My wife says there is a slight odor of gas coming from the stove or oven. what things can i check

SOURCE: tappan gas oven

This is usually caused by the volume of gas expelled during the lighting process, ie bofore the flame has established, it should be nothing to worry about but check it ignights quickly to resolve problem. Regards Engineer

SOURCE: Gas Odor and Oven Heating

The gas valve may be failing. The 'whooshing sound' you hear may be the gas valve closing too slowly when the oven cycles off or the cavity is filling with gas and igniting when the oven cycles on. The gas you smell may be an indication that the valve is not closing completely. This can be potentially dangerous if the oven fills with gas then ignites. I would not operate the stove any longer and shut off the gas to the stove.

SOURCE: Slight GAs odor

Call your local gas company immediately. If the range is on a flexible gas connector, you should be able to pull it out and get to the cut off valve behind the range.

SOURCE: Gas stove works, but oven does not

A gas oven will have some built in safety devices. Assuming that you have an electric pilot light sparking device, anything in the pilot light circuit could cause your problem

The oven does not "want" to turn the gas on unless there is an operating pilot system.

Since you never smell gas, but gas is available, then something in the pilot light circuit sounds like the culprit.

It could be as simple as carbon build up on the igniter or an internal fusing mechanism.

If you can get into the oven to the igniter, you could try cleaning the unit with a plastic scrunge.

I'm going to guess that this is not going to respond well to 'home grown' measures and that it will require replacement of parts.

Perhaps it is time to bite the bullet and call in repair......

good luck

SOURCE: oven will not come on

Does your clock work? This sounds like either a lack of voltage to the oven igniter, or a failed spark igniter or both. Your oven igniter is the easiest to check. With broiler door open or the plate above your oven burner removed, turn your oven on and look for a red to white glow near your ovens burner. This is a ceramic glow plug, and it will not allow gas to leave your manifold until the igniter has reached the proper temperature. If there is no glow, then your igniter has failed and needs to be replaced. The spark module that clicks as you turn your burner has obviously either died, or there isn't enough voltage being supplied to allow it to start up. Unplug your 110v wire from the stove and try a hair dryer or other 110v appliance at the wall outlet to determine if you have proper voltage there.

The worst case scenario is that both your oven igniter and spark module have died, which is rare unless you have had a power surge or lightning strike near the power transformer to your house.

The cheapest way to test this is to buy the oven igniter first, since they are far cheaper than the spark module. If the new igniter lights up, then you can be pretty sure it isn't your power outlet, and can safely move on to the spark module.