You should always turn off your gas stove whenever you’re done cooking. And better yet, turn off the entire gas connection to your stove for safety.
Do this after every cooking session and before you call it a night.
But, as you’re only human, there are times when you accidentally leave your gas stove on. Perhaps you got distracted by noisy guests or you got very excited about that live sports game at home.
If you’re in this situation, read on, as these are the things you must do to keep the entire household safe.
1) If you don’t smell gas, chill and turn off the stove
Just realized you forgot to turn off the burner on your stove? If there’s no gas smell, take it easy but turn off the stove as fast as you can.
Next time, remember to close the stove after you’ve prepared a meal. Now, breathe and relax, since your home is safe and no fire broke out.
2) If you smell gas, switch off the stove and evacuate immediately
Now you have a dilemma here.
Naturally, gas is odorless, whether it is propane or natural gas, and as such, gas suppliers add a special odor to it that smells like rotten eggs.
As soon as you detect this, turn off your stove if it is of the ordinary kind, and then evacuate everyone including your family members, pets, and tenants.
Don’t bother opening the windows, as this will use up more time for you to get out of the house safely. Furthermore, it can send out dangerous fumes outside which can affect passersby.
However, if your stove is the type that emits sparks, just leave the house immediately and call your local fire department. Turning the knob could potentially cause an explosion.
If you can, though, try to turn off the gas supply at the meter outside your house. If not, wait for the firemen to arrive and inform them of the problem.
3) Don’t use gas or electrical items
A stove that’s left on can cause gas leaks. This is a situation where gas travels through the air in your house.
That is risky because fire can easily start from electrical or gas items. So, avoid using them altogether, even just turning them on or off, and don’t light a smoke too.
Turn off the gas supply if possible and leave the house immediately. Dial your local fire department so the situation can be controlled as soon as possible.
4) Get emergency help
You may have already driven out of the house to work when it passes your mind you didn’t turn off the stove. In that case, don’t delay, get emergency help right now.
Inform them about the situation, especially if you get reports about occupants or neighbors feeling these symptoms: headaches, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, or flu.
By doing this, the firefighters will come to your home and turn off the gas stove and fix other related problems. When it’s safe for you to return home, they’ll update you promptly.
