Smelling gas coming from your oven can be a little frightening. But you don’t necessarily need to panic right away and immediately scoop up your family and evacuate your house.
Here’s the thing. Ovens can smell like gas for different reasons. It can be down to poor maintenance, it can sometimes just be because you have only just turned the oven on.
Keep reading to learn potential answers to the question “Why does my oven smell like gas?”
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Why Does My Oven Smell Like Gas When It’s Electric?
So, the first question to consider is whether you have an electric oven or a gas oven. Now, you may think that if you detect a gas smell when you know that your oven is actually electric that you have less to worry about. Not true!
More often than not, a gas oven is more likely to smell like gas than an electric oven, but it can sometimes happen.
If your electric oven starts emitting a gas-like odor when you turn it on, this could be signs of faulty wiring, problems with the heating element, or some manufacturing defect. You should turn off the oven immediately and seek assistance. Contact a repair person who services your brand of oven.
Potential Reasons A Gas Oven Smells Like Gas
There are actually several reasons why your oven may be smelling of gas too. The vast majority of these reasons are thankfully completely benign and are not caused by a gas leak.
For instance, if you are using the oven for the very first time then it may emit an odor. It may smell a little bit like gas or other chemicals – in most cases this is totally normal.
You may also get a gas smell coming from your oven if food has been spoiled or burnt inside of it. Likewise, if any grease from the cooking process has managed to spill on the bottom of the oven then this can cause a gas like smell.
Foil on the bottom of the oven and liners can cause gas smells, or sometimes the gas in the oven can interact with paint fumes in your house which can cause a smell to be emitted.
As you can most likely see based on the reasons listed above, there’s one very easy fix most of the time if your oven smells like gas.
All you need to do in most cases is to clean your ovens and ensure you’re doing what you need to do in order to maintain it correctly. You can check your manufacturer’s guidelines for more information on how to do it.
The situations described above all involve turning the oven on and then detecting the unwanted smell. If there is just a random gas smell coming from the oven and you haven’t gotten it fired up, though, there’s a chance that you could have a gas leak. This is a serious problem so you need to make sure that you are doing things correctly.
Help! I Have A Gas Leak!
Gas leaks are a serious issue and it’s important that they are rectified as soon as you notice them. A gas leak will smell quite prominent, like rotten eggs or food that has gone moldy.
There are a few ways that you can tell if you have a gas leak. Firstly, you will notice that it smells like gas as indicated above.
You may also notice that some of the wiring to your gas oven is broken or otherwise damaged. Sometimes you may hear whistling sorts of noises that are coming out of the oven.
If you have a gas leak, turn the oven off straight away (if on), and also any stove burners that you may have running. Don’t touch the electrical outlets, and open the windows.
Leave the house as soon as possible with every other person in the home, and then call your gas provider. They will then tell you what to do. In the event that it isn’t possible for you to get in contact with your gas provider, you should instead call the fire department for help.
Taking Care Of Your Gas Oven
Thankfully, if you take good care of your gas oven then you are likely going to be able to avoid getting that smell of gas in your house.
It’s always a good idea to consult your oven’s manufacturer’s guide for maintenance instructions. But, the maintenance process is pretty similar for all gas ovens.
Make sure that you get a high-quality oven cleaner to clean the inside of your oven with. These will be easier to use and will help you to avoid any fumes.
If you tend to end up with lots of drips when using your oven, consider getting some oven liners too. They will help to stop your oven from getting as messy, meaning you won’t need to clean it as often. This can save a lot of time and help you to avoid unpleasant smells.
Safety First!
You can avoid gas issues with your oven, as well as fire hazards, by being cautious as you are cooking. If you are cooking something, make sure that you don’t leave it unattended.
Make sure that great and leftover food is removed from the inside of the oven and the stove, and close the door whenever you are done with cooking so no gas or heat can escape.
If you need to store your cooking appliances after you are done, avoid the temptation of putting them in your oven. This is not safe, so it’s always better to leave these items in their correct places.
It’s also worthwhile to get a fire extinguisher. We would all like to think it’s unnecessary, but you never know when it will be necessary for your safety in your home.
By following the above advice, you can avoid having your house smelling like gas, and you can also ensure that you are safe when cooking in the kitchen.
Summary
It’s obvious that the smell of gas can be quite distressing in a kitchen. In most cases though it’s benign. It’s always better to be safe, so if you have any concerns then speak to your gas provider.
It’s also a good idea to keep on top of oven maintenance, as this will help you to avoid future smell problems.
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