Why Is My Oven Smoking? – 6 Possible Reasons

Are you using your old oven or you are using a new one? Know one thing the smoking of an oven doesn’t depend on the age of the oven. Rather it depends on the way you are using it to prepare your food. If there is leftover food at the bottom of the oven, the oven is likely to smoke.

In this article we are going to discuss the possible reasons that will answer your question- Why does my oven smoke?  It is time to smoke off and cool off your oven with the no-sweat solutions. It is advised to properly use and maintain the oven’s health for a longer span of usage.

Why Does My Oven Smoke?

Why Is My Oven Smoking

Smoking an oven is never a good sign. You need to find out the cause and then repair it as needed. If you find the smoke emanating from the oven door or vent, know that it is not a sign to be ignored. You need to take good care and look for ways in which you can prepare your oven. The right fix of the oven depends on the circumstances and appliances.  

Here are reasons where we have underlined the common causes that suggest the reason behind why ovens are smoking. The reason for smoke could be as mild as a residual food particle that burns and is charring up.

1- Residue Of Oven Cleaner Remains

The smokey oven is a cause that might occur due to the residue of oven cleaner. Use these simple steps to clean off the residue of the oven while cleaning-

  • Wipe off the oven cleaner with a wet but clean cloth
  • Create a mixture of 3 quarts lukewarm water in two cups of vinegar
  • Put the cleaning cloth into the soluble mixture and use it to wipe all surfaces of the oven

2- The Factory Coating Is Deteriorating

The next reason that may come up is the deterioration of the factory coating. And, to be true this reason is very common in brand new ovens. Most of the times, we have seen smoke while we operate the oven for cooking or heating the edibles.

People’s minds remain confused with a common question- how to stop ovens from smoking?  Since new elements are coated with oil-based factory coating, therefore they are more prone to fire. The smoke lends a burnet flavor to the food inside the oven. Hence experts opine to burn the coating once or twice before using it for food.

3- Baked-On Food Remnants

Leftover food particles within the oven burn and they emit smoke. They get stuck and stay there emitting unnecessary smoke. To stay away from these kinds of issues, it is best to wipe clean the fallen food chunks with debris.

These debris are collected due to repeated oven usage. And, so it starts to emit smoke, burn, and in rare cases it even catch fire.  It is best to wipe out the space with a wet and clean clothing piece to avoid unnecessary hiccups in between work.

4-The Gas Pressure Is High

It is important to reduce the pressure within the oven. In some of the gas ovens, high gas pressure is experienced due to improper conversion of the oven. Thus, high pressure starts to generate taller and hotter oven flames from the main burner at the bottom of the oven. Hence there is a bad experience of high volumes of smoke.

Consult the oven installer or an experienced gas company to know how to stop the oven from smoking. It helps in safely correcting the conversion. This residue increases the height of the flame and it needs to be checked immediately to avoid problems.

5- Incorrect Positioning Of Food

The next reason behind uneven oven heating is the incorrect positioning of the food.  Sometimes we place the food in the wrong manner and thus end up with unnecessary issues during the oven usage.

Incorrect positioning of food causes your oven to smoke. This is especially true in all cases-

  • Food placed near the top or bottom can smoke, combust, and even scorch
  • Issues may occur while broiling or baking food high in fat content
  • For broiling any food, place it at a gap of three inches away from the broiling element on the roof of an oven
  • For baking purposes, it is best to place the food away from the bottom element/gas flame
  • Place a dripping pan to stay away from drips on the heating element/gas flame on the bottom of the oven
  • If the greasing fails while roasting can cause a fire inside the oven

6- Faulty Heating Elements

If you are still worried about why is my oven smoking while preheating? Then there can be some serious issues with the oven. Sometimes issues may arise from faulty heating elements. It may turn short and burn to promote smoke. It gives a warning before it dies out. The smoke may be followed by an electric buzzing sound.

Heating elements lose their power due to overheating. The right step to take is to clean the heating elements and then cool them down before you intend to wipe them off with a wet and clean piece of cloth.

Undue gathering of cobwebs, dust, and food muck restricts the heating element from smooth airflow and heat transfer or perhaps disturbs the process causing preheating of the oven. In return, there is a decrease in the operational capacity of the heating element.

How To Stop Oven From Smoking?

Why Is My Oven Smoking

Why is my oven smoking after I cleaned it? This can be the question of many among us who are tired of seeing their oven preheat and damage due to overheating. If your elements have turned faulty, it means you need to go for a longer glow like all before and need to be replaced.

Frequent exposures lead to a self-cleaning cycle. It can shorten heating elements due to repetitive and intense heating of build-up. Here are steps that act as tips to stop the oven from smoking-

  • Use baking sheets with dripping pans underneath
  • Never place pizza or steaks directly on the rack
  • Confiscate melted aluminum as soon as possible
  • Never place mats or sheets covering holes at the bottom of your gas oven
  • Keep distance between top and bottom heating elements along with your food
  • Clean and wipe out the walls, bottom, and roof with a wet cloth after every use
  • Use baking soda, and vinegar every month along with lukewarm water to clean the oven
  • Remember to remove the racks positively and wash them frequently to avoid issues
  • Use the self-cleaning function in the oven sparingly.
  • Use it only 6 to 7 times a year but not more than that

By now, you know there are multiple reasons to why there are reasons for smokey ovens. You can find out the cause by analyzing your oven and repairing it accordingly. It can be the reason behind your placing of food inside. Thus it is important to maintain the steps properly to enjoy varieties of food better.

Frequently Asked Questions-

Q1. What Happens If Your Oven Is Smoking?

A1. If the oven is smoking, there can be multiple of reasons. Smoke and buzzing sound in an electric oven is a typical sign of gas heating. Sometimes debris from past use can cause more issues.

Q2. Can A Smoking Oven Cause A Fire?

A2. Ovens can catch fire for different reasons. One such reason is to forget something in the oven which may lead to burned food and lots of smoke.

Suppose, you are cooking something with a lot of grease, there is a chance of splattering and causing the right flame.

Q3. Why Does My Oven Smell Like Burning Plastic?

A3. It is due to the insulation around the oven cavity that being exposed to the high pressure may cause issues in the oven. It can result from protective oil coating during the manufacturing in burning that leads to the smell of burning plastic.

Q4. Why Is My Stove Smoking So Much?

A4. Inadequate ventilation is another common reason behind wood burners smoking in the room. The stove needs to be repaired with proper time gaping. This is something that needs to be maintained with every operation of the oven.

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