How to Repair Common Oven Parts

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

An accurate oven thermometer is an essential for all bakers. Understanding how your oven functions can help you improve your baking cooking, roasting and cooking abilities. It can also help you avoid those hot spots that can cause damage to cakes, cookies and baked items.

Thermostat

The thermostat is one of the most important parts of your oven, helping ensure that the temperature of your food is exactly what you've set on the control panel. As with any electro mechanical switch or sensor it can have issues that cause the oven to over or under heat, or just not be able to keep the temperature you've set.

The oven thermostat is a small strip made of two different metals that are connected. When exposed to heat, the different metals expand and flex at different rates, making or breaking an electrical circuit. When the metal in your thermostat reaches the temperature you have set on your control panel it will shut off the heating element's power. As the oven cools it expands the bimetallic strip, re-establishing circuit and turning on heating element. This process is repeated repeatedly to maintain a constant oven temperature.

You'll need the oven disconnected and all screws removed in order to determine the problem with the thermostat. If you have 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 zero or close to zero the thermostat is operating correctly and doesn't require to be replaced.

If the multimeter does not show anything then the thermostat is not working properly. It must be replaced. Cooker Spare Parts suggests that you replace your thermostat with a thermostat of the same type as the previous one. They are available through the internet or at the kitchen store, and can be purchased at a reasonable price.

Bake Element

The bake element is vital to the functioning of your oven. It produces heat that allows it to cook food items. It's an easy component that transforms electricity into high temperatures for baking, roasting and broiling. Heating elements are typically found in electric ranges and ovens, and they can be either uncovered or hidden under the floor of the oven.

Generally, oven heating elements are made of high-resistance materials such as nickel-chromium alloy. They convert electricity into heat via resistance. This heat is then radiated through the interior of the oven to reach the temperature required to cook different kinds of food.

When you switch on your oven the heating element gets to produce heat through the high-voltage electricity flowing across its metal surface. When electricity is flowing through it the element is heated. When the element reaches the temperature it is intended to it starts to be lit up in red hot.

The baked element is the primary source of heat for most oven functions. It is usually located at lower levels of the oven. Many automatic oven models also utilize it for self-cleaning. You might notice that the oven doesn't warm up as quickly or that your food hasn't cooked completely.

Plug your multimeter in to its red and black ports. Then, press the probes made of steel on one side of the element to each other. Set the other end of the probe against one of its terminals, and then place your hands on it to feel whether the baking element is warm to the contact. If not, remove it and try again.

Broil Element

The broil element, which is usually found at the top of your cavity offers high temperatures to brown or char foods. The oven's broil setting is ideal for quick sear meat crisp vegetables, heat lasagna or caramelize the top of a casserole.

Similar to the bake element the broiler heating element converts electrical energy into heat by the process of resistance. It is composed of an inner core made up of metal wires, wrapped in an insulating, expanded material known as perlite. The inner core is wrapped in an outer layer of stainless steel to protect the wires from direct contact with the oven with hob. The three-layer design helps reduce the temperature of the broil element, making it safer than the older models.

You can use any heating element to bake or broiling in your oven. But, you must select one that matches the wattage that your oven is rated for. A different wattage can damage your oven, or cause it to overheat. You can check the wattage of your oven and the rating of the new heating element by looking at their voltage and current ratings on the oven's control panel.

Verify the resistance of your old element, then compare it to the wattage ratings of the new element. The greater the resistance, the greater energy an oven element consumes.

Replace the broiler element as soon as possible in the event that it isn't functioning or if it's acting up. It is crucial that your oven function correctly to be able to cook all your favorite food items. If your oven does not work at all, or only intermittently then the problem may be in a different part.

Light Bulb and Assembly

The light lets you keep an eye on your food while it cooks, without opening the door and let the heat escape. The light also alerts you when your casserole is ready. It's not uncommon for the light to go out. This can be very frustrating however, it's an easy repair that you can accomplish yourself. Make sure the breaker is not tripped, and that the connector has three prongs.

Take out the old bulb and then locate the new one. You may have to look online for the right replacement bulb that is compatible with the wattage of your oven. Some best ovens and hobs uk use normal appliance bulbs of 40 watts, while others need an halogen lamp that can reach 50 watts. Be aware that the oil from your hands can cause damage to a halogen bulb, so consider using cotton gloves when handling it.

Before putting the new bulb in place, you should first remove it from its glass casing. It is important to do this slowly so that you don't fracture it. You'll then need to remove the air from the bulb and replace it with the mixture. This will ensure a longer lifespan for the filament.

If your bulb keeps going out, it could be an electrical issue that requires a professional to fix. Make sure that you're using the right bulb for your oven and check out your Use and Care Guide for additional troubleshooting suggestions. Remember to unplug the oven and turn off the power before beginning any repairs. This will help protect your from electrical shock.

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, ensuring that the temperature is evenly distributed.

It also allows the vapors be released from the oven, and smoke to be drawn from the cooking surface. It is crucial to ensure the proper operation of any electric or gas oven.

Vents in best ovens and hobs can get blocked or clogged due to a variety of reasons. Accidental spills or splatters can leave sticky remnants in oven vents. They can attract dust, debris and other contaminates that could cause clogs in the course of time. Grease and oil particles may become airborne and settle on the vents, too. Other environmental factors, like kitchen and construction projects can introduce dust into the vents. This can lead to clogs.

Based on the oven model the vent tube may include an a bottle guide 20, spreader 46 and fill tip 12 that are formed with the pipe 32. The bottle guide 20 can have a tapered outer edge that matches the tapered inside edge of the spreader to allow the vent tubes to be inserted easily into different sizes and shapes bottle necks.

A clogged or blocked vent tube can result in an increase in pressure within the enclosing structure. This could result in a downdraft that pushes exhaust down the vent and then backwards over the oven burners, causing damage to the oven's components. If you think that your vent tube is clogged or blocked, contact a professional for help. They will identify the issue and give suggestions for clearing or cleaning the vent.