Gas oven burners ignite in approximately 30 to 45 seconds. The infrared broil burner will light within 45 seconds. If it takes much longer than this to ignite, the burner may be experiencing delayed ignition, refer to Gas Oven Delayed Ignition for more information.
Drafts and Airflow: As you mentioned, the drafty area behind the oven could be affecting the gas and air mixture, which is crucial for proper ignition. If too much air is mixing with the gas or if the gas is dissipating before it can ignite, this could cause a delay.
Delayed Ignition
This can be caused by the ignition ports being blocked. Please note, this is different from having the cross-over ports blocked. A trained technician is your best choice in this case, rather than doing it yourself.
But in case you did not, it's helpful to know how long an oven can safely be on. There is no specific amount of time that would cause an oven to catch on fire; however, you should not risk leaving it on and unattended for extended periods.
Check the igniter
If you have a faulty igniter, many of the other components will not work and the oven will not turn on. Oven igniters glow hot to ignite the natural gas released by the oven safety valve. However, if the heating element is not working, the gas valve will not trigger and the oven will not ignite.
Gas oven burners ignite in approximately 30 to 45 seconds. The infrared broil burner will light within 45 seconds. If it takes much longer than this to ignite, the burner may be experiencing delayed ignition, refer to Gas Oven Delayed Ignition for more information.
As the igniter draws electric current it will heat to a high temperature and glow, as well as cause the bi-metal in the oven safety valve to warp and open the valve releasing the gas to be ignited. This sequence normally takes about a minute.
The most common cause of kitchen fires is unattended cooking. It's easy to get distracted while cooking, but a fire can start in just a matter of mere seconds. This can happen when you leave the stove or oven on and forget about it, or when you leave a pan on the stove and walk away.
Causes of Stove Fires
Leaving cooking unattended. Smoke can turn into fire in less than 30 seconds, so just leaving the room for a few seconds could be dangerous.
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.
This can be easily remedied by having your furnace inspected and cleaned by professionals before each heating season. Your furnace can also experience delayed ignition due to a sulfur build up caused by burning natural gas.
The ignition delay is the time interval between the start of injection and the start of combustion. It is the first stage of the combustion process of CI engines, which reflects the combustion characteristics of the engine to a certain extent and affects the performance and emission characteristics of CI engines [105].
In a properly operating system it should usually only take in the area of 30-45 seconds for the oven burner to receive gas and to light. The pilot must be lit before electrical current will flow through the flame switch to the oven gas valve to allow gas to the oven burner.
Igniter. You'll pay $150 to $250 to repair the igniter. Igniters are crucial parts of gas ovens, as they are responsible for igniting the gas to give heat and cook your food. So, if the igniter is faulty, the oven simply won't heat, but it's dangerous, too, because it can result in gas leaks.
Dirty Burners and Obstructed Gas Lines
While moisture and rust are the most likely cause of delayed ignition, dust, dirt, grime, and even lint can accumulate and delay ignition. Delayed ignition can also be caused by a sulfur buildup caused by the process of burning natural gas.
Gas surface burners are often slow to light or will not light at all because the burner or burners are wet or dirty, the electrode is not seated properly or the burner head and cap are not matched up properly.
How long can an oven stay on before catching fire? If you have nothing in the oven, you can generally leave it on for about 12 hours safely if the temperature is low, the door is closed, and nothing flammable is near or inside of the oven. It is also important to make sure that your oven is reliable in this situation.
Properly Handling Stove Fires
NEVER pour water on a stove fire, especially if there is any grease, as this can cause the fire to explode into a fireball. A small pan fire on your stove can usually be extinguished by turning off the heat and covering the pan with either its lid or a wet towel to smother the flames.
Ranges and Stoves. With cooking as the most common cause of house fires in the US, ranges and stoves are at the top of the list for fire-starting appliances. These essential appliances can become hazards mainly due to unattended use.
What you can do to extinguish the fire is to remove the heat source. Turn off the oven and let it cool down as much as possible when a fire is inside it. With no more power and limited oxygen, the fire will eventually dwindle. Wait until the fire completely dies out.
The possible reasons your oven is not working may include a broken baking or broiling element, a malfunctioning spark element (spark electrode), a broken igniter, a blown fuse, an issue with the control board, or outlets not providing enough power to the oven.
Signs of a Faulty Igniter
No Ignition or No Glow: If the oven doesn't ignite at all or if the flame is weak, it could be a sign of a malfunctioning igniter. Check to see if the igniter is glowing red-hot when the oven is turned on. If it's not, it has likely gone bad.
I've seen ignition elements glow but still fail to get hot enough to light the gas. You can test the resistance against the specifications for your unit with a multi meter. If the resistance is too low and it won't get hot enough, replace as needed.