Oven Smells Like Gas When Preheating

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First Steps

The gas that fuels your stove has an odor. This is an additive that produces a sulfur or rotten egg scent, making a gas leak easily identifiable.

Propane-fueled appliances will often smell more strongly like gas when igniting when the supply runs low.

Smelling some amount of gas when starting the oven is normal. After the oven ignites, the smell should go away.

Warning: If the smell doesn’t go away after the gas is ignited, you likely have a dangerous gas leak.

Open the doors and windows, turn off the appliance and evacuate the house. Then call your local gas company.

Causes

1

Leaking Gas Connections

If the oven was moved recently, the gas plumbing connections may now be damaged. Gas will leak if these connections aren’t tight or when they are bent or punctured.

Fittings can be checked with soapy water. If you’re able to pull your oven out, inspect the gas inlet connections on the back of the unit. Cover each joint with a soapy water solution and look for bubbling. Inspect the supply line for cracks or cuts.
If you feel uncomfortable, don’t hesitate to call a professional to determine if you have a gas leak.

2

Igniter or Spark Electrode Failure

After the control sends current to your igniter or spark electrode, current will begin to flow and open the safety valve. At this point, the igniter will begin to heat until it is hot enough to ignite the gas. Over time, the igniter can weaken and fail to open the safety valve correctly.

Remove the covers and shields at the bottom of the oven, then turn on a bake setting. Observe the ignitor to see if it begins glowing.
If the igniter is lit, but the gas hasn't been lit after 90 seconds, there's reason to believe the ignitor has weakened. In this case, check the ++safety switch++ for continuity. If the safety switch is fine, replace the igniter.
If the igniter isn't glowing, remove and test the igniter for continuity (Ω) with a digital multimeter (DMM). Continuity shows whether a continuous electrical path is present.
- In either case, replace the igniter.
In other ovens, you may have a ceramic burner tube similar to the spark plug on a car. Remove and inspect the tube for cracks in the housing or damage to the tip. This might indicate damage to the component and need replacing.

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