Frantic renter seeks advice after elderly neighbor's hazardous behavior puts entire apartment building at risk: 'How much danger am I in?'

What are the appropriate actions to take when your neighbor is doing something that could not just harm the environment, but could put an entire apartment building at risk?

That's the dilemma faced by one renter, who turned to Reddit for help. On the r/hvacadvice subreddit, the original poster explained that their elderly neighbor has started using a shocking method to heat his apartment.

"He turns his [gas] oven on and leaves it on (I'm not sure if the door is open or closed)," the OP wrote. "I smelled gas this morning and called maintenance. … Cut to about 11 PM and he's doing it again.

"How much danger am I in?"

Many commenters said the OP did the right thing by contacting maintenance and advised them to stay vigilant. They also added that they should have a carbon monoxide detector to make sure they remain safe.

While this use of a gas oven is unorthodox to say the least, this post highlights some of the dangers that they pose, and why electric ranges with induction cooktops have become such a popular alternative.

Gas stoves produce toxic fumes that can contribute to health problems such as asthma. Induction, meanwhile, creates no such fumes, making it better for your health and the environment.

Induction stoves are also safer because, by transferring heat via a magnetic current, the cooktop stays cool to the touch, though the oven itself in an induction range is typically a more conventional convection one — often with a built-in air fryer too — so it's primarily the cooktop that's so futuristic with these models. And because of how efficiently that current generates heat, induction stoves actually boil water faster and cook more evenly than gas.

Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, homeowners can get up to $840 off the cost of a new induction range. But for renters like this OP, plug-in induction burners could be a better option. They fit comfortably on a countertop, still provide the great cooking and environmental benefits, and can be found for as little as $50.

In this case, the OP's neighbor could be safer with electric and induction appliances, though it would still be a bad idea to leave an electric oven on for extended periods of time as well. While it wouldn't carry the dangers of carbon monoxide, other fumes, a fire from the open flames, or even an explosion if the flames went out but the gas continued to be emitted, ovens simply aren't designed to provide heat for the same amount of time as heating appliances.

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Some people do use fireplaces that run on gas, but those are purpose-built for heating and have chimneys designed to release the fumes.

Fortunately, everyone was safe when the OP began this thread, but commenters warned that the apartment's management should step in, because if this happens again, the gas could trigger a fire.

"A carbon monoxide alarm is a good idea," one commenter wrote. "But to be honest, I would be more worried about him burning the place down."

"God forbid, he falls asleep and leaves it on all night and a failure happens then," another commenter added.

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