Two different storms as far as the stove is concerned
A wind storm, an ice storm or a lightning storm that cuts power usually leaves the stove dry and asks only for care when the power comes back. A flood, a burst pipe upstairs or water driven in under the back door is another matter, because the parts of a stove that matter for safety sit low and at the back: the gas valve and regulator, the wiring block where the cord connects, the oven's igniter or bake element, and on many models the control board behind the backguard or under the stovetop.
Judging a stove after a flood starts with the tide line. If the water stopped below the stove's feet, treat it as the dry case. If it reached the storage drawer, the kick panel or anything higher, treat the stove as flooded even if it looks clean and dry a day later.
- How high the water rose on the stove, measured from the floor.
- Whether it was clean water from a pipe or muddy floodwater.
- How long the stove stood in it.
- Whether the stove was plugged in, or the gas turned on, at the time.
When the power went out but the kitchen stayed dry
Turn every knob to off as soon as the power fails. GE's electric stove manual explains why: if power is lost while an element is on, that element turns back on as soon as power is restored, which can happen in the middle of the night with a towel or a pan left on the stovetop. Ready.gov also suggests switching off or disconnecting appliances during an outage because power may return with surges or spikes.
When power is back, reset the clock and check that the display, the oven and each element or igniter work normally. Keep the stove out of heating duty during a cold outage; Ready.gov says a gas stove or oven must not be used to heat the home because of the carbon monoxide risk.
After a lightning storm
A strike nearby can reach a stove through the wiring without a drop of water. A blank or scrambled display, touch pads that ignore you or an oven that will not start after a thunderstorm point to a surge through the electronics, and switching the breaker off during the next storm is a sensible habit.
Source: Ready.gov — Power Outages — Turn off or disconnect appliances because power may return with surges; do not use a gas stove or oven to heat the home; GE Appliances — Owner's Manual, Electric Free-Standing Ranges (49-2000951) — If power is lost while a surface unit is on, it turns back on as soon as power is restored
Going back into a kitchen that took on water
Ready.gov's advice for a flooded home comes before any appliance: return only when the authorities say it is safe, do not touch electrical equipment if it is wet or if you are standing in water, and turn off the electricity to prevent shock only if it is safe to do so. If the breaker panel is in a wet basement, leave it to the utility or an electrician.
Do not plug in or switch on the stove to see whether it still works. A stove that lights or heats after a soaking is not proof that it is safe; water and silt inside a control or a connection can give way days or weeks later.
- Wait until the authorities say the house is safe to enter.
- Keep off wet floors near outlets and appliances until the power is off.
- Leave the stove unplugged, or its breaker off.
- Leave the gas shutoff closed and let the utility restore service.
Source: Ready.gov — Floods — Return home only when authorities say it is safe; do not touch wet electrical equipment or touch it while standing in water; turn off electricity only if it is safe to do so
The gas parts that cannot be saved
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has been direct about this since the 1990s: gas control valves on appliances that have been under water must be replaced, because silt and corrosion damage their internal parts, and gas can then leak and cause an explosion or fire. It adds that such valves cannot be repaired, however well they seem to work afterwards.
On a gas stove that means more than one part. Each burner has a valve behind its knob, the oven has its own safety valve, and a pressure regulator sits where the gas enters the stove. Leave the supply off at the shutoff valve or let the gas utility decide when the house is turned back on, and tell them the stove was in the water.
When the gas comes back on
After a flood the utility may close the gas at the meter, and turning it back on is its decision. Tell the crew the stove stood in water so the supply to it stays closed until its valves have been replaced, and expect other gas appliances in the house to need their pilots relit.
Source: CPSC — Warning to Flood Victims: Replace All Gas Control Valves, Electric Circuit Breakers, GFCIs, and Fuses That Have Been Under Water — Gas control valves, circuit breakers, GFCIs and fuses that have been under water must be replaced and cannot be repaired; silt and corrosion can make gas valves leak; other submerged parts such as fans, motors, circuits and venting should be evaluated by a qualified technician
Electronics, elements and the outlet behind the stove
CPSC applies the same rule to circuit breakers, fuses and GFCI outlets and breakers that were under water: they must be replaced, because water and silt stop them working as safety devices. The outlet behind an electric stove and the breaker that feeds it are part of that list if the water reached them.
For the rest of a submerged appliance, CPSC asks that fans, motors, electric circuits and venting be evaluated by a qualified technician before the appliance is used again. On a stove that covers the control board and touch panel, the oven sensor and its wiring, the terminals where coil elements plug in, the convection fan if there is one, and the glass top's element connections underneath.
Whether a flooded stove is worth repairing
A stove that sat in a few inches of clean water may need only its lower parts replaced; one that stood in muddy floodwater up to the controls often costs more to rebuild than it is worth, and the oven insulation will have soaked up whatever was in the water. Photograph the tide line and the model label before anything is moved; insurers ask for both.
Source: CPSC — Warning to Flood Victims: Replace All Gas Control Valves, Electric Circuit Breakers, GFCIs, and Fuses That Have Been Under Water — Gas control valves, circuit breakers, GFCIs and fuses that have been under water must be replaced and cannot be repaired; silt and corrosion can make gas valves leak; other submerged parts such as fans, motors, circuits and venting should be evaluated by a qualified technician
