Has this happened to you? You’ve just prepared a delicious meal, put it in the oven to bake – and found that your appliance is quickly filling up with smoke! You can’t miss the burning smell that threatens to ruin all your hard work, and potentially cause damage to your home. To diagnose this common problem, read further to discover why your oven is smoking:
It’s caused by food debris. Perhaps your last cooking experiment didn’t go according to plan. Leftover bits of grease and food can cause a smoking oven in no time. Prevent oil splatters by covering dishes with lids as well as placing them on baking sheets. Make sure to give your oven a thorough cleaning to remove anything left behind from last night’s supper.
Your oven is brand new. Sometimes, there is a leftover coating on new ovens from the manufacturing process. Don’t worry – it’s normal for an odour and some smoke to be produced during the initial uses. When you purchase an oven, check the owner’s manual for instructions on the first-time usage. In most cases, you’ll need to let it operate between 400-600°F (204-315°C) for 30 minutes.
There is leftover cleaning residue. Have you recently cleaned your oven? There may be residual chemicals that are producing a burning smell. It might seem counterintuitive that scrubbing your oven causes smoke, but it indicates that some products have been left behind. To ensure they’re fully removed, wait until your oven cools down, then wipe the inside of it with water and vinegar. This will remove any remaining cleaning agent residue and prevent it from affecting the taste of your food.
Your food is on the wrong rack. If you’re using the broiler setting on your oven, the food might be too close to the heating element, which can cause your meal to get scorched. Especially for food with high fat content, like steak or cheese, make sure to position them lower down from the element to prevent an accident. Adjust the rack so it is farther away to prevent smoke when broiling food.
The gas pressure is too high. When the oven is receiving too much gas, it can overfeed the flames and produce plumes of smoke. This poses an immediate danger and fire hazard; consult your oven provider or gas company to safely reduce the pressure in your oven. When it comes to gas issues, don’t try a DIY fix – always leave it to the professionals.
An element is broken. Over time, the components of your oven wear out from frequent usage. If your oven has served a long life, it may be time to have it repaired or replaced altogether. An indication of a broken element is a buzzing sound or a coil that does not glow red when it’s heating up.
To solve your smoking oven issues, contact Mike’s Quality Appliance Repair; we offer same-day oven appliance repair in Winnipeg. Our experienced technicians will quickly diagnose your problem and fix your faulty oven, so you’ll be able to ease your hunger without worrying about filling your house up with smoke.