How to Turn Off the Gas to a Stove at the Shutoff Valve

How to Turn Off the Gas to a Stove at the Shutoff Valve

Use the gas shutoff valve connected to the appliance’s flexible supply line to turn off the gas to a stove

If You Smell Gas

If a gas smell permeates the entire house, or you detect a strong smell when you walk inside your home, leave the house immediately and call 9-1-1

Warning

If the odor of gas is faint and is contained in a small area, you can shut off the gas yourself before calling the utility or a plumber. In many instances, the location of the gas smell will give you a strong hint about what appliance is malfunctioning or where the bad connection is located. If you smell gas in the kitchen, for example, it’s quite likely that the problem lies with the stove or range. When the smell of gas is localized in this way, it is usually safe to act quickly to turn off the gas supply to the appliance itself, but always use your best judgment, and err on the side of safety.

Instructions

  1. Ventilate the Area

If you smell gas, open windows to provide ventilation to the room. Do not turn on vent fans or even operate light fixtures until the gas has been shut off and the room has been ventilated. If the gas is dense in the air, there is a small but real chance that electrical arcing from flipping a wall switch could trigger an explosion.

  • Check the Stove Burners

Make sure all the burner controls are in the OFF position

Remove the Oven Drawer

Carefully pull out the drawer below the oven compartment,  Remove the drawer completely. Shine a flashlight into the open drawer space to check for the gas shutoff valve. Most stoves are installed so that the gas shutoff valve is accessible through the drawer compartment, so you can easily shut off the gas without moving the stove.

  • Move the Stove (as Needed)

If the shutoff valve is behind the stove but is not reachable from the drawer compartment, carefully pull the stove away from the wall to gain access to the gas valve. As you move the stove, keep an eye on the flexible gas tubing. It’s very likely that connections on this tubing are where the gas leak is occurring, and you don’t want to aggravate the problem by pulling out the stove too quickly or putting stress on the tubing or connections.

Warning

 Do not unplug the stove from its electrical outlet, since pulling the plug from the outlet creates a small risk of sparking.

  • Close the Shutoff Valve

Locate the gas valve handle  until it stops. Usually, this is a ball valve with a lever handle. When it is in the OFF position, the handle will be perpendicular to the direction of the gas pipe. Turn on one of the stove burners to verify that the gas has been turned off. If you want to unplug the stove cord from its electrical outlet, wait until the smell of gas is completely gone.

  • Call a Professional

Call the gas company or a plumber to find the source of the problem. 

Warning

If you still smell gas after you shut off the gas to the stove, call the gas company immediately to have them shut off the gas supply to the entire home and inspect for a leak. Vacate your home until the service person gives you the all-clear that your home is safe.