The finding was outlined in a new report released by the Climate Council on Thursday into the health risks of gas heaters and appliances.

It revealed that cooking with gas is estimated to be responsible for as much as 12 per cent of the burden of childhood asthma in Australia.

Report co-author Dr Kate Charlesworth said children and those from low-income backgrounds were at the highest risk to be harmed by gas use.

"People who are renting or living in public housing are more likely to be exposed to older gas appliances, so there's an important issue in terms of health equity," Dr Charlesworth said.

"A lot of the research suggests that older gas appliances are poorly maintained and not as effective.

"Gas produces a range of pollutants and this is the strongest research so far in linking health issues and gas cooking."

It wasn't only gas cooking that was named as a health hazard, with gas heaters also being identified as a risk due to the pollutants produced.

It's estimated 50 per cent of Australian households have a gas connection in some capacity.

"The situation can be helped with better ventilation in homes or things like extraction fans over gas stoves and making sure to clean gas heaters and making sure they're well-maintained," Dr Charlesworth said.

The report called for governments to help families, schools and workplaces transition away from gas products to electric, as well as halting any new gas developments.

It comes as the report identified the ACT as one of the leading jurisdictions in the country for its attempts to phase out gas.

The government has already announced new suburbs will not be connected to the gas network.

Residents will also be able to receive interest-free loans from the government of up to $15,000 as part of the upcoming sustainable housing scheme to replace gas appliances with electric ones.

ACT Energy Minister Shane Rattenbury said the health implications identified by the report was an additional reason for people to make a transition to electric appliances.

"One of the things we're seeking to do is to phase out and transition away from gas," he said.

"People are motivated to move away from gas for a range of reasons."

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Conder resident Ashley Knight swapped his gas heater to an electric-ducted reverse-cycle heater in mid-2020 due to efficiency reasons.

"The gas heater wasn't that old at all, but replacing it was a no-brainer," he said.

"The new electric heater was better than the ducted gas one and it was able to be zoned, so we weren't having to heat the whole house, so the new one is cheaper to run."

While he said the transition to a new electric heater wasn't specifically for health reasons, Mr Knight said the new information on health risks outlined in the report should make the decision to switch easier for other households.

"Other households should make the change as well," he said.

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