Do Electric Stoves Turn Off Automatically?

As we all grow older, it’s natural to start forgetting little things here and there. We occasionally forget names, what we need from the grocery store, leaving the stove on, etc.

Most of what we forget won’t actually hurt us but leaving your stove on by accident could potentially harm you, your family and your home.

So, a question you may ask yourself is do electric stoves turn off automatically? – If your stove was made in 1995 or later, the chances that it has an auto shut off switch are very high. You can usually tell by checking if the stove has a touch pad clock.

If it does then it has an automatic shut off after 12 hours of being on. Older models made before 1995 normally do not have this safety feature built in.

I do recommend that you check with the manufacturer of your stove model to confirm if your stove does or does not have an auto turn off switch.

The second question then to ask yourself would be, “Is this safety feature enough?” After all, 12 hours is a long time for an electric stove to be on.

Can Leaving The Stove On Cause A Fire?

So, can leaving an electric stove on for 12 hours cause a fire that could potentially destroy your home and cause fatalities?

The answer is “it depends”.

The truth is that leaving an electric stovetop burner on does not, in and of itself cause damage.

The problem is if there is something on the burner or near the burner that could catch on fire.

I remember years ago I put a pot of water on my electric stovetop in my kitchen and went off to finish a project in my home office on the computer.

I completely forgot about that pot of water and 4 hours later I smelled something burning.

I ran into the kitchen and I saw that the pot had completely run out of water (of course)!

The bottom of the pot was burned, smoke was coming up from the pot and generally, it was a big smelly mess.

The bottom of the pot and the stovetop had actually both begun to melt a little and this incident left a burned indentation on that burner.

Now, I got there just in time but an elderly person may not have smelled the burning pot and may not have been able to move fast enough to get to the stove before any real damage could have occurred.

And thankfully, I did not have any kitchen towels or oven mitts near that burner otherwise, a fire would have definitely been started.

I was lucky – but not everyone is.

The leading cause of house fires IS cooking related.

Cooking equipment is the leading cause of home structure fires and home fire injuries. Smoking is the leading cause of civilian home fire deaths. Heating equipment is the second most common cause of home fire fatalities.

National Fire Protection Association

Read more about fire safety in our article Fire Safety Tips For Seniors

Is It OK To Leave The Stove Unattended?

It’s a question we’ve all asked ourselves at one point or another: is it REALLY okay to leave the stove unattended while I’m cooking?

The answer, unfortunately, is not a simple one. It depends on a number of factors, including what you’re cooking, how long you’ll be gone, and whether or not you have a reliable way to monitor the stove’s temperature.

Let’s say, for example, that you’re cooking a pot of soup on the stove. If you’re only going to be gone for a few minutes, it’s probably okay to leave the soup unattended.

However, if you’re going to be gone for an extended period of time, it’s not a good idea to leave the pot unattended.

On the other hand, if you’re cooking something like grilled cheese sandwiches, which don’t take very long to cook, it’s probably not okay to leave them unattended for any length of time.

In general, it’s a good idea to err on the side of caution when it comes to leaving the stove unattended.

What Happens If You Leave The Stove On?

As I mentioned earlier, leaving a burner on for hours on end does not mean that it will necessarily end in a fire.

The truth is, in most cases, if you left the burner on for 12 hours, nothing would really happen. The house would not burn down.

BUT – if you left something ON or NEAR the burner – that’s where the problems begin.

If you left a pan of food with grease in the pan – a fire could certainly start.

Steve Rousseau, a Features Editor at Digg interviewed John Drengenberg (aka Mr. Safety) – Consumer Safety Director at Underwriters Laboratories, who said “A stove is designed to run indefinitely,” says Drengenberg. “Do we recommend that? Absolutely not.“

It’s not the burner being left on that will ignite a fire, it’s the pot of water on that burner, or the kitchen towel left near that burner or even spilled over grease from a frying pan that will catch on fire and cause damage to your house and potentially take your life and anyone else’s life in or near that building.

So, what can be done to help protect your elderly parent(s) if they are living alone and still engaged in cooking activities?

The best solutions I can recommend is to install an automatic shut off device for their electric stove.

These are fairly inexpensive products, easily installed and some come with many great features.

Check out the ones I researched below.

How Long Can A Stove Be Left On For?

We often get asked how long a stove can be left on for. The answer really depends on the type of stove you have.

Electric Stoves
As I stated earlier, it is generally safe to leave them on for as long as you need to. However, it is important to make sure that the area around the stove is clear and that nothing flammable is touching the stove.

If you are leaving the house, it is a good idea to turn off the stove just to be safe.

Gas Stoves
For gas stoves, it is generally safe to leave them on as long as the flame is lit. However, if you are leaving the house, it is a good idea to turn off the stove and the gas supply just to be safe.

As always, use common sense and take precautions when using any kind of stove. Never leave a stove unattended when it is turned on, and make sure to follow all safety instructions that came with your stove.

Automatic Electric Stove Shut Off

The best auto shut off device that I can recommend is the iGuard Stove Lock. It’s easy to install and comes with so many features such as:

• Connects to the homes Wi-Fi which gives you the ability to manage it’s settings via an online account.
• Can be set to automatically shut off after 5 minutes (and can be adjusted up to 15 minutes) when no motion is detected.
• The auto shut off feature can be overridden.
• The lock out feature lets you set up scheduled times to prevent any use of the stove during the times that you set up.
• A local lock out lets you disable the iGuard Stove Lock at any time so it’s not in use.
• A user history chart is kept for 12 months which can help you identify any changes in cognitive behavior.
• It’s not just for seniors, a child lock feature is also available.
• Alerts can be sent via text or email if a user is demonstrating difficulty using the stove or needs help. It will also alert you if the temperature in the area of the iGuard Stove goes below a certain temperature or above a certain temperature.
• There is also an emergency button which quickly turns off the stove.

These features make the iGuard Stove so much more than just a product for electric stove safety – it really can be considered a home safety device.

Please know there is a version of this product for Gas Stoves as well.

The iGuardStove is always on so there are no buttons to press. Simply turn your stove on as you normally would to start cooking. After 5 minutes of not seeing any motion it shuts off the stove…and upon your return to the kitchen, the iGuardStove will automatically turn the stove back on to finish your cooking. This will prevent burnt food and even worse…a stove fire.

iGuardfire.com

Other Stove Turn Off Devices

Some other devices to consider are…

Can Electric Stoves Catch On Fire?

Yes, electric stoves can catch on fire. In fact, any type of stove – gas, electric, or wood-burning – can cause a fire if it’s not used properly.

What Causes An Electric Oven To Catch Fire?

While electric ovens are generally very safe, there is always a potential for fire if they are not used properly. There are several things that can cause an electric oven to catch fire, including:

• Leaving food or other materials in the oven when it is turned on
• Turning the oven on too high
• Allowing the oven to overheat
• Using the self-clean cycle without properly cleaning the oven first

If you use your electric oven safely and follow the manufacturer’s instructions, you should never have to worry about it catching fire. However, if you do notice any flames or smoke coming from your oven, you should immediately turn it off and call the fire department.

What To Do If Your Electric Stove Catches On Fire?

If your electric stovetop or oven suddenly catches on fire, it’s important to stay calm and take quick action.

• First, turn off the power to the appliance if you can do so safely.
• Then, use a fire extinguisher to put out the flames.
• If the fire is large or spreading, evacuate the home and call 911.

If you are a senior homeowner and unable to quickly respond to a fire, leave the home immediately no matter how small the fire is. Then call 911.

It’s important to identify the cause of the fire so it can be prevented in the future.

Frequently Asked Questions