What do you think about the gas appliance ban in New York?

There are exemptions for restaurants and hospitals. What I don’t know is if the ground floor is a restaurant and the upper floors residential, is the entire building exempt? That would be an easy work around in NYC.

NYC does have mostly gas in their kitchens in my experience.

Heat is usually connected to the central steam heat system for commercial buildings throughout the city or a boiler room for residential. https://sanitary.nyc/the-more-you-know-a-history-of-steam-radiators-in-new-york-city/#:~:text=However%2C%20New%20York%20City%20turned,that's%20still%20in%20use%20today. So, I don’t think the new law affects heating very much in NYC.

If NYC can convert over to using wind and solar more that would be great. Mandates to basically outlaw gas appliances, I’m always a little conflicted about it. Have NYC builders even given the choice to consumers? Maybe consumers would choose electric on their own if there was incentive. Especially electric dryers and ovens. The only thing some people seem to really cling to is stoves. I’d definitely be ok with mandating new rental buildings to be all electric.

I understand the reasoning, but personally I would hate being without gas, as I have always preferred it for cooking and heating and hot water for various reasons.

I hadn’t heard about that. I just hope it stays up north!!! Personally, I prefer to cook with gas. Also, I don’t care for electric heat in the winter. It isn’t as warm as gas heat. Gas heat is considerably less expensive than electricity. From what I had read before, it will only be NEW builds that can’t have gas, so my home would be grandfathered in as long as my appliances last. Then I think I’d have to switch over when I had to replace them because gas would no longer be available. I see this as another way that the large corporations are screwing over us for the sake of their profit!!!

In NYC, there are few brand new buildings. Few and far between are the new builds.

I think NYCHA buildings will have the ban (housing projects).

I just googled for clarification and I see there will be exceptions for stores, restaurants, laundromats and others.

Ban starts in 2026 for some and 2029 for others:

https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/03/us/new-york-natural-gas-ban-climate/index.html

It’s only in new buildings and probably makes sense although I agree with those who say they prefer gas heat and cooking.

Electric heat isn’t as hot as gas, but when I had it in a northern home it was fine, I grew up with electric heat in Maryland. When I was little we had steam heat through the radiators in NY. I also had steam heat living in the dorms at my university.

When I had electric in North Carolina I was constantly annoyed about how poorly it worked. It was a brand new house when I moved in. They kept telling me electric isn’t as hot as gas, but I grew up with electric, so I know how hot it blows. Might have been a bad system choice on the builder’s part. There are 4 types of electric heating systems, and it matters what part of the country for which electrical heating system you should choose. In Florida my electric heat blows plenty warm. We do have days in the 30’s here.

I’m not sure this law affects heating systems at all for a building, it’s talking about appliances.

@JLeslie The law references no gas furnaces which would be the heating system. I think this is a step that needs to be taken but that changes to electric use will evolve slowly.

@JLeslie The link I posted specifies that it’s for furnaces.

Ok thanks. Most apartments can easily be heated with electric. They are usually 700 to 1500 sq ft and ceilings are usually only 8–9ft.

I think a problem for landlords is they would have to replace the whole system, which could be expensive. Knowing NY, there would be exemptions and appeals and help from the government to assist with the charges.

It’s about reducing greenhouse gasses for the sake of our planet and future generations. It may, however, look good on paper but it probably won’t help very much. But it may help people feel better about the climate change issue. Propane might be a better solution to the abandonment of natural gas, but I am no expert on that subject.

@jca2 Old buildings are grandfathered in.

@kritiper Burning propane, wood, coal, oil all produce CO2 like natural gas.

CO2 is the greenhouse gas the are trying to reduce.

Ridiculous.

Gee, I guess non-restaurant, non-hospitals, will need to use existing buildings in New York, not new buildings.

Given the environmental impacts of natural gas, and hydrofracking, on the planet, and the likely impending destruction of all other aspects of life as we (and the species we haven’t driven to extinction yet) have known it, I am not concerned about non-restaurant, non-hospitals not having the gas option in new buildings in New York.

@Zaku I think the exceptions mean new hospitals and restaurants can build utilizing gas. There aren’t many new buildings in NYC though. Not much room for new.

@JLeslie Yes, that’s what I think too.

I believe the law covers the whole state. We have to start somewhere.

@janbb Oh, I’m not sure why I was so focused on NYC. Thanks.

I should’ve posted the link, but I’m on my phone and can’t.

@chyna I posted link from CNN in the comments.

@jca2 I over looked that. Thank you.

I think the whole thing is idiotic. Just like with California looking to go to all electric vehicles, NY doesn’t have the electrical infrastructure to support a huge increase in electric usage.

It’s only buildings, not houses, is that correct? Does it include 3 story townhouses?

@JLeslie the link I posted says this: “most new residential buildings across the state. It requires all-electric heating and cooking in new buildings shorter than seven stories by 2026, and for taller buildings by 2029.”

@jca2 I read that in your link. I wonder if building means more than a certain amount of living units in one building. If I was going to define building it would either be units within the structure or over a certain amount of stories, but from your link the law talks about under a certain amount of stories too.

NY is named the “least free” and “highest taxed” state in the country. It excels in the categories.

@SnipSnip So you’re lucky to not live there, I guess?

NYS is gorgeous and I love spending time there. I don’t know if it’s less free? By whose barometer? I can get medical care for a troubled pregnancy without worrying about my doctor or myself going to jail.

GA. agree.

@Tropical_Willie It seems that propane produces less CO2 than natural gas. If you had to pick the lesser of two evils…
And I already knew that CO2 was the gas they are trying to reduce.

@janbb It isn’t luck, it’s by choice. Where you’re born is by chance, staying there is a choice.

Choice is something that lucky people have.

I like having natural gas as a back up energy source to electricity. For us, if the electricity goes out, we can still use our gas stove and gas water heater. Gas heater would be out because it needs electricity for forced air fan, but we can put on warm clothes for make up for it.

You guys are right – burning gas produces CO2. Electricity can come from non-burning sources like solar, wind, hydro, and nuclear.