Don’t put your natural gas at risk! Do you ever have moments where you’re rushing around your home, and you forget to turn off your gas oven?

Whether leaving your oven on was a mistake or intentional, leaving your gas oven on overnight can be extremely dangerous.

We’ll explore your most anticipated questions on this subject and talk about what to do if this happens to you. Let’s start with the most important question: What happens if I leave my oven on all night? Stay tuned for the answer:

What Happens if You Leave Your Oven on All Night? 

A lot can happen when you leave your oven on all night but two of the most serious things that can happen are: 

A Fire and Carbon Monoxide Poisoning 

If you forget to turn your natural gas oven off before you go to bed at night, you could be in a world of trouble. Leaving your oven on all night could deplete your natural gas supply.  

Running your gas costs upwards of $83 a year. Can you imagine how much money it would cost you if you left your oven on all night? Leaving your oven on all night puts you at risk for an oven fire.  

Not only will you be risking fire hazards, but the gas that comes from your oven can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless. So if you were exposed to carbon monoxide, you might not even know it. If too much gas builds up in an enclosed space, it can be extremely dangerous and even fatal.  

How Long Can I Leave My Oven on Before Something Goes Wrong? 

There’s no exact time limit that guarantees safety, but generally speaking, leaving an oven on for longer than its intended use increases the risk of danger, especially overnight when you’re asleep and not monitoring it. 

Ovens aren’t designed for long, unattended use. Most recipes call for heating durations of 30 minutes to 2 hours. Anything beyond that starts pushing the limits of safe use. 

After 4–5 hours, heat buildup, food residue, or malfunctioning parts can increase the likelihood of overheating or fire especially if your oven is set to a high temperature. 

For gas ovens, even if no food is cooking, the continued gas emission increases the chance of carbon monoxide buildup or gas leaks. 

For electric ovens, risk is lower but still present, especially if there’s anything flammable inside or nearby. 

If you’re away from the oven for more than an hour or two, it’s best to turn it off or have a built-in shut-off feature as a backup. 

Comparing the most common oven models, gas ovens are the riskiest for a fire. Without automatic shut-off features, they can emit carbon monoxide or lead to gas leaks if left on too long. 

Electric ovens may have a timed shut-off, but it’s not guaranteed, depending on your model. Fire risks from overheating or faulty wiring are still possible even with this model. 

Smart ovens offer the most protection, often equipped with automatic shut-off, app-based alerts, and timers, making overnight use safer but not foolproof. 

Even the safest oven should never be left on overnight intentionally. So, no matter what model you have, it’s crucial that you pay attention to your oven at all times. 

Is Leaving My Oven on All Night Really That Dangerous? 

Leaving your oven on all night really can be dangerous. While it might seem harmless if nothing happens right away, the risks multiply the longer your oven runs unattended. 

Here’s why it’s dangerous: 

• Food remnants, grease buildup, or even internal oven parts can ignite after hours of continuous heating and cause a fire within your home. 

• If you’re using a gas oven, it may release carbon monoxide which can be fatal in high concentrations. 

• Faulty wiring or older electric ovens can overheat, leading to shorts or even electrical fires. 

• Even if nothing dramatic happens, running your oven unnecessarily wastes electricity or gas and that hits your wallet. 

When leaving your oven on all night, you might get lucky, and nothing happens after one night. But it only takes one time for something to go wrong. 

If you forget to turn your oven off, act quickly to shut it down and ventilate your space. But if you’re ever unsure, don’t risk it. 

What to Do If You Leave Your Oven on all Night 

If you do find yourself in this situation, it’s important to stay calm. If you do find yourself at odds with an oven fire, here’s how you can put out an oven fire: 

1. Shut your oven off: For safety, you should unplug your oven as well.
2. Do not open your oven door: It might seem like the first thing you’ll want to do but once your appliance is properly shut off and unplugged, the fire might go out on its own. Fire thrives on oxygen, so opening the door will only add fuel to the fire.
3. Prepare your Correct Extinguishing tools: Before you think about grabbing some water, there’s a good chance that your oven fire started from grease. Oil and water don’t mix and will only make the fire worse. Opt for a better tool in this situation and know exactly how to use a fire extinguisher.
4. Open your windows: Once your fire is put out, it’s important that you open your windows. This will help any carbon monoxide in the air escape your home. This will also ensure smoke and other toxins leave your home.
5. Call for Help: If your fire still isn’t contained, call your local fire department.

If you feel like you were subjected to carbon monoxide poisoning, seek a doctor right away and vacate your home. 

It’s never a good idea to leave your oven on all night. Not only can it be dangerous but it’s a waste of gas. If you find yourself in this situation, make sure to turn your oven off right away and take safety measures to avoid disaster. 

What Happens if I Leave My Oven on With Food Left Inside? 

Leaving food inside the oven overnight can cause serious safety and health risks, especially if the oven stays on. Here’s what you might expect: 

• Food can catch fire if it’s left in a hot oven for too long. 

• Overcooked or burning food can fill your kitchen with smoke and odors that are hard to eliminate. 

• Even if the oven is off but still warm, bacteria can multiply if the temperature falls into the danger zone (40–140°F). This makes the food unsafe to eat. 

Best practice? Always remove food from your oven and store leftovers in the fridge within two hours. 

What Should I Do if I Smell Something Burning or the Kitchen Feels Hot Overnight? 

If you wake up and suspect something’s wrong, take action immediately: 

1. Turn off the oven (and unplug if it’s electric). 
2. Check for fire or smoke inside the appliance. 
3. Ventilate your space—open windows and turn on fans. 
4. Look for signs of damage or burnt food. 
5. Do not taste or eat any food left inside the oven. 

And if you suspect carbon monoxide from a gas oven, leave your home and call emergency services. Consider installing a carbon monoxide detector near your kitchen for peace of mind. 

Can Leaving the Oven on Overnight Damage the Appliance? 

Prolonged and unattended use can wear down your oven faster, especially if it wasn’t designed for extended use. Heating elements can overheat and become damaged, and gaskets and seals can dry out or warp, leading to poor insulation and heat loss in future use. 

Interior finishes can also become stained or degraded due to excessive high heat or food residue burning. 

If your oven frequently stays on too long, it’s worth getting it inspected or looking into an oven with smart safety features like automatic shut-off. 

Does my Oven Turn Off Automatically? 

Luckily, most modern gas ovens turn off automatically. They come equipped with touch pads and automatically turn off after 12 hours. Even with this being the case, you’re still at risk for fires and health risks. 

Here are some of the most common fire triggers, should you leave the oven on for a long time unsupervised: 

I Left My Oven on All Night. How Does That Affect My Electricity Bill? 

If you accidentally leave your electric oven on all night, you might notice a small spike in your energy bill—especially if it was set to a high temperature. 

Here’s what to consider: 

• Typical oven wattage ranges between 2,000 and 5,000 watts. If your oven uses 3,000 watts and runs for 8 hours overnight, that’s 24 kWh of electricity. 

• Using the average electricity rate in the U.S. as of April 2025 is 17.45 cents per kilowatt; that’s about $4.19 for one night. It doesn’t sound like much, but over time, repeated instances can add up. 

Santanna Energy Services is a supplier of renewable energy solutions in the United States, providing services to Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Ohio. We provide a wide range of energy services and products to meet the needs of both residential and small business customers. Our mission is to provide innovative and cost-effective energy solutions that will help our customers achieve their energy goals. With over 35 years of experience, we are committed to creating life-long relationships by providing quality service to customers, communities, and employees.