No one wants to mess around with gas. When gas is involved, you know that every little noise could indicate a problem. The issue is even more dangerous because gas is highly flammable. If the gas oven makes puffing sound, the first thing you want to do is turn it off. You will inevitably worry and imagine the worst-case scenario which is a warning for a potential explosion?
The bad news is you deal with gas and gas can be extremely risky. The good news is the issue may not always be too severe, so you could fix it without too much hassle. If you have some experience, it could make a decent DIY project. If you are not 100% sure of what you are doing, it is better to just get a professional to look at it.
Now, what are the most common cause and fixes when a gas oven makes puffing sound?
3 Reasons Why Gas oven makes puffing sound
1. Dirty And Greasy Igniter
The puffing sound may sound differently, based on the problem you have. Sometimes, the gas oven makes boom noise. The problem is often given by a problematic igniter. With time, grime and grease will inevitably end up on the igniter as well. They will build up. Its main role is to heat the gas up, so the fire keeps going. At times, when covered in dirt, it will have to heat it through a few layers of grime. The process is clearly slower.
At this point, the gas builds up. When the igniter finally makes it, the large amount of gas will make a puffing sound.
Cleaning the igniter is by far the easiest way to overcome this problem. The igniter on the gas oven is similar to those on the stove top. Practically, you can clean it by removing it. Get a toothbrush and rub it clean. If you have never done it, the layers of grease and grime might be too thick, so this operation could be tedious and relatively inefficient. At this point, you should change the igniter. Make sure you get the same model from the same manufacturer.
You do not need any special tools to take the igniter out and put it back in. Most commonly, it can be unplugged with no tools at all. However, make sure you turn the gas off before doing it. Working with a gas appliance can expose you to lots of dangers. The good news is the igniter is not responsible for letting the gas out. It only lights it. The risk is much lower, but you would rather be safe than sorry. Also dirty and greasy igniter may cause your gas oven to turn on by itself too.
2. Not Enough Oxygen
Now, when do you get the puffing sound? Is it when turning the gas on? It is probably the igniter then. But then, lots of people get this issue when the oven is already running too. Practically, you turn the gas on, everything seems to be doing well so far. As your food gets cooked, you hear these noises and you know for a fact that it is not your food that is making the popping sound.
How do you fix a gas oven making popping noises when heating then? A bit of physics will help you understand this problem. Fire needs oxygen to flame up. If you cover a flame, it will grab all the oxygen and when it runs out, the flame will be put out. For the oven to run, it will also require a bit of oxygen.
Not getting a good enough and consistent flow of oxygen will cause the flame to die and reignite less than a second later. This could be the puffing sound you hear. However, this sound tends to feel a bit like popping every now and then. The air shutter should allow more oxygen in – this feature can be adjusted as a DIY project, but only if you are experienced.
The flame should be blue and about half an inch in size. If it is yellow, you need to open that air shutter to allow more oxygen – but not too much or it might blow off the burner.
3. Faulty Gas Valve
Whether the valve is problematic, the air mixture is not right or the glow bar bake igniter is too weak, you have to sort this problem as it tends to intensify. Working on the air shutter can often fix this problem. You should be able to find the instructions in the owner’s manual – check it out online for the make and model you have if you no longer have the physical manual.
Conclusion
As a short final conclusion, you do not have to worry if the gas oven makes puffing sound. The problem is not huge and it will not really endanger you, but it will aggravate with time. It will not disappear on its own. Therefore, you need to work on it as soon as you detect it.
There are a few different causes that may lead to this issue. Most of them target the igniter, the gas valve, or the air shutter. Most of these problems can be fixed as DIY projects if you have a bit of experience. Sometimes, it is a matter of cleaning a part or adjusting sometimes. Other times, you may need to replace certain parts.
If you have a clue about what you are doing, fixing the issue yourself should not be a problem. The good news is you are less likely to deal with gas, leaks or parts that let the gas out. However, if you are insecure about it, calling a professional technician could still be a better idea. When a gas oven makes puffing sound, it is never bright to ignore the issue.
If you enjoy reading this article, be sure to read up on why does your oven smells like dead mouse.
I’m staying over at my friend’s place for the weekend and we were planning on making some hotpot but I noticed that her oven was making a puffing sound whenever I turned it on. I have an inkling feeling that the problem may be with the bake burner like you said since the other two possibilities seem to define. I’m really unsure if the problem is something we can fix on our own, unfortunately, we don’t have access to the manual nor do we have the right tools to even begin fixing it as you suggested. I’ll take your advice and call a professional appliance repair service so they can send a technician over to help us. That way, we can get back to enjoying our weekend as soon as possible.