Self-Cleaning Oven Fire – Why This Happens And How To Fix This?

Last Updated on August 6, 2023 By Emma W. Thomas

A self-cleaning oven fire can occur due to residue buildup or improper usage. To fix this, immediately turn off the oven, keep the door closed, and let it cool. Afterward, clean the oven thoroughly and avoid using the self-cleaning feature until the issue is resolved or inspected by a professional.

12 Reasons for Self-Cleaning Oven Firing

The most important thing to remember about a self-cleaning oven is that it’s a process, not a one-click solution. Here are some reasons to know before you go for self-cleaning functionalities.

1. The oven has a tendency to overheat during the self-cleaning process. To avoid a fire, most manufacturers have placed a thermostat inside the oven so that it doesn’t overheat.
2. Some ovens have a self-cleaning function where they will automatically shut down the gas and turn off the oven when it is finished. However, this feature is not always reliable and causes issues such as unsafe levels of carbon monoxide from the exhaust of the oven.
3. You might forget that the oven needs to cool down before turning on again
4. Essentially, this happens when there is too much gas in an oven, and due to this, there are more flames that come out of the oven with every turn. The excess gas gets into a chamber that vents into a chimney or flue. This starts a chain reaction that ends up overheating the oven and burning it.
5. It is an over-firing device, so it fires the gas when the temperature exceeds what is required for cooking.
6. It shuts off when it detects that the temperature of the oven has decreased below its minimum temperature requirement for cleaning or gas fire.
7. It works similarly to a thermostat where the heating element will automatically turn on and off depending on if there are any objects inside or not, but in addition to this, it has sensors that detect if there are any hot objects in or near within a certain distance of the door’s opening position.
8. Overfiring an oven can happen when the user is unaware of the oven’s internal temperature. It can also happen when too much baking material is left in the oven.
9. Some reasons for over-firing an oven are: burning food, leaving food in the oven too long, incorrect settings, and faulty appliances.
10. Some of the most common reasons for this are lack of proper knowledge and understanding, not following instructions properly, faulty operation or operation of the wrong appliance, and lack of skills or tools to clean the oven properly.
11. Unintentional Use of an Oven Time Setting – Some oven time settings can be set too low or too high, leading to the oven overheating and sometimes even catching fire. You can avoid this by checking your time setting before turning on your oven.
12. Overheating – As mentioned above, overheating is a common cause of fires in an oven. This is especially true if you’ve left your kitchen window open or have left other doors open.

What to Do To Prevent This Self-Cleaning Oven Firing?

It is definitely not good to keep the racks inside the oven when the self-cleaning is going on. The high heat will damage the racks terribly, and you may not be able to use it anymore. 

Putting such fire is not an easy task. Here are some vitals to remember: 

You must have known what the initial checkpoints are now, but we want to highlight some more. 

• The first step to taking the correct action is to keep yourself calm. Such situations can be worrying, but you may end up doing something wrong if you panic.
• Please restrict yourself from opening the oven window in the middle of the oven fire. The fire may grow more as it will give access to oxygen. Also, you might get yourself burnt. 
• Please keep the oven remained closed and allow time for the fire to die.
• Please DO NOT PUT WATER on the self-cleaning oven fire. Water will increase the flames more than reduce them.
• If you cannot control the fire with a fire extinguisher, it is better to call the fire brigade. Sometimes these fires are stubborn and not at all easy to get rid of. 
• You must wear a mask while cleaning kinds of stuff like this. Also, wearing rubber gloves is important. It will guard you against inhaling harmful gas or touching anything. 
• Always keep a dustbin brush while cleaning the oven fire. It will help you to clear up the stubborn food particles. 
• If you do not have a dustbin brush, you can also use a vacuum cleaner to get the particles loose. 
• The last and final step for cleaning the mess after an oven fire is with a damp sponge. The more you wipe the whole place repeatedly, the more you ensure a clean oven with no particles left. 
• If you are unaware of the steps and want to take some more help, you can directly get in touch with any oven cleaning services. You can also take help from the company with the oven you have bought. 

Is it dangerous to use a self-cleaning oven?

