I wish my stove came with a Save As button like Word has. That way I could experiment with my cooking and not fear ruining my dinner. ~Jarod Kintz
Natural gas is considered to be among the safest of fossil fuel sources, and when correctly utilized produces far fewer greenhouse emissions than wood, coal and oil. According to Safe Gas Indiana, more than 65 million homes have gas stoves in the United States alone. However, due to its highly combustible capacity, the utilization of natural gas can increase the risk of fire and explosion because it produces large amounts of heat even when you only burn small quantities.
While our foraging ancestors may have managed to survive without stoves, we in the modern world could not possibly envision every day life without them. We are a somewhat ungrateful lot, as we never pay much attention to our stoves until something alerts us that there is a problem. Nothing does this more effectively than the odor that usually accompanies a gas leak.
An odor leak from a gas stove often smells like rotten eggs and is a powerful warning that harmful elements are in the air. This can be serious and an appliance repair specialist should be on hand to both diagnose and correct the problem.
The first thing you should do is shut off the gas supply. The shut off valve is usually right behind the stove near the top and accessible without having to move the range. Turn the valve so that the handle is perpendicular to the gas line and ventilate all the rooms in your home. Then call your local gas company.
The most common cause is the flex gas supply line. This often fails due to repeated displacement of the stove, usually moved forward for the purpose of cleaning behind it. Some gas stoves use aluminum tubing instead of a flex connector. An appliance repair specialist can have a bit of a puzzle on his hands determining the source of the leak, as a correct diagnosis depends entirely on how the gas distribution is supplied within the specific stove brand and to your exact appliance model.
When dealing with a malfunctioning gas stove, leave it to the appliance repair specialists to solve the problem, especially if you are not familiar with dealing with gas leaks. In some instances, a really old gas stove can be very costly to repair and buying a new one might be a more viable option.
A gas leak calls for urgent measures, but a qualified appliance repair specialist can easily attend to general maintenance and other problems particular to oven ranges. If you live in the New York-Bronx-Westchester areas of New York City, the man to call is Anthony the Appliance Doctor. He can be reached at any time at: 1 800 339 0353 or www.appliancedoctorx.com.
