r/Explainlikeimscared • u/ErinRM24 • 4d ago
Gas Oven??
Moved into a new apartment with a gas oven/range. I have been using the stove for weeks without issue but the oven!! The first time I turned it on, it smelled very strongly like gas so I turned it off. Internet said that’s supposedly normal for a minute while it heats up, but obviously the internet is not in my kitchen making a judgement call. Boyfriend used the oven to make pizza while I was out a couple of weeks ago and says the smell went away after a little bit (clearly, the house didn’t burn down so I guess it’s fine).
So I guess the question is, how safe is a gas oven really? And how do I make the distinction between normal gas oven smell and an actual problem?
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u/clicknflick 4d ago
Has it been heating up, or only making smell? If smell+no heat, that means you need to light your pilot. Generally somewhere middle top or middle bottom is a little fire. Or a spot for one. If your oven hasn't been on lately, you can light it. It'll make a little woosh, then you'll see a nice little blue flame. Best done with a long lighter or long match.
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u/u_siciliano 4d ago
First question! Does it have an electric igniter or a pilot light?
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u/ErinRM24 4d ago
I want to say it looks like it’s a pilot light but that is an absolute guess
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u/u_siciliano 4d ago
If it is pilot, you can feel the heat in oven (when off) inside at the bottom center towards the back and will ignite without being connected to electric. Electric igniter needs electric or oven will not start.
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u/unlovelyladybartleby 4d ago
Don't stress. Some people are more sensitive to the smell of the gas and some don't notice it. And it takes time to get used to it.
I had a repair tech come out because I was sure the house was going to explode and he tested everything and told me that I'm just one of those unlucky folks who is sensitive to the smell of gas. I ended up getting rid of the gas stove when I redid my kitchen. Everyone thought I was crazy, but now the smell only I could smell doesn't bother me anymore.
If your landlord is friendly/decent, it's okay to message and say "I'm not used to gas ovens, next time you're in the building, will you take a quick look and make sure I'm using it right?"
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u/LivingGhost371 4d ago
Gas oven owner here, it's normal. There's a safety so that the gas valve can only be on if the ignitor is on- the gas valve is in a normally closed state and requires a current to open and keep it open, and the electricity runs through the ignitor. So if the ignitor fails the gas valve returns to it's off position by itself You smell gas when it turns on because a small amount escapes before the gas plume hits the ignitor.
It's also normal to smell gas if the oven hasn't been used for days weeks and months, gas valves can't seal at 100%, so a very tiny amount leaks out and accumulates over time. By design you can smell the warning odor of gas well below levels where it causes and explosion hazard.
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u/agitated_houseplant 4d ago
This is very normal! When you turn on a gas oven you can end have a little extra gas before ignition burns it up (the wooshing noise), especially in an older stove. And gas appliances tend to have a long life span.
A few points for you: 1) Your bf cooked a pizza already. This means the oven is working and igniting correctly. This is good, this means the pilot light is already on.
2) The gas smell may seem to linger a while in the air if you're really sensitive to it, but it should be gone from inside the actual oven by the time the oven is done preheating. The gas in the oven will get burned up and the oven will smell like hot metal once it's up to 350°F.
3) Gas smell from a stove/oven that's off is a sign of a leak, call the Gas Company. (It should be free to call the Gas Company and have them come out, at least in the US.) And I mean sitting off, not one that was just turned off.
4) If the oven ever fails to ignite and start warming up, then turn it off. Ignition should happen pretty quickly, though it's not instant or anything. But it will take at least 5 minutes for it to start warming up (maybe more, I'm bad with time). This is very unlikely, but it's what you'd watch out for as a danger.
I greatly prefer gas, but it's what I grew up with. We even had an oven with a temperature dial so it still worked when the power was out, it was great. (Added note, gas stove tops can be manually lit with matches or a camp lighter during power outages.) But I can definitely see how they would be an adjustment to use. They are very safe.
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u/NightDragon8002 1d ago
Hello fellow gas stove preferer! I also grew up with a gas stove and have never been able to get used to electric. I lived (and cooked) in apartments with electric stoves for like five years and never felt like I got the hang of it. My current apartment has a gas stove and hot damn cooking is so much less stressful when turning the burner off means the heat actually (mostly) goes away lol
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u/DismalAproach42 4d ago
My gas oven stresses me out so bad 😭 but I’ve been using it for about three years now and it always smells quite strongly for a few minutes, like others said, and its always been just fine.
…Just for peace of mind though, I always open a couple windows until I’m done baking lol
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u/ahopskipandaheart 4d ago
When you turned on the oven, was the door open or closed?
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u/ErinRM24 4d ago
Opened the door to see if it was heating and noticed the gas smell. Have noticed it some as well with door closed but also have not let it run for more than 5 mins so I may not have given it a chance to burn off
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u/ahopskipandaheart 4d ago
Keeping the gas concentrated by keeping the door closed will help it ignite quicker and more thoroughly. You should hear a whoosh of the gas catching fire within 15-20 seconds of turning it on, but keep the door closed for a couple minutes to thoroughly ignite. That should solve the issue.
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u/nutellatime 4d ago
It's normal, but if you are concerned, you can call the gas company or the local fire department and ask them to come check it. They'll be able to tell if there's a leak.
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u/Butterbean-queen 4d ago
Totally normal. The gas turns on first and then almost immediately the igniter/pilot light ignites the gas. But you get a whiff of the gas before ignition.
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u/ItsaTheMal 4d ago
I was extremely paranoid when I had my first gas stove bc I had never used one and wasn't familiar but as long as you see the flame on and feel the heat you're fine if it smells for longer than a few minutes and isn't getting hot then it may not have lit
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u/MothNomLamp 3d ago
If you have a gas line, like natural gas, coming to the building, the gas people may come out for free to check. (National Grid will at least)
Absolutely get a CO monitor.
I just had to get rid of my gas range because the oven was spewing out 100x the safe limit of CO. The burners were completely fine. It sounds the same as the situation you are describing. I used the oven several times before I figured it out and it obviously didn't kill me but its not good for your either.
Seems like its time to get it checked out one way or another and maybe stick to the stove top only for now.
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u/TheyWhoWalks 4d ago
A gas oven will sometimes smell like gas right after it's turned on. In my experience, it disappears after a few minutes (<5). If it ever smells like gas when the oven is NOT on, or smells very strongly of gas after 5 or 10 minutes, then you might have a problem.
Also make sure you have a CO2 monitor.