Is it Safe to Light an Electronic Ignition Oven When the Power Is Out?

Stove Top Burners

• When all stoves and ovens had pilot lights, an electrical outage did not affect them at all. The burners were lit by passing the gas over an existing flame. With electronic lighters, the spark that they create for the gas to ignite is not available. The gas still flows when the stove top burners are turned on. Carefully holding a match to the burner allows you to ignite the gas.

Ovens

• Ovens do not work the same way the range top does. According to Northwest Natural Gas Company, ovens are designed with a safety feature that prevents them from being manually lighted when the power is off. The igniter must have electric power flowing to it before any gas is released. This prevents a gas buildup in the closed oven chamber, which could cause a major explosion and fire.

Older Ovens

• Stoves that are more than 20 years old may not have this safety feature on them, and it is possible that they can be lit by manual means even if they have an electronic starter. The bottom grate of the oven must be removed to give access to the burners. Hold a lit, long fireplace-style match or a lengthy splinter of wood with the tip burning near the starter. Turn the oven on to start the gas flow, and wait a moment. If the burner does not start within three to four seconds, turn it off, pull the match out and reassemble the bottom grate.

Heat Source

• Using stove top burners or the oven to keep a home warm during a power outage is a bad idea. According to Northwest Natural Gas Company, they lack the ventilation necessary to keep a home safe. When people are gathered in a kitchen, the likelihood of accidents with open flames is increased, and it only takes a moment for tragedy to happen.