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If your oven is smoking, there can be many reasons for this. In the following points, we explain why it may be the case and what you can do about it.
Oven is smoking – why and what to do about it
If your oven is smoking, it doesn’t always have to be a particularly serious problem; it can also be due to simple and quick-to-fix causes. It is important that you only have repairs carried out by qualified personnel, especially with an oven, no hobby craftsman should do it.
- Food leftovers: A common cause of a smoking oven is leftover food. This can be on the edge of the base or between the oven door and the base when it is removed. In most cases, the residue is already burnt on and therefore difficult to see, so check the relevant areas.
- Cleaning: After cleaning with oven spray or similar products, smoke may appear in the oven. This is caused by residues of the cleaning agent and is quickly removed. After you have cleaned your oven and wiped it with a crepe cloth, heat it briefly according to the instructions on the cleaning agent. Then leave the oven to dry out with the door open.
- New appliances: New appliances can sometimes produce smoke when they are first used. As a rule, the installer will carry out a first run through and check the function. Refer to the operating instructions or contact the manufacturer directly.
In general, it can be said that the smoke should decrease significantly after 5 minutes at the latest. Otherwise, get help from a professional to check it. - Technical defect: A technical defect can also be a reason for your smoking oven. A damaged heating coil is often the cause. In this case, a repair is more complex and also more expensive than the problems described above. However, you should also take your suspicions to a specialist company and have them checked.
- Finally, you should check your oven for damaged seals or other possible substances. Incorrectly fitted and jammed seals can also cause smoke to develop under certain circumstances. For new appliances, check whether there are any remnants of packaging material in the oven.
- Other causes may be defective heating elements, an incorrect baking temperature or unsuitable cookware .
The heating elements should be replaced by a specialist company. Refer to the operating instructions and the recipe for the appropriate baking temperatures. Always use suitable, in this case heat-resistant cookware.
Immediate measures in the event of a smoking oven
The steps described below will help to stop the immediate development of smoke and eliminate or identify the cause. Regular cleaning of the oven is the best precaution against smoke formation due to residues or grease. In the event of a smoking oven, you should take the following immediate measures:
- Switch off the oven: Switch off the appliance immediately to prevent further smoke development and possible damage.
- Close the oven door: Keep the door closed to prevent the smoke from entering the room and making the situation worse.
- Ventilation: Open windows and doors to remove smoke from the kitchen.
- Remove any leftover food: Smoke is often caused by burnt-on food or grease residue in the oven. As soon as the appliance has cooled down, clean thoroughly.
- Watch out for cleaning agent residues: Smoke may occur briefly after cleaning with oven spray. After cleaning, heat the oven briefly to burn off the residues and then leave it to air out with the door open.
- Check for foreign objects: Check whether there is still packaging material or other foreign objects in the oven (especially with new appliances).
- Call in a specialist company in the event of technical problems: If the smoke does not want to disappear or there appears to be a technical defect (e.g. damaged heating coil, defective door seals), the oven should no longer be used and a professional check should be carried out.
- Important: Never use water to extinguish burning fat or oil, as this can lead to a dangerous fat explosion.
