Many people come across a gas stove, but not everyone knows how to use it correctly. But when operating it, you must adhere to safety rules: a gas leak in an apartment in a multi-story building can lead to an accident, as it forms an explosive mixture. If you use a gas stove negligently, residents of other premises may also suffer.
General requirements
Regardless of whether natural gas is used by connecting to a centralized gas system or a cylinder is used, the operating approach is the same.
It is important to remember that gas burners not only give off heat, but also actively burn oxygen in the room where they are installed. During operation, combustion products are released, the most dangerous of which is carbon monoxide. There are also a number of harmful impurities (nitrogen oxides, formaldehydes, sulfur dioxide and others) that can negatively affect well-being and immunity. These components appear in the air in the event of incomplete combustion of the gas mixture, as well as poor ventilation of the room.
Therefore, before purchasing a gas stove, it is worth exploring the possibility of installing an electric or induction model. Of course, such heating devices will be more expensive, since the cost of electricity often exceeds regular payments for gas. But the quality of life in your own home is hardly worth assessing in terms of money.
If it is not possible to switch to a safe cooking method and you have to use gas equipment, then you must adhere to the following important rules.
- Each time after finishing the cooking process, it is necessary to close the tap on the pipe or the valve of the cylinder.
- Before leaving the house, check the taps on the stove and on the gas pipe. In the event of an emergency, this will help block the flow of gaseous air into the room.
- When installing in a private house, allocate a room for the kitchen with a window so that, if necessary, use a source of fresh air in close proximity to the place where the gas is burned. In an apartment with a ready-made layout, try to install the stove closer to the opening of the window or window frame.
- Determine whether there is access to the ventilation shaft or a place in the external wall into which the air duct can be routed.
- It is imperative to install a hood above the future cooking area, the area of which will cover the perimeter of the stove. If possible, install a flow-through mechanism for the release of combustion residues (when warm air and burned gas are removed outside the home). If there is no access to ventilation and external walls, then the minimum safe step would be to mount a recirculation model. She will be able to clean the air through a filter system.
- In the event of unsuccessful culinary experiments, when food burns and a strong smell arises, simultaneously with turning on the hood, you need to open all the windows and organize a draft for the free exit of contaminated particles.
- After installing a new stove, it is important to check the quality and color of the flame on each burner. Maximum combustion of harmful impurities occurs with a uniform blue flame. If the fire has a yellow tint, then you need to turn off the gas supply and check if there are any obstacles or blockages in the fire supply path. When you cannot detect the problem yourself, it is better to call gas service workers to receive recommendations on the correct operation of the equipment.
A yellow tint of the flame is a signal of a problem
- Similar help from specialists will be required if you notice a specific smell of gas when the burners are not working.
- For the safest possible use of gas burners, it is recommended to observe the restriction of continuous operation of two burners for no more than three hours. If you plan to cook a large number of dishes, then you should take at least an hour break with full ventilation of the room.
- Even if only one burner is working, there is no need to leave other dishes on the stove. It will prevent free air circulation and trap combustion products in the kitchen.
After finishing using the gas stove, it is recommended to fully ventilate the room or turn on the hood for an additional 30 minutes.
Consumer rights
The maximum permissible service life of a gas-powered product is established for a reason.
During this period of time, the citizen using the device has certain rights. Among them are the right to:
- Receiving material and moral compensation from the supplier if the device caused harm to a citizen or his property.
- Providing free repair services if the breakdown occurred due to defects and not user actions.
- Use the device safely and obtain maintenance.
The equipment must operate normally for the entire period of time specified by the manufacturer or prescribed by law. This is the inalienable right of any consumer.
If the seller or manufacturer refuses to fulfill the obligations imposed on them by law, the citizen has the right to protect his consumer rights, including in court.
It is important to know how gas equipment is maintained.
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How to light a fire
If you have never encountered gas stoves before, then the question of how to light a gas stove may be very relevant. To do this, you need to adhere to a certain algorithm. First of all, you need to ventilate the room. The following steps should be followed step by step:
- Open the tap on the pipe or valve if using a gas cylinder.
- Light the burner.
This process occurs differently depending on the type of stove and the source of fire. The stove can be lit in the following ways:
- from an open source of fire - matches;
- using an electric or silicon lighter;
- electric ignition
Modern models of gas stoves are equipped with a built-in electric ignition system. This function can be displayed on a separate button, or it can be built into the burner tap. This is the only case when turning the stove tap can simultaneously light the burner. In other models, you must first provide a fire (spark), and then open the burner valve. The tap opens clockwise when slightly pressed inward. Read about how to light a gas stove oven here.
