A homeowner narrowly avoided disaster but also showcased some of the hidden dangers of gas stoves.

The homeowner turned to the r/answers Reddit forum for help after coming home to a strange smell and a worrying sight.

"I just came home and found out my gas stove was running for 8 hours with [the] fire on," they wrote. "My kitchen had 0 ventilation. It smells a bit weird but doesn't smell like a gas leak.

"I just opened the windows throughout the house, but will I be okay?"

Commenters quickly assured the original poster that they would be safe and that opening the windows for a few hours would remove any potentially dangerous gas fumes. But they also pointed out that the OP was lucky nothing worse happened.

"My friend bought an induction stove the day after he did this," one commenter wrote. "I highly recommend doing the same. It will happen again."

Induction stoves are indeed a viable, affordable alternative to gas stoves. Instead of burning gas, these cooktops use magnetic currents to transfer heat to pots and pans, which actually brings water to a boil more quickly and cooks more evenly than gas.

Thanks to rebates made available in the Inflation Reduction Act, buyers can save up to $840 on a new induction stove. But acting quickly is prudent for those who want to lock in those savings, as some of the IRA's eco-friendly tax credits and rebates will be ending by the end of this year. Shopping soon could save you thousands of dollars.

For those who aren't ready to splurge on a new stove, or those who rent, induction options are still available. Plug-in burners can work in even the smallest kitchens, and they provide many of the same benefits at a fraction of the cost — as low as $50.

Induction is also a cleaner, safer way to cook than gas, as the fumes from gas have been found to lower air quality and raise the risk of asthma.

Do you worry about the quality of the air inside your home? Yes — often 😬 Yes — but only sometimes 😕 Only when it's bad outside 😮‍💨 No — I never do 😌 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"Use your vent fan whenever the stove is on, even if you can't see smoke from the food," one commenter wrote. "And if you're cooking something for hours, use an electric slow cooker or pressure cooker instead."

Also, as commenters pointed out, the fumes could have sparked something catastrophic.

"That could have been a kaboom," one commenter said. "Not something I would want to do again."

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