Gas Smell Coming From a GE Oven
- A gas leak is a dangerous situation caused by a rupture in a gas line or a poor connection between the supply line and the appliance. An open flame could cause the leaking gas to ignite and cause a fire or explosion. Only a qualified repairman from your local gas company should deal with these types of repairs. If you suspect there is a leak turn off the gas supply if possible and call the gas company. Make sure you extinguish any open flames, open nearby windows for ventilation, leave the house and call the gas company immediately. Do not go back inside until you are given the all clear.
- An igniter is a device inside the gas oven that will heat up and ignite the flow of gas from the supply line and start heating the oven. Over time the igniters will not work as well as they once did. Eventually they don’t heat up as much as they did when they were new and more gas may have time to enter the chamber before it burns. The result can be a gas odor. The buildup of gas may also cause small explosions in the oven compartment, but they shouldn’t cause any damage.
- A gas smell coming from you GE oven can indicate a pilot light problem. The pilot light is a continuously burning small flame in many oven models that ignites the gas when the user turns on the supply. If the pilot is not lit, the oven fills with gas, and the smell will become obvious in a few seconds. If you have just turned on the gas to your oven and you smell the gas and do not hear the pilot ignite it, turn off the gas, air out the kitchen thoroughly and light the pilot as indicated in your appliance’s instruction manual.
- Sometimes the smell of gas coming from your GE oven may be normal. According to the General Electric Appliances website, the smell may be present shortly after turning on the oven but the gas should dissipate in a few minutes.