Why Is My Oven Smoking

When you purchase an appliance it is important to read up on the inner workings of that appliance. In this case, an oven. Just like everything else in your home, an oven needs to have maintenance conducted on a regular basis. If spills occur while cooking, you will need to clean them up. Additionally, if you notice smoke coming from the oven this could be an issue. Why is my oven smoking? It either has a new film that has to burn off, food was left in the oven to burn, or it’s just new.

Let’s take a look below at what all of this means.

What Are The Reasons

Believe it or not, there are a few reasons why your oven is smoking. Let’s take a look below at what those reasons might be.

• New – brand new ovens have factory coatings that are used by the manufacturer and need to be burned off. You might see some smoke coming from your oven if it is new. In some cases, manufacturers will recommend setting the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit to 600 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes in order to burn off the coatings.
• Cleaner residue – ovens should be cleaned on a regular basis. In many cases, homeowners will use a recommended oven cleaner chemical to remove tough stains. If the oven cleaner is not removed correctly, a residue may be left inside the oven. Eventually, the residue will burn off and cause smoke in your oven. Clean cycles will burn off chemical residues during the cleaning mode.
• Leftover food – when you are cooking food in the oven, it can often spill over or leave grease stains on your oven rack or the bottom of the oven. If this occurs, the food or grease will continue to burn. Smoke from the grease will be present in your oven.
• Heating element – it is possible that your heating element is older and malfunctioning. If your oven is older then you will want to replace the heating element.

Keep in mind that electric ovens and gas ovens can both produce smoke. Food residue that has spilled over your baking sheet and landed on the bottom of the oven will always create smoke. Turn off the oven and let it cool before cleaning it with a wet rag.

Other Recommended Maintenance

Now that you have a better understanding of why your oven is smoking you can learn more about gas ovens. If you have a gas oven, you need to light it whenever you use it. This could be scary for many homeowners. Be sure to read up on how to light a gas oven before you decide to purchase one.

Next, while you are working to clean your oven, it is a good idea to clean your other appliances as well. Every surface has the potential of collecting bacteria on it. So, quick disinfection of your surfaces is a good idea. If you notice that your water pressure in the kitchen faucet is low, you will also want to make this repair.

Lastly, if you are using oven cleaner on your oven surface or inside the oven walls, you might want to be extra careful with it. Not all cleaners are meant to contact every material. In many cases, an oven cleaner can damage your kitchen countertops.

When Do I Call A Professional

When it comes to an oven, you might want to hire a licensed contractor that has worked on them before. Once you realize that your oven is clean and the heating elements are the reason for the smoking, you will want to replace them. In this case, calling on a local professionally licensed handyman is a great idea. Also, consider reaching out to your local home inspection team. They can inspect all of your appliances and recommend a reputable licensed handyman to conduct the repairs.

Conclusion

Maintaining a clean oven is your best bet. Also, understanding how they function and what the manufacturer says about their product. Your oven could be electric or gas and either one could end up producing a decent amount of smoke. You never want smoke bellowing through your home. Call on Advantage Inspections to have your appliances inspected during a home inspection conducted here in West Central, Florida