I get goosebumps every time I go outside, and a thought comes to my mind, “Did I leave my oven on?” I am sure we all have felt this mild heart attack, and some of us even have done it at some point in our lives.
What happens if you leave the oven on overnight? The result can lead to disastrous situations. Leaving an electric oven on can lead to fire while leaving a gas oven on can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Ovens are not designed to play this kind of game, and they should be treated with gentle care. So, on this topic in line, take a tour of our article about what happens if you leave the oven on?
Dangers in Leaving the Gas Oven On
Suppose a gas oven is turned on for a long time with no food inside. In that case, the complete combustion gradually deteriorates and leads to incomplete combustion, which summons the emission of carbon monoxide.
A few hours are enough for sufficient secretion of carbon monoxide, which might lead to extreme suffocation, breathing problems, and finally can cause death.
Lucky for you that there are specific natural ways to detect monoxide in the air. If you are surrounded by a toxic gas such as this, you will feel sudden headaches, nausea, blurred vision, problems in breathing.
Long-term effects may be a simple flu which will last for 3-4 days. Never use the oven to heat your room, and excess pushing of the oven’s internal equipment can lead to fire hazards.
Dangers in Leaving the Electric Oven On
Now let us consider that you have made the same mistake using an electric oven. The extreme heat will heat the inside equipment in both electric and gas oven with no food inside.
Electrical components are more sensitive to temperatures that will get heated and can melt. Some appliances can produce a spark which will lead to fire, or if the case is worse, can lead to a big explosion.
Some people get arrogant and heat the oven with its door open. However, the chances of a fire from an oven with its door opened are low. But never scratch the fire; it will strike you back severely.
Level of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning from Leaving the Oven On
At this point of discussion, an electric oven has one significant advantage over a gas oven. As we know that gas only comes from combustion, and carbon monoxide comes from the core of incomplete combustion.
Hence, the gas oven is the source of carbon monoxide inside your house. I already mentioned the symptoms of the presence of this odorless gas. One thing you can do is set up a carbon monoxide detector in your kitchen, which will help you maintain the level at which this deadly poison is harmless.
Read More: What Temperature Does Glass Break in the Oven?
How to Diminish an Oven Fire?
Let’s just, for God’s sake, that you created a fire because of keeping the oven turned on! You should train yourself to take the necessary steps if this disaster ever comes.
The first thing to do is to turn off the oven and close the front door of the oven so that fire lacks the oxygen level. Now, wait for 3-4 minutes for the fire to burn out.
If the amount of smoke is too much for your kitchen, carefully open the windows and let the outside air inside. After some considerable minutes, open the oven door and take out any baking pans inside. Make sure that you have oven mitts on.
If the situation gets out of control, then call 911 immediately. You do not want to start a chain reaction of fire surrounding your whole kitchen room. Safety comes first!
Devices For Turning the Oven Off from Distance
Why do you need to go through all the above troubles? There are many oven models available in the market that comes with a remote control to shut down your oven from your dining room to the kitchen.
If your pocket does not support buying such expensive ovens, other devices work as a safety circuit breaker between the mainline and your oven.
This technique is helpful when you are outside, and your oven is about to catch fire. Once these devices get a beep signal from the smoke detectors, it automatically cuts the connection between your oven and the main socket.
After resetting the oven’s circuit breaker, it provides current to your oven again. Some of these devices are mentioned below:
- FireAvert Electric Auto Stove Shut-Off Safety Device
- cooktop Automatic Stove Shut-Off
- iGuardStove Intelligent Stove Shut-Off Device
- Wallflower Smart Monitor for Electric Stoves
- FireAvert Gas Auto Stove Shut-Off Safety Device
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my oven turn off automatically?
It depends on the type of oven. Statistics show that after 1995, every electric oven manufactured contained an automatic shut-off feature.
If you have a gas oven, well, you are screwed!
Why is leaving an oven on dangerous?
Well, if you are that lazy to light the furnace for your warmth, then keeping the oven on for 1 hour might not be termed as dangerous.
But, if you keep it on for a prolonged time, what is wrong with you?
How long can you leave food in the oven?
Keeping food inside after it is cooked is not a healthy situation; the bacteria will grow, which will be very unhygienic to eat.
So, do not keep your food inside for more than 2 hours!
How long can an oven stay on with nothing in it?
If the room temperature is kept at a nominal value, an oven turned on for 12 hours will not regulate safety violations. But do not initiate this step if not extremely necessary.
How long can you leave an oven on before it catches fire?
Not more than 12 hours, it might lead to an explosion, or a considerable amount of smoke will arise out of nowhere.
Is there any history of house fires originating from the oven?
There are numerous incidents; 73 percent were because of the kitchen stove, 7 percent were because of heating stoves, and the rest was for the gas oven.
Conclusion
Many disastrous situations have been explained on what happens if you leave the oven on? All were very painful to describe, from creating fire to poisoning with carbon monoxide.
Do not get cocky while roaming around an oven; these helpful appliances make your life easier. If they are not professionally handled, they can be your suicide mission.
So, next time you go to pre-heat your leftover lunch, make sure you do not forget to press the shut-off button.
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