I heard some people ask me – is it safe to unplug a gas stove?
If you have noticed gas leaking in your appliances, there is a potential risk of a catastrophic – and rather, immediate – explosion or even fire. This is why whenever you smell gas, you need to quickly locate the stove’s shut off valve. By doing so, you can prevent the further flow of gas.
However, there are key points you need to know – you cannot simply shut it off without safety precautions.
The only way to unplug and turn it off is if you only observe a faint gas odor. Also, you need to be very certain that the odor really comes from your stove area.
If you need tips on how to unplug a gas stove, keep reading. We share with you steps on how to safely disconnect a gas stove the right way.
Is It Safe To Unplug A Gas Stove?
Learning how to safely disconnect a gas stove is important to know since you need to make sure that you do not encounter any accidents while doing it.
If you notice a faint gas odor in a small area of your home, you should be able to shut the gas stove off yourself. There is no need to wait for a plumber or the utility personnel to do the job for you.
It should be easy to tell where the gas smell is coming from. Furthermore, you will be able to find out quickly if the appliance is malfunctioning. Either that, or there is a bad connection.
For instance, if the gas smell is coming from the kitchen, then the source could either be the range or the stove. In this case, you should safely turn the gas off in such a localized gas odor issue.
How To Unplug A Gas Stove Safely
Here are the different steps you need to do to make sure you are able to disconnect the gas stove safely and effectively.
1. Gather your tools.
You only need very few materials to perform the steps. For instance, you need a flashlight to locate the valve and some work gloves, just as an added protection.
2. Keep the area ventilated.
If you detect a gas odor, be sure to open the windows to make sure you have ample ventilation to your room. Avoid turning the vent fans on, as well as light fixtures, unless you have also shut the gas off. You should not also turn vent fans on when you have not kept the area ventilated for safety reasons.
When the gas is dense, there is a possible chance that there is electrical arcing when you flip the wall switch. This can easily trigger an explosion and fire.
3. Inspect the Burners.
Next, you need to check your burners and be sure the controls for the gas stove are turned off. It is not uncommon for accidents to arise when the burner valve is slightly opened. When this happens, gas can quickly seep right into your kitchen. So, be sure you do not make such a mistake.
4. Pull the oven drawer out.
Carefully and firmly pull the drawer out, which is located below your oven compartment. Empty all the contents of the drawer and remove it completely.
Using a flashlight, shine the light into your open drawer. Search for the shut off valve for the gas stove. In most cases, older stoves are set up in such a way that the valve is easily accessible through the compartment for the drawer. Hence, it should be quick to shut the gas off even without moving your stove around. With newer models, however, it may be a different system.
If you have a newer stove model, you may need to look behind for the shut off valve. Once you have found it, simply pull your stove out to be able to access the valve. Sometimes, it may also be underneath the floor in case it is not behind the stove.
As we have mentioned earlier, you may need to move the stove if necessary. Just be sure to do this carefully to make sure you do not pull other compartments by accident.
5. Check for the gas tubing.
When you move your stove, be sure not to miss the gas tubing. It is possible that the connections on the gas tubing may be the source of the gas leak. Thus, you would not want to exacerbate the problem by putting stress on the connections or tubing or by pulling the stove too abruptly.
Never unplug your stove from the electrical outlet. Otherwise, this may create a risk of sparking when you pull the plug right out of the outlet.
6. Turn the shut off valve off.
Search for the gas valve handle. Then, turn it slightly up to a quarter until it stops. This component is usually a ball valve that comes with a lever handle.
But there are instances when the handle may be difficult to turn. This is typical for those that have been left alone for a long time and not touched for a while. If so, you need pliers or a wrench to turn this component. Others may consider contacting a professional just to stay on the safe side.
Once you have turned the gas on, you will notice the knob of the shut off valve to be parallel to the gas pipe. However, it is perpendicular to the gas pipe when turned off.
Next, turn one of the burners on to make sure that the gas is completely turned off. But if you intend to unplug the cord from the outlet, you need to make sure that there is no more gas odor before you do so. Otherwise, there are safety risks involved.
Final Thoughts
Unplugging the gas stove is necessary to make sure that you prevent further safety issues. However, there are precautions you need to be aware of, so you will not have to put yourself – and your entire household at risk. Thus, make it a point to apply these pointers and ensure a safe way of disconnecting the gas stove from the outlet for your peace of mind.
