Homeowners' pick for appliance repair across California
Gas Smell From the Stove or Oven
If your kitchen smells like rotten eggs, get everyone outside and call your gas utility's emergency line from the yard. Don't flip switches on the way out. That smell means gas, and guessing is not good enough. Once the utility has cleared the house and the leak is on the appliance side, that's when we come in.
Call (888) 352-5066- Real people on the phone
- 7 days a week
- Quote in writing before any work
Taking calls until 5:00 PM PT
From the technicians at CK Repair
Do these things first, in this order
1. Don't flip any switches. Not lights, not the vent hood, not the garbage disposal. 2. Turn off the stove burners and oven if the knobs are within easy reach and the smell is faint. 3. Open windows and exterior doors on your way out. 4. Get everyone outside, including pets. Move well away from the house. 5. From outside, call your gas utility's emergency line. Every California utility runs one around the clock. 6. If the smell is strong, you feel dizzy, or you hear hissing, skip everything else and leave. Call 911 from a neighbor's yard. Utilities come out for gas odor calls. That's their job.
What not to do
Don't light a match or a lighter to "test" it, and don't relight a pilot while the room still smells. Keep your phone off until you're outside. Don't plug in or unplug anything, don't run a fan, don't open the fridge. Any of those can make a spark. Don't try to tighten a gas fitting yourself. Don't pull the range away from the wall to look behind it, because that flexes the connector. Leave the back panel of the appliance alone. And don't assume a faint smell will clear on its own. Gas that's leaking slowly still collects.
When to leave and when to shut things off
Leave if the odor is strong, if it's getting stronger, or if anyone feels lightheaded, nauseous, or has a headache. Leave if you hear hissing near the stove or the wall. Don't wait to confirm it. If you have an exterior gas shutoff at the meter and you know where it is and how to turn it, shut it off on your way out. It takes a wrench. If you've never done it, skip it and let the utility handle it. Never restore gas yourself after a shutoff. The utility relights appliances and checks for leaks first.
Utility first, us second
The gas utility owns the line to your meter and will check for leaks anywhere in the house. They shut gas off if they find one. They do not repair your range, oven, or dryer. That's where we come in. Once the utility clears the property, call us. We handle the appliance side: a burner valve that won't seat, a worn oven safety valve, a cracked igniter that lets gas flow before it lights, a loose orifice, a bad regulator on the range. We're an independent shop and work on all major brands. Tell us what the utility said, since it saves diagnostic time.
Smells that aren't gas
Natural gas has a rotten-egg additive so you'll notice it. A few other kitchen smells get mistaken for it. A new oven often smells sour or chemical the first few uses, which is the insulation curing. Burnt food under the burner grates smells acrid. A sulfur smell from the sink is usually the drain, not the stove. An electric burning smell, sharp and plastic-like, points to wiring instead of gas, and that's still worth a service call. If you're not sure, treat it as gas. Step outside and call the utility. Being wrong costs you an hour. The other way costs more.
Gas Smell From the Stove or Oven — fast answers
My oven smells like gas for a second when it lights. Is that normal?
A brief whiff at ignition can happen as gas reaches the igniter. If it lingers past a few seconds, or the burner takes a long time to catch, the igniter is likely weak and should be checked.
Can I use the stove until a technician comes?
No. If you smelled gas, leave the appliance off and the gas shut until the utility inspects it. Cooking on a range with a suspected leak risks a flash. Use the microwave meanwhile.
Who pays attention to the line versus the appliance?
The utility covers the supply line and meter. Anything past the shutoff valve is appliance work: the flex connector, range regulator, valves, igniters. Call us once the utility signs off.
How it works
- Step 1
Tell us the symptom
Call us or fill out the form, then describe what you hear, smell or see. Odd noise, standing water, no heat. Have the model number handy if you can reach it.
- Step 2
We schedule a visit
Pick a window that fits your day. We confirm the address and ask a few questions first so the van carries parts that commonly fail on your machine.
- Step 3
Diagnose and repair
Our technician tests the machine, explains what failed and lays out your repair options. Many jobs finish the same visit. If a part has to be ordered, we schedule the return before we leave.
- A real person answers
- Open 7 days
- Written quote before work starts
Why homeowners call us
- Hard water knowledgeSacramento Valley minerals scale up heating elements, valves and spray arms. We look for buildup, not just broken parts. Clearing scale and swapping clogged components keeps a dishwasher or washer from failing the same way again.
- Heat pump dryersNewer heat pump dryers dry differently, and they fail differently. Clogged condensers, blocked drains, long cycle times, all of it has a cause. We service these units and vented models too, and we tell you what the machine needs.
- Statewide coverageWe are based in North Highlands and work across California. Coastal humidity, valley heat and desert dust each stress appliances in their own way, so we factor local conditions into the diagnosis instead of guessing.
- Straight answersSome machines are worth repairing and some are not. We tell you which, based on the failed part, the age of the unit and what else is likely to go next. Then you decide.
- All major brands, gas & electricOne independent crew for Whirlpool, Samsung, GE, LG, Maytag, Bosch and more.
- Straight answersWhen a repair doesn't make sense, we tell you, sometimes before we even roll a truck.
About this guide
When the easy checks change nothing, it's time for a tech
Tell us what you tried and what it did. The booking itself takes a minute.
- A real person answers
- Open 7 days
- Written quotes
- All major brands
- Gas & electric
Rather not call? Get a free quote →