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Original poster

WWYD - on hol - left oven on?!

290 replies

Ovenon1 · 20/05/2023 22:14

We've just gone on holiday and DH is having a -shit I can't remember turning the oven off moment....

No one has a spare key to the house and we don't live near family.

I'm pretty sure it was off but I was getting kids dressed and ready when he was making lunch.

Not sure what to do now and obviously it's worrying!

It's an old hotpoint oven.

Could we get someone to go and turn the gas off? The gas box is outside. Arghhhh.

Any one been in this situation? What do we do?!

OP posts:
TeaKitten · 21/05/2023 22:58

MucozadeOnLucozade · 21/05/2023 22:49

Adobewankenobi I have read them, but I'd still have to go home to check.

She’s not even in the country and the gas has been turned off by a gas engineer… use some common sense

MucozadeOnLucozade · 22/05/2023 00:00

I'd have to check the gas man did the job properly.

TheShellBeach · 22/05/2023 05:31

MucozadeOnLucozade · 22/05/2023 00:00

I'd have to check the gas man did the job properly.

Oh FGS.

TooOldForThisNonsense · 22/05/2023 08:47

MucozadeOnLucozade · 22/05/2023 00:00

I'd have to check the gas man did the job properly.

Give your head a wobble honestly

Drive back from France to check. So you would. 🙄🤣

pontipinemum · 22/05/2023 12:38

Glad you have it sorted. I am a divil for thinking I have left things on so now I called out 'I have plugged out the iron' 'I have turned off the oven' even if it is just to myself as I will remember saying that.

musixa · 22/05/2023 12:45

A holiday tick-list is a good way of reassuring yourself about this kind of thing. As the last item on the list, have 'Pack List' so the list is with you for reassurance while you are away.

BabyTa · 22/05/2023 13:58

We did this - just posted the key to a neighbour who used it to open the door and switch off the heater my husband had left on!

allswellthatends · 22/05/2023 15:48

I may be missing the point but if HE was making lunch how is YOU are to blame if the oven was left on?

allswellthatends · 22/05/2023 15:51

Oh, I see. You meant HE was having a shit-I-left-the-oven-on moment. As you were!

Xiaoxiong · 22/05/2023 17:39

We have a key in a key box outside for this very reason - we didn't want to leave a key with any of the neighbours (no good if they're out themselves, or at work, or whatever) but with the key box we could text the code to a neighbour or someone at the property who needed access, and then change the code afterwards. This was a godsend when we had a burst pipe, which no amount of checklists before we left was going to prevent. When you get back it's definitely worth going round and introducing yourselves at least to your neighbours on either side.

IWasOlderThen · 22/05/2023 17:50

MucozadeOnLucozade · 22/05/2023 00:00

I'd have to check the gas man did the job properly.

Me too. That would worry me . Diagnosed OCD here.

Crazycatladyy · 22/05/2023 17:57

Sorry I'm a bit late to the party and see you have it sorted now. My only suggestion would have been if you have an app for your energy usage to see if your gas consumption on the days you've been away is higher than a period when you know that the oven was off.

Loggedinunix · 22/05/2023 17:58

Ring local gas engineer.

if gas meter is outside get him to isolate there. There will be valve there.

Then on return turn on, might need to restart boiler, dig through documentation.

MrsLighthouse · 22/05/2023 17:59

Can’t you ring your gas supplier and ask advice ?

shammalammadingdong · 22/05/2023 18:05

MrsLighthouse · 22/05/2023 17:59

Can’t you ring your gas supplier and ask advice ?

Ask advice about the oven that may have been left on but now has the gas turned off from outside?

What would they ask, exactly?

Mothershit · 22/05/2023 18:09

Haven't read the full trail but popped in to say for exactly this kind of stress, I have a key box outside my house so that I can give someone the code and they can let themselves in if needed. Been a godsend more than once now.

ScruffyGrape · 22/05/2023 18:17

Just enjoy your holiday. If your house has burnt down, it'll be the last one for a while. You can't do anything about it now. Or maybe you'll just have a high gas bill. Then again with the prices they're at now it will still be your last holiday for a while. Enjoy!

Babyface01 · 22/05/2023 18:20

Coukd you call your gas supplier and get then to cut the gas off on there end?

Missedmytoe · 22/05/2023 18:25

This is going the way of 'Cancel the cheque'.
The gas has been shut off.
Please RTFT ( or at least OP's posts)

HarrietPoole · 22/05/2023 18:28

Threeboysadogandacat · 20/05/2023 22:48

We have keys for my sister's and three neighbours houses for moments like this.

Not ever so helpful to the OP, I suspect.

Cariadm · 22/05/2023 18:28

Ovenon1 · 20/05/2023 22:28

Yeah this is what I was thinking. Would the national gas service do that? Or we do need to find a 24hr gas engineer?

Or can literally anyone turn a gas meter off?

I'm so clueless - sorry!

Show quote history

'NATIONAL GAS SERVICE' are you being serious?! British Gas was privatised back in the 1970's by Maggie Thatcher's Conservative government!!! I presume you do know the name of your PRIVATE electricity and gas supplier?! FFS!!

Nothing7 · 22/05/2023 18:32

Phew that was lucky! Even if it’s off it’s better to be safe

Salome61 · 22/05/2023 18:32

So glad you have been able to have your gas switched off.

I remember rushing out with the kids once to get a train into town to meet my husband for lunch.

When we got back our border collie was sitting in the open doorway of the house to meet us - our front door was an old fashioned yale key type, shut with a snick. It hadn't 'snicked' as we'd rushed out! So lucky our collie was such an intelligent dog.

T1Dmama · 22/05/2023 18:41

Ovenon1 · 21/05/2023 08:12

It's all sorted. A gas engineer turned the gas off from outside.

I will let you know when we're back whether DH actually did leave the oven on by if the nob is turned.

Brilliant. Did you have to pay for that?

tonyatotter · 22/05/2023 18:47

Ovenon1 · 20/05/2023 22:28

Yeah this is what I was thinking. Would the national gas service do that? Or we do need to find a 24hr gas engineer?

Or can literally anyone turn a gas meter off?

I'm so clueless - sorry!

Show quote history

If the gas meter is external the mains shut off tap can be turned off by anyone.

If the oven is in good working order and the door is shut it can run safely for hours, days on end. As ovens don't have an external flue eventually the oxygen in the room will be used up and the flame will turn yellow and it will start to make Carbon Monoxide, eventually the flame will be starved of so much oxygen it will go out and the thermocouple will cool down and switch off the gas.

Just be aware that you will need to open doors/windows when you get back to clear the carbon monoxide and expect a big gas bill.