Self-cleaning ovens are a modern convenience designed to eliminate the drudgery of manual cleaning by heating to high temperatures to burn off food residue. However, are they truly safe? Here is a listicle considering the dangers of using a self-cleaning oven.

1. Potential Fire Hazards:
   Self-cleaning ovens operate at extremely high temperatures to burn away food particles. At such elevated temperatures, any large food deposits or grease could ignite, posing a potential fire risk. It’s critical, before using the self-cleaning feature, to manually clean large pieces or excessive grease first.
2. Toxic Fumes:
   During the self-cleaning process, the extreme heat leads to combustion of leftover food or oil, creating smoke and potential fumes. While much of this can be safely vented, it could be problematic for those with certain health conditions, particularly respiratory issues, as it may induce symptoms like coughing, difficulty in breathing, or even chest tightness.
3. Danger to Pets:
   Birds and other small pets could be particularly vulnerable to the fumes generated by a self-cleaning oven. Birds particularly have highly sensitive respiratory systems, and smoke or fumes can be harmful or even deadly. It’s best to ensure that pets are in a well-ventilated or different area when you’re using this feature.
4. Failure of Oven Components:
   The excessive heat during the self-cleaning cycle can damage important elements of the oven, like the thermal fuse, thermostat, or electronic panels. This can lead to high repair costs, which could have been avoided by manual cleaning.
5. Potential Locking Issues:
   Most self-cleaning ovens have a safety feature that locks the oven door during and after the cleaning process due to the high temperatures reached inside the oven. If the locking mechanism malfunctions, it can be a safety hazard or lead to the inconvenience of not being able to open the oven door.

Potential Risks	Risk Level
Fire Hazards	High
Toxic Fumes	Medium-High
Danger to Pets	Medium-High
Oven Component Failure	Medium
Locking Issues	Medium

FAQs

Is self-cleaning oven safe? 

Ovens that have the self-cleaning option, if used, can produce unhealthy burning-like fumes. When the self-cleaning mode is on, the heat must progress very high so that all the invisible and stuck food particles get burnt. These gases circulate in the air and can cause tremendous health effects. So, it would be best if you cleaned the oven yourself as it will be less harmful. You can also take professional help to clean the ovens. 

The gas that is emitted from the oven is carbon Monoxide. This gas is not at all good for animals and human beings. If the room is closed and does not have proper ventilation, it can cause breathing issues. It should not be inhaled as it is poisonous. 

Can The Self-Cleaning Oven Be Turned Off Early? 

Yes, most of the cleaning ovens can be turned off early. Now, there is an option given to lock the door completely in all the modern ovens, and it can’t be opened. The door can be opened only when all the stuck particles are burnt. 

How Much Time Can A self-Cleaning Oven Take? 

The time can be between 1 hour to 3 hours. It depends upon the amount of dirt and dust in the oven. You may experience some smell in the oven after the cleaning is done. But it will fade eventually after each use. 

How Can We Clean An Oven Fire?

There is no big difference in cleaning the oven fire. You can use the fire extinguisher or use baking soda or salt to loosen the food particles. Once you have done this, you can opt for the normal process of cleaning the oven. 

Is It Possible For A Dirty Oven To Catch Fire? 

Food particles that remain stuck can indeed ignite the fire. If you repeatedly cook in an uncleaned oven, it produces fumes with carbon and will cause extra smoke. In such situations, there can be any hazardous fire. 

Bottom Line.

Self-cleaning oven fire is common and generally happens because of the temperature. In this article, we have jotted down all the doubts you may have due to the open fire. When you are purchasing an oven, it will be best to have a clear knowledge of this. Most of the companies of ovens also do servicing of the ovens to avoid such fires. You can also learn the correct techniques so that you can tackle such situations. If you know someone who might face a lot of trouble due to a self-cleaning oven fire, you can share this article with them. In the end, we want to have a safe and hassle self-cleaning oven at home. 

References:

https://alphatechappliance.ca/can-self-cleaning-ovens-catch-on-fire/
https://kitchenseer.com/self-cleaning-oven-fire/