6 Common reasons behind a smoking oven
You may be concerned if your oven is smoking, but there are a number of reasons this could be happening, and most of them can be handled without professional help. Read this guide to learn more about the potential causes of a smoking oven and get ideas for how to fix it.
Why is there smoke coming from my oven?
A smoking oven can be caused by a few different things such as being brand new or needing to be cleaned. If you’re not sure why your oven is smoking, read the list below to see if you can remedy it. If you can rule out these causes and you are unable to solve the problem yourself, it might be time to consider calling a certified repair person or, if it’s also time to upgrade, begin shopping for a new, dependable Maytag® oven or range.
1. Brand new
When an oven is used the first few times, smoke and odors are normal due to the manufacturing process. The oven may be burning off the factory coating. This will dissipate after a few uses. Learn more about why a new oven smells when you first use it.
The best way to get rid of the smell is to run an empty cycle. Do not cook any food prior to this cycle as the smell and potentially the taste can stick with your food. If anyone in your home is sensitive to strong odors or smoke, open nearby windows or use your kitchen vent, if you have one. This should help dissipate the new oven odor. You may need to repeat this process a few times.
IMPORTANT: The health of some birds is extremely sensitive to these fumes. Exposure may result in the death of certain birds. Always move birds to another closed and well-ventilated room.
2. Cleaner residue
If you have recently cleaned your oven with an oven cleaner, there may be a residue left behind. This residue can cause the oven to smoke when it heats up. Cleaning the oven with a vinegar and water solution may solve this problem. Be sure to clean the inside top, sides, bottom and door and dry thoroughly to ensure that all residue is removed.
Always make sure to follow the cleaning instructions in your owner’s manual to help avoid this issue.
3. Heavily soiled
The oven may also produce smoke and odors if it is heavily soiled. Keeping the oven clean will help prevent this from happening. You can clean your oven yourself by following a few simple steps, or if your oven has a self-cleaning mode or a steam-clean feature, you can use that feature to help streamline the process.
4. Grease or food dripping
Another reason that your oven might be smoking could be related to grease or food dripping inside. Sometimes foods will fall into the bottom of the oven or grease will drip from a pan. When the food or grease lands in the bottom of the oven, it can cause smoking. Using a baking sheet or drip pan can help you avoid this problem.
5. Food positioning
The way you position food in your oven can cause it to smoke, too. If you are using the broiler, keep in mind that it gets very hot and can easily burn the food and cause it to smoke if it’s too close to the heating element.
The same can apply to the heating element that is used for baking. If foods are positioned too close to the heating element, they can scorch and smoke.
6. Faulty heating element
Sometimes the heating elements in an oven can wear out. In an electric oven, if the bottom heating element doesn’t activate during the bake setting, or the top element doesn’t turn on during the broil setting, the element may no longer function properly. As the heating elements are burning out, you might see smoke. If this happens, turn the oven off and disconnect it from power.
If the heating element no longer works on your oven, consider upgrading to a Maytag® range with AquaLift® Self-Cleaning Technology and a variety of other powerful features you can depend on.
Shop the latest deals on select Maytag major appliances Shop Now
Shop New Maytag® Ovens
With features designed for power and control, Maytag® ovens help ensure that dinner gets on the table and clean-up is easy.
Is it bad if my oven is smoking?
If your oven is smoking, it is important to find the cause. It might be an easy fix such as running the self-cleaning mode or repositioning the food. If you are unable to identify the reason your oven is smoking, schedule a Maytag® authorized service appointment for your appliance to help you address the problem.
Can a smoking oven catch fire?
Most of the reasons that your oven may be smoking are not cause for alarm and can be addressed without professional help, always consult a professional if you are unsure of the problem or unable to fix it yourself.
How do I get my oven to stop smoking?
The first step is to identify the cause of the smoke. If you have recently cleaned your oven, you may need to clean it again, being careful to remove all cleaner and soap residue. If you have not cleaned the oven recently, consider cleaning it to remove anything that may be causing the smoke.
If your oven is new, it may be burning off the factory coating and the smoking will stop on its own. Run an empty cycle for up to 60 minutes and repeat the process 2 to 3 times, as necessary. This should help the smoke and odor to dissipate.
