Scary thing with my oven last night

[Jenise]

I was making stuffed acorn squash for dinner. Had just turned on the big oven in my Viking gas range and was stirring the stuffing (sausage, mushrooms and onions) which was on the stovetop. Suddenly there was a loud explosive KABOOM and I felt a giant heat wash upwards from mid-calf to thigh, followed by the smell of something burnt. I screamed, jumped back and looked down to see that the fabric of what I was wearing (which happened to be white) had yellowed over the area I'd felt the heat and was covered with little black spots where the pilliness of worn soft fabric had been ignited by the fireball inside that oven.

And no, the oven didn't turn on. Nor would I, after that, consider turning it on again. I crammed the squash into a narrower pan and used the small oven instead.

So it's now official: I hate my Viking range. I am completely and totally sorry that I didn't spend another three grand for dual fuel, and that I didn't consider any other brand except Viking. The big oven has been problematic since day one. 1) Sometimes I turn it on and it doesn't ignite at all, other times it ignites after a short delay with a small, seemingly insignificant popping sound about 1/10th of what I heard last night. 2) Whenever I use the ovens the smell of gas wafts upstairs, which makes me nervous about whether it's really safe every time I smell that. And now this! 3) The stovetop burners all work fine, but I hate the grill I paid so much extra for so hardly ever use it. The hot flame is basically only down the center, and there are hot and cold spots to boot so if one is grilling, say, a bunch of slices of bread, some would burn while others took no color at all unless you constantly move things around. Grill a steak? Not good enough, not worth it. And the unit's a bitch to clean. The 30 year old Jenn-Air that came with the house was far better.

I've never been fond of gas fueled ovens ever since one did a big POOF on me when I was about 12 years old...totally my fault BTW. Also, never been a lover of electric cooktops for their slow response and lack of control. Fortunately, our house came with a Jenn-Air Hybrid (2 electic ovens/ 5 gas burner cooktop) and I'm a happy camper.

FWIW, I'd be pi$$ed if I shelled out those big $$$ for a Viking and it turn out to be a POS.

Is the Viking still on warranty? The smell of gas upstairs is dangerous! And the oven ignition problem SHOULD NOT HAPPEN!
If it's on warranty, persist, and see if you can get the dealer you bought it from to help.
If not on warranty, that experience is worth a letter to the corporate offices.
Also, can you get your gas supplier to check the oven? (PG&E does stuff like that.)

John

[edit:] I'm doing my very best to scare you, Jenise. That situation is dangerous. You came very close to being killed. Please do something about it.

John

Very strange and upsetting!

We've had zero issues with out Jennair, other than a reluctant ignitor on one top burner, and the grill and oven works just fine!

I'd immediately have it looked at. It sounds like there is a gas build-up someplace. Perhaps a problem with installation, perhaps a factory defect. In any event, it is clearly not safe to use, as you know.

Are you on propane by any chance?

Wow, Jenise! That's a horrible experience for anyone to have, but I'm happy that you weren't seriously injured. A fireball coming out of an oven is a sure sign that's something's seriously wrong. Is it possible that it wasn't installed properly? If not, then Viking should make good on whatever warranty you've got. FWIW, I've been very happy with my dual fuel Thermidor range's electric convection oven. Ever since my mother got self-cleaning electric ovens in 1970, I've been sold on electric ovens and I love the convection feature.

Mark Lipton

[Jenise]

I'd immediately have it looked at. It sounds like there is a gas build-up someplace. Perhaps a problem with installation, perhaps a factory defect. In any event, it is clearly not safe to use, as you know.

Are you on propane by any chance?

No, natural gas, not propane. And yes I've called the dealer.

John, great suggestion about having the gas co. look at it. After installation, I had trouble getting the oven to ignite or stay lit once ignited--it would turn itself off, and had three different service calls about that. I complained then about the gas smell and was told that was normal. If I called the gas company, they'd actually be able to measure it!

When a new gas line is hooked up, sometimes there's a little air in the line. The line should be purged before you use it, but still there may be a bit of orange flame or some failure to start. That should stop after one or two uses of the appliance.
But you've had this problem for months!!!
Another thought - call the fire marshal or the fire department - they may have a way to get you some leverage.

I had a problem with the GE electric oven when I remodeled Mom's kitchen. It blew out six controller cards in four months. I finally talked to a "supervisor" at GE and she said all they would do was keep replacing controllers until the warranty was up.
Then I went back to the appliance store, and the oven was replaced a week later.
Fortunately for me, that wasn't a dangerous situation.

John

The smell of gas elsewhere means that there is a gas leak somewhere in the oven. If you're not getting the gas smell except when you turn the oven on, that would suggest that the leak is in the oven itself, somewhere between the valve and the burner.

