Many discerning home cooks and professional chefs prefer gas stoves for their precise temperature control, quick heating, and visual heat monitoring. This is because of the familiarity and visual aspect of flame monitoring and control. However, like many appliances, correct usage is essential to ensure your safety, and to optimise its performance.
It’s important to remember that you’re cooking with a flammable substance which, if you are not careful, can potentially be a fire hazard or a source of toxic fumes. Here, AEG provides you with some gas stove safety tips to help keep your home and family safe as you cook. Please note that you can apply these tips for both freestanding gas stoves combo and gas hobs.
1. Check the gas line for leaks
Gas leaks can lead to fires, explosions, or carbon monoxide poisoning. Err on the side of caution by routinely checking your gas connections for any signs of corrosion, warping, or damage. Once a year, call a professional to thoroughly inspect your system, especially if you use gas for other appliances.
It’s also wise to replace old gas pipes as new ones are more durable against corrosion and wear, leading to longer lifespan and fewer repairs. Additionally, they're designed for improved gas flow, enhancing combustion efficiency and cooking performance.
Some signs that indicate a gas leak are: A ‘rotten egg’ smell, a hissing sound, and a yellow flame. To verify, spray soapy water on a suspected area. If it bubbles, you have found the source of the leak.
Once confirmed, switch off all burners and turn off your gas. Open your windows and doors and leave the room. Immediately call your local gas supplier or the fire department to investigate and fix the leakage.
2. Use the right cookware
Match your pan size to your flame size. Small cookware can be used for quick low-heat cooking, while bigger cookware should be for high-heat cooking. Otherwise, a big flame under a small pan might reach the edge of the cookware, burning your hand.
While gas stoves provide you with the flexibility of using any type of cookware, not all materials are the same. Some can warp from the intensity of the flame, while some poorly conduct heat, causing uneven heat distribution. Instead, choose stainless steel, hard-anodised aluminium, copper, cast iron, and carbon steel, which are all excellent for gas stove cooking.
3. Remove flammable objects from stovetop
A common kitchen mistake is leaving objects on unused gas burners, such as pot holders, plastic containers, or wooden utensils, which might catch fire when in close proximity with the flame. As a safety precaution, make it a habit to always place items outside the perimeter of the burners. This also includes taking care with loose clothing and kitchen curtains.
4. Do not let the burner run without ignition
Gas should flow up and the igniter should instantly spark to create a flame. There shouldn’t be any delay in ignition.
If you hear a click when you turn on the burner, but the flame is delayed or nothing lights up at all, the igniter may be clogged. Turn the burner off immediately to stop the flow of gas, then try cleaning it, and wait for a few minutes before turning it back on.
Similarly, when adjusting to the lowest flame level, don’t let it extinguish. Otherwise, gas will continue to seep out.
5. Choose a high-quality cooker hood
Why settle for a stuffy kitchen? instead of relying on opening windows or doors to clear the air, use a cooker hood. The right one will quickly and efficiently remove fumes and odours for a more pleasant cooking experience.
AEG cooker hoods come in different styles and installation options to suit your cooking and design needs. As well as the traditional chimney style, some hoods can also be integrated or concealed within your hob. If you frequently cook with high heat, consider a powerful extraction rate of 700m³/hour.
- Designed and manufactured in Europe.
- PowerBoost quickly removes smoke and strong odour.
- Glass touch control panel is simple and sylish.
- Designed and manufactured in Europe.
- PowerBoost quickly removes smoke and strong odour.
- Glass touch control panel is simple and sylish.
- Designed and manufactured in Europe.
- Centrifugal motor is energy efficient.
- Stainless steel is stylish, durable and versatile.
6. Have emergency equipment on hand
Keep a fire extinguisher in your kitchen and read the instructions to ensure you’re prepared in an emergency. Remember: never put out stove top fires with water — it will just spread it. Instead, turn off the burner, cover it with a metal lid to deplete it of oxygen, and then use the fire extinguisher if needed.
Most stove top fires are caused by grease splattered on the burners or countertops. Prevent this by always wiping surfaces clean after cooking oily dishes. For quicker action, keep a list of emergency hotlines in your kitchen.
7. Clean your stove regularly
A neglected gas stove can be a fire hazard, as well as cause poor temperature control and uneven heat. Don’t wait for these to happen — prevent cooker conundrums by simply giving it a good wipe down once a day.
Once a month, carry out a deeper clean by scrubbing the grates and burner caps with soapy water. Cleaning the surface can be trickier depending on the material, so refer to this in-depth guide on how to clean gas stovetop thoroughly. Also, be cautious of nudging the stove too much to prevent any pulls on the gas line.
8. Mind the details
When it comes to safe cooking, the small details matter. Position pan handles to the side, not beyond the countertop, to prevent knocking over the pan and spilling hot food on yourself. Never leave the burner on unattended even for a short time, and immediately turn off the burners when not in use.
Be aware of even the slightest changes in the air. To ensure you’re inhaling healthy air, consider installing carbon monoxide alarms to detect high levels of toxic gas. Place them low near the floors because gas leaks are heavier than air. If the alarms sound off, immediately open all windows and doors, go outside for fresh air, and call emergency medical help.
Here are more kitchen tips that you may find helpful:
- Energy saving tips for fridge
- How to clean and maintein cooker hood
Ensure ultimate safety with AEG gas stoves
Cooking is more enjoyable with gas stoves that give you peace of mind.
- Rotisserie turnspit kebab shelf
- Large capacity convection oven
- Oven functions 10
- Large capacity convection
- Oven functions 6
- Catalytic Oven Cleaning
- Large capacity convection
- Oven functions 6
- Catalytic Oven Cleaning
Safe low-heat cooking
If the flame goes out while cooking on low heat, the flame failure safety device automatically cuts off gas supply, ensuring you don’t inhale gas.
One press for fire
Start cooking with a simple press and turn using the ergonomically designed electronic ignition.
Style meets practicality
AEG gas hobs have a sleek stainless-steel surface that is durable and easy to wipe clean — just like those in professional kitchens.
Energy efficient cooking
Enjoy low energy costs and fast cooking with blue flames that burn quickly and efficiently.
For how to choose the best gas stove for your family, please refer to these buying guides:
FAQs on how to use gas stoves safely
-
How to detect a gas leak from a stove?
The most definite way of detecting a gas leak is with a handheld gas detector. If unavailable, try the soapy water method. In addition to the smells and sounds mentioned, some physical signs to watch out for are chest pains, lightheadedness, and headaches.
-
Why is there smoke coming out of the gas burner?
It might be because of a dirty burner. Leftover grease burns and becomes smoke, producing soot and staining the bottoms of your cookware black. To solve this, soak your grates and burners with soapy water, then scrub to remove stubborn oily residue.
-
Do gas stoves need to be vented?
Yes. Gas stoves produce small amounts of harmful by-products that can accumulate overtime and affect your health. While opening windows helps, a cooker hood can remove these pollutants more effectively, improving indoor air quality, especially if you have a small kitchen.
- Automatic Ignition
- Flame Failure Device
- Wok Burner
- Automatic Ignition
- Flame Failure Device
- Premium Design
- Automatic Ignition
- Flame Failure Device
- Cast Iron Support
