cooking instead!!!
Sally says
Probably a stupid question but don’t you have natural gas? I don’t know anyone around here that uses propane except for outdoor grills.
Judy Laquidara says
Too far out. No natural gas lines out this far.
Elle says
I am totally on team-Gas here! I did the same thing about 8 years ago. I spent nearly $5k back then. I love it and I have never looked back.
Tank idea: I have a neighbor who buried their gas tank in the yard. They have a “fake rock” cover for the access portal. It’s good enough.
Yea for gas!!!! 🙂
Judy Laquidara says
We have TONS of rock – HUGE rock just below the surface so nothing is getting buried here.
Elle says
Well, that’s a total bummer 🙁
Susan Nixon says
I much prefer gas, but have had all electric homes for so long! In the 5th wheel, of course, we had propane, and I loved it all over again. It was actually the first time I didn’t have natural gas.
Judy Laquidara says
We had natural gas in Kentucky and for the almost 10 years we lived there, I tried every trick in the book to get Vince to put a gas line to the stove. Never happened. Live with glass top. First time in MO – 4-1/2 years . . same thing. Almost had him convinced to add propane and put in a gas stove and then we decided to move. A gas/propane stove was a priority in Texas so now, I’ll have it again and I’ll be a happy cook!
Rebecca says
I am so happy that the house we bought came with a gas stove! It would be hard to go back to electric after cooking with gas.
Judy Laquidara says
Yes! It is very hard to go back.
Twyla says
To me it would be worth $500.00 per year to have a gas stove. Spend the money and enjoy all your cooking. Life is short so enjoy life now. Be sure the new stove can be lit using a match. I had one that had electronic ignition that could not be over-ridden.