10 Unexpected Oven Tips

How to Repair Common Oven Parts

The oven is an appliance in the kitchen that is used to cook food. The heat of the oven sterilizes food and kills the majority of microorganisms.

Every baker needs an accurate oven thermometer. Understanding how your oven works can help you improve your baking and roasting skills, and eliminate those annoying hot spots that wreak havoc with cookies, cakes and other baked items.

Thermostat

The thermostat is among the most crucial components of your oven, helping to ensure that the temperature of your food is in line with the temperature you've set on the control panel. It could be a problem as is any other sensor or switch that is electro-mechanical. The oven can overheat or underheat, or simply not maintain the temperature you have set.

The oven thermostat is essentially an extremely small piece of different metals joined. When heated, the metals expand or bend at different rates. This creates an electrical circuit. When the metal in your thermostat reaches the temperature that you set on the control panel it will turn off the power to the heater. As the oven cools the bimetallic strips expand in a circuit, re-establishing it and turning on the heating element. This cycle is repeated continuously to ensure that the oven remains at a constant temperature.

It is necessary to disconnect the oven and all screws removed to identify a thermostat problem. If you own a multimeter (which is a tool that analyzes the electrical current), set it to the ohms level and then test the thermostat. If the multimeter reads 0 or very close to it the thermostat is functioning properly and doesn't require to be replaced.

If the multimeter isn't reading anything, then the thermostat is not working properly and must be replaced. Cooker Spare Parts suggests that you replace your thermostat with one of the same model as the one you have. They can be purchased online or at the kitchen store, and are available at a reasonable price.

Bake Element

Ovens are not complete without the bake element which creates heat to make your oven cook food. It's a simple element that transforms electricity into high temperatures for baking, roasting, and broiling. Electric ovens and ranges often have heating elements, which are either visible or hidden beneath the floor.

Generally, oven heating elements are constructed from high-resistance materials like nickel-chromium alloy. They convert electricity into heat via resistance. This heat then radiates through the oven's interior to reach the temperature required to cook different kinds of food.

When you start the oven the heating elements start to produce heat due to the high-voltage electric current flowing across the metal surface. When electricity flows through it the element is heated. When the element reaches the temperature it is intended to it begins to glow red hot.

The baked element is the main source of heat in all oven functions. It's usually located at the bottom of the oven and is also used for the self-cleaning feature in a variety of ovens that are automatic. If it starts to burn out, you might be noticing that your oven doesn't preheat as quickly or that your food isn't fully cooked.

To verify that you have a working oven baking element plug your multimeter into its red and black ports, and then place the probes made of metal against each other on the opposite side of the element. Set the other end of the probe against one of its terminals, and place your hand on it to determine whether the baking element is warm to the contact. If not, remove it and try again.

Broil Element

The broil element, which is typically located at the top of the cavity, provides high heat to brown or char foods. The broil setting of your oven is an excellent option for quickly grilling meat or vegetables, crisping them up, reheating lasagna, or caramelizing the top of a casserole.

The broiler heating element is similar to the bake element in that it converts electrical energy via resistance into heat. It consists of an inner core of wires that are wrapped in an insulating expanded perlite material. The inner core is wrapped in an outer layer of stainless steel, which protects the wires from direct contact with the oven. The three-layer structure reduces the broil element's temperature which makes it more secure and efficient than older types of elements.

While  hobs and ovens  may use any baking or broiling heating element in your oven, you should choose one that matches the wattage rating of your oven. Utilizing a different wattage may harm your oven or cause it to overheat. You can check the power of your oven as well as the rating of the new heating element by examining their voltage and current ratings on the control panel of your oven.

You should also test the resistance of your previous element and compare it with the power of the new broiler heating element. The higher the resistance of an oven element the greater power it draws from it.

Replace the broiler element as soon as possible in the event that it isn't working or if it is acting up. It is crucial that your oven function properly to cook all your favorite foods. If your oven isn't working at all or only intermittently, the issue could be in a different area of your oven.

Light Bulb and Assembly

The oven light helps you keep an eye on your food as it cooks, without opening the door and let the heat escape. The light also informs you when your casserole is ready. It's not unusual for the bulb to go. This can be very frustrating but it's an easy fix you can tackle yourself. Make sure that the breaker is not tripped and that the connector has three prongs.

First, take out the old light bulb and then locate the new one. You may have to search the internet for a replacement that matches the wattage and type of your oven. Some ovens utilize standard appliance bulbs of 40 watts, while others need a halogen lamp up to 50 watts. Be aware that the oils from your hands can cause damage to the halogen bulb, so consider using cotton gloves when handling it.

Remove the glass casing of the bulb prior to replacing it. Do slowly to avoid breaking it. You'll then need to remove the air from the bulb and replace it with a mixture. This ensures a longer life for the filament.

If your bulb keeps going out, there may be a larger electrical issue that should be addressed by an expert. Verify that you're using the correct oven bulb and look over your Use and Care Guide to find more help in troubleshooting. Be sure to unplug your oven and turn off the power before you start any repairs. This will keep you from being shocked by electricity.

Vent Tube

The vent tube is a crucial oven element because it allows for a small amount of airflow to flow inside the cavity. This allows the bake element to circulate heat throughout the oven, making sure that the temperature is distributed evenly.

It also allows the vapors that are released from the oven to escape and also allows smoke to be removed from the cooking surface. It is essential to ensure the proper operation of any gas or electric oven.

Vents for ovens can become blocked due to a variety of factors. Accidental spills or splatters could leave sticky remnants in oven vents. They may attract dust, debris and other contaminants that could cause clogs in the course of time. Grease and oil can also be airborne and build up around vents. Other environmental factors, such as kitchen construction and renovations, could introduce dust or other pollutants into the vents, leading to clogs or blockages.

Depending on the oven model, the vent tube may include an a bottle guide 20 or spreader 46 as well as a fill tip 12 that are formed by the pipe 32. For example the bottle guide 20 could have a tapered outer layer that compliments the complementarily tapered inner surface of the spreader 46 to allow the vent tube to be easily placed into various sizes and forms of bottle necks.

A blocked or clogged vent tube can cause the loss of pressure inside the enclosing structure. This can create a downdraft situation that pushes exhaust down the vent and then backwards over the oven's burners, causing damage to the oven components. Contact a professional if you think your vent pipe may be clogged or blocked. They will diagnose the issue and offer suggestions on how to clean or clean the vent.