When I turn on my gas oven, I get a terrible heavy smell of gas. I
let it go for 15 minutes and it only got up to 200 degrees, and when I
opened the oven door I was almost knocked out by the gas fumes inside.
So I aborted my dinner mission and got take-out instead.

What is the likely cause of this, and what's the cure? Thanks for
your help.

Chuck

On 30 Dec 2003 15:35:39 -0800, (Chuck
Hildebrandt) wrote:

>When I turn on my gas oven, I get a terrible heavy smell of gas. I
>let it go for 15 minutes and it only got up to 200 degrees, and when I
>opened the oven door I was almost knocked out by the gas fumes inside.
> So I aborted my dinner mission and got take-out instead.
>
>What is the likely cause of this, and what's the cure? Thanks for
>your help.
>
>Chuck

Hi Chuck,

The appropriate cure is to call someone who installs gas appliances...

If, in fact, you have a gas leak, it could have very serious
consequences. My suggestion: Leave it to an expert.

All the best,

--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

Don't light up a cigarette, please!
Dee
"Chuck Hildebrandt" > wrote in message
m...
> When I turn on my gas oven, I get a terrible heavy smell of gas. I
> let it go for 15 minutes and it only got up to 200 degrees, and when I
> opened the oven door I was almost knocked out by the gas fumes inside.
> So I aborted my dinner mission and got take-out instead.
>
> What is the likely cause of this, and what's the cure? Thanks for
> your help.
>
> Chuck

(Chuck Hildebrandt) wrote in message om>...
> When I turn on my gas oven, I get a terrible heavy smell of gas. I
> let it go for 15 minutes and it only got up to 200 degrees, and when I
> opened the oven door I was almost knocked out by the gas fumes inside.
> So I aborted my dinner mission and got take-out instead.
>
> What is the likely cause of this, and what's the cure? Thanks for
> your help.
>
> Chuck

I had a similar problem in my last apartment. The oven heated ok, but
every time I turned it on there was a heavy gas odor. The repairman
declared the problem irreparable & shut off the gas so management had
no choice but to buy a new range. For me, as a renter, it was a good
thing but if you own I guess it's not so good.

Good thing you aborted the dinner mission on the spot. I'd say your
likely cause is a gas LEAK inside the oven (when you opened the oven door,
the leaking gas wasn't concentrated enough to flare with a bang and promptly
dissipated to atmosphere, thank goodness -- that was the odor).

Do not use the oven again until you phone the gas company for a
serviceman to check it -- I hope they were able to send someone today -- if
not, see if they can send someone first thing Friday. Can you open a
window to keep the kitchen aired out in the meantime (a dreadful thing to
say in December!)? Unless you have a truly weird hookup -- VERY unlikely --
the odorant used in natural gas will identify itself long before the gas can
reach a dangerous concentration.

Please communicate -- let us know the diagnosis and the cure!

L.P.H.,

Ann


"Chuck Hildebrandt" > wrote in message
m...
> When I turn on my gas oven, I get a terrible heavy smell of gas. I
> let it go for 15 minutes and it only got up to 200 degrees, and when I
> opened the oven door I was almost knocked out by the gas fumes inside.
> So I aborted my dinner mission and got take-out instead.
>
> What is the likely cause of this, and what's the cure? Thanks for
> your help.
>
> Chuck

Ann Sharp wrote:

> Good thing you aborted the dinner mission on the spot. I'd say your
> likely cause is a gas LEAK inside the oven (when you opened the oven door,
> the leaking gas wasn't concentrated enough to flare with a bang and promptly
> dissipated to atmosphere, thank goodness -- that was the odor).
>
> Do not use the oven again until you phone the gas company for a
> serviceman to check it -- I hope they were able to send someone today -- if
> not, see if they can send someone first thing Friday. Can you open a
> window to keep the kitchen aired out in the meantime (a dreadful thing to
> say in December!)? Unless you have a truly weird hookup -- VERY unlikely --
> the odorant used in natural gas will identify itself long before the gas can
> reach a dangerous concentration.
>
> Please communicate -- let us know the diagnosis and the cure!
>
> L.P.H.,
>
> Ann
>




I'm some places (New York being one of them) if you call in a gas
leak, they legally have to respond within one hour. They may also "red
tag" your home until it's resolved too. That means the gas is shut
off, period. No if's, ands, or buts.

--
Steve

Men are from Earth. Women are from Earth. Deal with it.

Steve
> I'm some places (New York being one of them) if you call in a gas
> leak, they legally have to respond within one hour. They may also "red
> tag" your home until it's resolved too. That means the gas is shut
> off, period. No if's, ands, or buts.

Ann:
I don't know what the call response time is in northern California,
where I live, but PG&E certainly will shut off gas as appropriate and
red-tag the appliance, or the whole house, or whatever is safest, and either
fix the leak themselves or require that it be fixed -- depending on the
location of the leak -- before turning the gas back on. Turning gas back on
is not a home handyman job, either -- ALWAYS have the service person do it.

I have a few more good warnings, too, but by the time they're read on a
Usenet list, it's probably too late to do much good.

L.P.H.,

Ann