During Fire Prevention Month in October, the Laredo Fire Department in Texas took the opportunity to share helpful tips on preventing housefires as the weather gets colder.
According to KGNS News, though the Lone Star State generally doesn't experience cold temperatures until later in the winter, firefighters want to ensure the public is well prepared ahead of the season. They warned that the improper use of appliances such as gas stoves and ovens as heating equipment poses a serious risk to people's health and well-being, especially when left on overnight.
"Keeping the stove on to keep an area hot is very dangerous because if, for whatever reason, the flame does turn off, those gases are still going to be accumulating inside the room, and unfortunately, we can have some deaths because of it," LFD public information officer Sebastian Valero said.
Gas stoves aren't only a fire risk but also have been linked to health issues such as asthma, other respiratory problems, cancer, and chronic heart disease. These stoves release hazardous pollutants, including nitrogen dioxide, benzene, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide, which exacerbate indoor air pollution and can even lead to fatalities if the home is not properly ventilated.
For these reasons -- along with others: they are easier to clean, faster to cook on, and safer if you have children -- many homeowners are switching to induction stoves, which use a magnetic field to generate heat directly in the pot or pan, making them much more efficient. Cooking with an induction stove can reduce your energy bills, and you can receive an $840 rebate with the purchase of a qualifying stove thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act.
While induction stoves should also not be used to warm your home, there are affordable ways to keep your living space cozy. These include adding weatherstripping and caulk around windows and doors, installing window insulation film, and using space heaters safely.
If you rent or don't want to invest in a full-size stove, you can always buy a plug-in induction burner for as little as $50 and still reap all the benefits of leveling up your cooking experience.
Many federal incentives and tax rebates are expiring at the end of the year, but the rebates for induction stoves will still be available, so there's no need to rush if you're not ready to upgrade. But, with the holidays coming up, many stores will likely have major sales, so you might want to take advantage while you can.
One Reddit user in the r/Cooking subreddit had plenty of positive things to say about switching to induction. "It has been such an upgrade," they wrote. "Did not believe it could be faster than gas, but I can boil a kettle of water for tea in under a minute and boil a large pot of water for pasta in about three! Doesn't produce a lot of extra heat and is super easy to keep clean. Will never go back to gas."
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