The smell is actually not the gas itself but a mercaptan (methyl mercaptan, I believe) that is put into the gas in tiny quantities. The human nose is very sensitive to mercaptans and can detect them in parts-per-billion quantities. It's designed so that you can know you have a gas leak long before it becomes dangerous. I wouldn't use that oven again until it's been looked at and repaired.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Wow, Jenise! That's a horrible experience for anyone to have, but I'm happy that you weren't seriously injured. A fireball coming out of an oven is a sure sign that's something's seriously wrong. Is it possible that it wasn't installed properly? If not, then Viking should make good on whatever warranty you've got. FWIW, I've been very happy with my dual fuel Thermidor range's electric convection oven. Ever since my mother got self-cleaning electric ovens in 1970, I've been sold on electric ovens and I love the convection feature.

Mark Lipton

Sure is. I saved the scorched garment to show the serviceman, btw, lest he not be convinced that I know a fireball when I feel one go up my legs. I've got several friends with Thermidors, and they're all super-happy with them. I would definitely look at one if we replace this, which Bob is already talking about doing. Safety issues are unacceptable.

[Jenise]

When a new gas line is hooked up, sometimes there's a little air in the line. The line should be purged before you use it, but still there may be a bit of orange flame or some failure to start. That should stop after one or two uses of the appliance.
But you've had this problem for months!!!
Another thought - call the fire marshal or the fire department - they may have a way to get you some leverage.

I had a problem with the GE electric oven when I remodeled Mom's kitchen. It blew out six controller cards in four months. I finally talked to a "supervisor" at GE and she said all they would do was keep replacing controllers until the warranty was up.
Then I went back to the appliance store, and the oven was replaced a week later.
Fortunately for me, that wasn't a dangerous situation.

John

Been about three years, John. Wish I could talk to a supervisor at Viking. Back when we had problems with/questions about the gas smell after installation, I tried to contact Viking but they have absolutely zero customer service liaison. Their policy is "just talk to your dealer". If we found phone numbers to call, and I'm not sure we did, they didn't return calls. There's no way to verify if the dealer's right about what's normal and expected.

[Jenise]

It's designed so that you can know you have a gas leak long before it becomes dangerous. I wouldn't use that oven again until it's been looked at and repaired.

-Paul W.

Yes, I'm aware of that. And will do!

I'm perfectly happy with my electric Viking wall oven; tho true love says is going to self ignite soon if I don't clean it!

Sounds like you are doing everything right, Jenise. (Duh, of course!)

Glad you don't have propane. Too often I've seen appliances installed that have not been modified properly from natural gas to propane, with disastrous results. (Of the variety you experienced.)

Glad you don't have propane. Too often I've seen appliances installed that have not been modified properly from natural gas to propane, with disastrous results. (Of the variety you experienced.)

We don't have any problem with propane. It runs our stovetop (DCS) as well as our clothes dryer and generator.

Glad you don't have propane. Too often I've seen appliances installed that have not been modified properly from natural gas to propane, with disastrous results. (Of the variety you experienced.)

We don't have any problem with propane. It runs our stovetop (DCS) as well as our clothes dryer and generator.

Carl-
We use propane as well with no problems since all our appliances were manufactured for use with propane. i think the problem arises when folks try to use appliances designed for Nat. gas with propane and don't bother with the proper conversion/modifications to use propane safely.
BP

i think the problem arises when folks try to use appliances designed for Nat. gas with propane and don't bother with the proper conversion/modifications to use propane safely.

Exactly, 'winger. When I was doing the firefighting thing, this was a surprisingly common thing to find. The two biggest offending appliances, however, were water heaters and clothes dryers. They tended to explode, injuring and killing people and burning down homes.

I am therefore vastly relieved that Jenise doesn't have that issue at least, and grateful she wasn't injured more seriously.

Jenise, glad to hear you're all right.

I'll collect a bunch of twigs and kindling and send it right over so you can keep cooking.

Girl, I don't even know what to say. Glad you're okay.

More than scary. Glad it was nothing more. My parents house and everything they owned burned to the ground in a gas line explosion. She would tell you to turn the gas line off until you can have everythig suggested above tested.
Hope it can be resolved.

[Jenise]

More than scary. Glad it was nothing more. My parents house and everything they owned burned to the ground in a gas line explosion. She would tell you to turn the gas line off until you can have everything suggested above tested.

Frightening. I've commented before that it has seemed like this house is trying to burn itself down. We've had a number of close calls here, and never anything like these anywhere else.

Terrible thought, turning off the gas. Without gas we'd have no heat, and it's 34 F outside. And guess when the appliance people are coming? Next till next Tuesday. Maybe I should have the gas company come out and check out my lines, though.

[Jenise]

I'll collect a bunch of twigs and kindling and send it right over so you can keep cooking.

Great. And as long as you're at it throw in flint if you have it, and some animal furs.

[Jenise]

Update: the gas company came and tested out the remaining small oven and burners, and deemed all safe to use. "But by no means turn on the big one." Like he had to tell me.

That is really scary. If Viking doesn't do something I would start to write about it everywhere you can. Let the world know. Post a picture of your garment. I am so glad that I have never liked or wanted a gas oven. Love the gas burners, but give me an electric oven!
Now with google and the other search engines a company can't afford to have many posting about a dangerous product or their lack of concern. Toyota finally got it!