The flame should be a distinct blue color and evenly distributed around the burner. If it slips in, close the tap and re-ignite the burner. The optimal flame height should not exceed 2-2.5 cm and is adjusted by turning the valve handle. If there is a draft in the room, the flame will tend to break away from the burner, which is dangerous from a fire safety point of view. If there is too much air, you need to close the window. If there is a lack of air, the color of the flame will clearly change from blue to yellow, and carbon monoxide will be released, which is dangerous to human health.
How does an oven work in a gas stove?
The operating principle of the oven and external burners are not the same. In the first case, the required temperature is established in a confined space, in the second, the flame heats the bottom of the metal container. In the oven, the air is heated from the bottom up, uniformly filling the closed space.
The oven built into the stove has a separate internal burner. The flame in the burner is formed by the diffusion of air molecules and combustible gas, that is, naturally, when oxygen is not required. When the faucet opens, the escaping propane mixes with air. To ignite, you only need a spark from a match or electric current.
To turn on the oven:
- Slowly turn the faucet to release propane into the burner.
- Open the oven. Light the flame either by pressing the appropriate button on the gas stove panel or using matches.
- Place the baking tray with food on the wire rack. Close the door.
- Set the necessary cooking parameters: temperature, time, etc.
Turning on the oven
The procedure for igniting the burner inside the oven is more complicated than on the surface of the stove. Often the view is blocked by a massive tray, and it is suggested to use only a small hole with access to the burner. This not only makes it difficult to start, but also makes it difficult to see whether the torches in the holes in the round base are fully lit.
The safest way is the auto-ignition built in by the manufacturer, which provides a stable spark for the flame. The second highest risk are electric or pneumatic lighters with an elongated bell for supplying a spark. They protect the owner's hands from accidental burns in case of fire. The most dangerous methods include outdated wooden matches or a piece of paper rolled up into a ball.
You can light the oven with matches or a lighter, but it is safer to use automatic ignition.
Before turning on the new oven, it must be wiped down and dried. If the stove has already been used, it is important to completely clean the internal surfaces of burnt food residues so that additional combustion of carcinogenic substances does not occur when heat is supplied.
When starting the heating, you need to take into account the built-in flame control mechanism, holding the knob for at least three seconds so that it does not go out.
Using the oven
After turning on the heat in the oven, it is best to set the heat to the maximum temperature to save time. But during this period it is necessary to carefully evaluate the smell that may appear as the temperature rises. In older stove models, you will have to check the uniformity of the fire visually.
You can watch the flames in the oven through a special window.
If signs of a specific gas composition appear, you must immediately turn off the device, ventilate the room and repeat heating after a while. If after a couple of minutes of heating there is a trace of burning, this means that the walls have not been properly cleaned after previous use. It is better to turn off the stove and wash the walls, otherwise the new dish will absorb burnt particles and spoil its aroma.
Some models from previous releases have design flaws that lead to burning of food. If it is not possible to replace the equipment, then folk remedies can come to the rescue: placing silicate bricks at the bottom, containers with water, salt or sand.
What not to do when using the stove
Having extensive experience working with equipment, consumers sometimes forget both about safety precautions and some of the features of using a gas stove. To make the cooking process safe for the owner and others, you must remember what not to do.
- It is not recommended to use wide-bottomed cookware on low burners. In this case, the effect of incomplete combustion of fuel is formed, and you can be poisoned by carbon monoxide.
- The flame should not come out from the bottom of the cookware, as this will lead to a needless increase in fuel consumption and the appearance of soot, which will only increase the cooking time.
- If the diameter of the cookware exceeds the hob and extends beyond its edges, you should use an additional burner to increase the height and provide air supply.
Are gas stove manufacturers required to set their service life?
Current legislation does not always require manufacturers to set the service life of the products they produce.
This rule applies only to those devices that are intended for long-term use. Moreover, this must be done if, after the expiration date, the product can:
- Harm citizens using it, leading to death.
- Cause damage to the property of the owner of the product or the environment.
In all other cases, the manufacturer is not obliged to set the service life of the devices.
To understand whether this information should be indicated in relation to gas stoves (and any other devices), it is necessary to familiarize yourself with Government Resolution No. 720. It clearly states that this period is established for gas household appliances. The stove is one of these devices.
The deadline is not specified - what to do
In some cases, such information cannot be found. This is due to the fact that, despite the above-mentioned regulation, not all manufacturers adhere to it. The citizen should know that if neither the manufacturer nor the seller sets this parameter, the provisions of the law come into force.
In accordance with consumer legislation, in the absence of such information from the manufacturer, the citizen has the right to service the device for ten years.
Regular Maintenance
Cleanliness of the surfaces of the stove and oven is the key to reducing the emission of harmful impurities into the climate of the living room. After each cooking, it is necessary to clean not only the walls of the device, but also disassemble the gas burners to check the cleanliness of the fire passages.
All removable parts can be washed in the dishwasher or soaked in soapy water. If there is any deviation in the smell or change in the color of the flame from blue to yellow, you must immediately contact the gas service.
