In today’s modern world, it is not unusual for appliances to turn on by themselves whenever they sense you around. Lights turn on as you enter a room, while the heating turns on if it is smart enough to detect your mobile phone a mile or two away. Many things can also be programmed, so your food is warm by the time you get home. All in all, while this sounds like a perfect world, there are also situations when things malfunction – too much technology will also bring in a plethora of problems. At this point, things are not just costly and annoying, but they could actually become dangerous and life-threatening. So, what do you do if the gas oven turns on by itself?
This is the worst possible scenario you could imagine. You check everything before you leave the house, only to come back and find 100 degrees F inside and three burners smashing it. No one has been there and ghosts are less likely to bother you, so the problem is obviously somewhere inside the gas oven. There are also situations when the gas might turn on by itself for a few seconds, but without starting a fire. It then turns off by itself. Obviously, leaking continuously could cause a tragedy.
4 Reasons Why Your Gas Oven Turns On By Itself
The above-mentioned scenarios are the positive ones if you have such a problem. Things could get a lot messier. The gas might turn on by itself overnight and intoxicate you. Too much gas and a sparkle (such as turning lights on) could cause an explosion. You might get home one day to find firemen struggling to put fire down. Obviously, you do not even want to consider such scenarios, but if your gas oven turns on by itself, you must be careful about it. They are never to be overlooked. A problematic gas oven must be turned now – not tomorrow or the day after, but now. A gas oven turning on automatically is not something to play with.
Dust and dirt
A bit of dirt on one of the buttons could cause your oven to turn on by itself. The oven may perceive the dirt as a touch. Sometimes, even if you cannot see large pieces of food around buttons, you will still have to wipe the control panel clean. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions – usually, a mild glass cleaner and a clean cloth will get the job done. Some modern ovens are so sensitive that even particles of dust may trigger their controls.
In this case, the solution is fairly simple. You do not need a technician or a professional for the job. Simply clean the oven properly and make sure there is nothing left on the control panel.
Problematic starter
There is nothing to fool around when it comes to a bad starter. If the ignition fails and the burner does not start, you will end up with a gas leak. A simple spark is more than enough to cause an explosion. It may not even be you. If you live in a block of flats and the gas spreads out, even an automatic light turning on when someone walks on the hallway could cause a disaster.
At this point, you may need a new starter. You can disassemble the oven yourself. Make sure you know the precise make and model and order the exact same part. You do not need to wait until the part arrives. Simply stop using the oven right away.
The thing with gas is it can be extremely dangerous. There is no room for improvisations. If you have no clue how to do it or you have no experience at all, simply seek help from a professional.
Automatic timers
Some modern appliances come with timers. This is not always the case with gas ovens, but other types of ovens. However, more and more manufacturers implement such features into their gas ovens as well. Timers are a bit different though – you can usually set a timer once the oven is on, so the food cooks by itself without you having to keep an eye on it. The oven will also turn off automatically once the time is reached.
A different type of timer allows you to turn the oven on, yet this feature is not too common. Practically, you could have some food on the oven and program it to start 10 minutes before you get home or wake up. This way, your food will be warm by the time you are in the kitchen. The feature is often left behind by manufacturers because lots of people forget about it. In other words, they forget the oven will turn on by itself the next morning – no food left there. They may end up in work, while the burner keeps going.
If you do have this feature, make sure the timer is set properly – or simply turned off.
Faulty thermostat
A faulty thermostat may also cause a gas oven to turn on or off by itself. If you have knobs, inspect them thoroughly – especially the problematic one. A broken knob could also be the culprit. It is not just the outside part of the knob. In fact, you could live with a slightly worn or even broken knob if the issue is on the outside. What really matters is what goes on inside the knob.
All in all, assuming that your knob is in perfect condition and the gas oven turns on by itself, the thermostat is what you need to pay attention to. It is probably defective. Repairing thermostats is not worth it. Most technicians would not get this kind of job. Instead, everyone will recommend replacing the thermostat. Buying a new one is fairly cheap and can guarantee for a long time of great operation. Again, if you are not 100% sure on how to deal with thermostats or you have no experience, get help from a professional.
What You Need To Do If Your Gas Oven Turns On By Itself
Dealing with gas is a serious matter. Ideally, you should fix the problem right away. Seek help from an expert and call someone over to inspect the unit. Unfortunately, not every company can send a technician over straight away. If they can, it is highly recommended to stay home and keep an eye on the kitchen. Leave the window open in the kitchen in case there is a gas leak. You might want to check the kitchen a few times an hour, just to make sure the oven is still off. Do not go to sleep.
Then, if you cannot get someone to come right away, there are a few safety measures to adopt in order to ensure you will not come back home from work to a disaster. Most importantly, turn the gas supply off before leaving the house. You do not want the burner to start while you are out and you do not want a gas leak. Since you do not have an electric unit, you cannot just unplug it. Instead, you have to focus on the gas supply, so turn it off. Keep in mind that other appliances may also suffer from this change, including your heating system, so turn it off too to prevent further problems.
Do the same if you have to go to sleep.
Conclusion
As a short final conclusion, you should not mess around if the gas oven turns on by itself. There is nothing funny about this problem. Sure, you will get some jokes about ghosts, but this is just part of the game. Your safety comes first. If you are not experienced in this field, just get help from a professional company – ideally, the manufacturer or the supplier if your oven is still under a warranty. Meanwhile, try to cut all the risks and shut the gas supply off before leaving the house or going to sleep.
