How to Repair Common Oven Parts

Oven is a kitchen appliance that is commonly used to cook food. The heat produced by the oven sterilizes food and kills most of the micro-organisms in them.

An accurate oven thermometer is an essential for all bakers. Knowing how your oven works can help you improve your baking, roasting and cooking skills. It can also help you avoid the annoying hot spots that can ruin cakes, cookies and baked items.

Thermostat

The thermostat is an essential element of your oven. It helps to ensure that the temperature of food corresponds to the temperature you set on the control panel. It can be problematic as is any other sensor or switch that is electro-mechanical. The oven can overheat or underheat, or not keep the temperature you have set.

The oven thermostat is basically an extremely small strip of two different metals that are bonded together. When heated by the oven, the metals expand or flex at different rates. This creates an electrical circuit. When the thermostat's metal is at the temperature you've set on your control panel, it shuts off the heating element's power. When the oven cools down the bimetallic strip contract in a way, reestablishing the circuit and activating the heating element. This cycle is repeated continuously to ensure that the oven remains at a constant temperature.

To diagnose a issue with the thermostat, you'll need to unplug the oven and ensure that all screws that hold it in place have been removed. If you own a multimeter (which is a device that analyzes electrical current) set it to the ohms level and then test the thermostat. If the multimeter shows zero or close to zero the thermostat is operating correctly and does not need to be changed.

If the multimeter doesn't show anything, the thermostat is faulty. It is time to get it 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 an appliance store and can be purchased 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 an easy component that transforms electricity into high temperatures for baking, roasting and broiling. Electric ovens and ranges often contain heating elements, which can be either exposed or hidden under the floor.

In general, oven heating elements consist of high-resistance metals such as nickel-chromium. They convert electricity into heat via resistance. This heat then radiates through the interior of the oven to reach the temperature required to cook various types of food.

When you start the oven the heating elements start to generate heat by the high-voltage current flowing across the surface of the metal. The element is a coil or ribbon (straight or corrugated) of wire, and as the electric current flows through it, it starts to heat up. The element will glow red hot when it is at the desired temperature.

The baked element is the main source of heat for the majority of oven functions. It's usually located in the bottom of the oven and is used to perform the self-cleaning function in many automatic oven models. If it starts to get hot, you might notice that your oven doesn't warm as quickly or your food is not cooked through completely.

To determine if you have a functioning oven baking element connect your multimeter to its black and red ports, then touch the probes made of metal against each other on one side of your element. The other end of the baking element against one terminal and then place your hand on it. If the element feels warm, remove it and test it again. If not, remove it and try again.

Broil Element

The broil element is typically located at the upper part of the oven's cavity and produces high heat like grills to brown or char food items. The broil setting in your oven is a great choice for quickly searing meat or vegetables, crisping them up, reheating lasagna, or caramelizing the top of the casserole.

Similar to the bake element, the broiler heating element converts electrical energy into heat via the process of resistance. It is composed of an inner core consisting of metal wires, wrapped in an insulating, expanded material known as perlite. The inside of the element is then covered with an outer layer of stainless steel to shield the wires from direct contact with the oven. The three-layer design helps to lower the temperature of the broil element, making it safer than older styles.

You can use any heating element you want to use for baking or broiling in your oven. But, you must choose one that is in line with the wattage of your oven's rating. A different wattage could damage your oven, or cause it overheat. You can verify the power of your oven and the rating of the new heating element by checking their current and voltage ratings on the control panel of your oven.

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

If the heating element in your broiler is malfunctioning or isn't working in any way, you should replace it as soon as possible. It is essential that your oven function correctly to be able to cook all of your favorite foods. If your oven doesn't operate at all, or only intermittently, then the issue could be with another part.

Light Bulb and Assembly

The oven light lets you keep an eye on the food while it cooks without having to open the door to let heat escape. The light also informs you when your casserole is ready. It's not uncommon for the light bulb to fail. It can be a hassle, but you can do it yourself. Before you begin, make sure that the breaker hasn't tripped and that the three-prong connector remains intact.

First, take out the light bulb that was in use and then locate the new one. You may have to look online for a replacement bulb that is compatible with the wattage and model of your oven. Some use standard 40-watt appliance bulbs and others require a halogen bulb up to 50 watts. Be aware that the oils from your hands can damage the bulb, so it is recommended to use cotton gloves when handling it.

Remove the glass casing of the bulb before you replace it. It is important to do slowly to avoid breaking it. You'll have to remove the air from the bulb and replace it with an appropriate mixture. This will extend the filament life.


If your bulb keeps going out, there could be a wider electrical problem that needs to be handled by a professional. Make sure you're using the correct oven bulb and check your Use and Care Guide for more troubleshooting advice. Remember that Best ovens 's a good idea to unplug your oven and disconnect the power from the outlet before you start any repair. This will help prevent getting an electric shock.

Vent Tube

The vent tube is an important oven component that allows for a tiny airflow inside the cavity. This allows the bake-element to circulate heat throughout the oven, making sure that the temperature is evenly distributed.

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 for the proper operation of any gas or electric oven.

Vents in ovens can get blocked by many factors. Accidental spills or splatters can leave sticky residues in oven vents. They may attract debris, dust and other contaminants that can cause obstructions in the course of time. Grease and oil particles can become airborne and settle on the vents, too. Other environmental factors, like kitchen renovations and construction work, can introduce dust and other contaminants into the vents, leading to clogs or blockages.

Depending on the oven model the vent tube may include an a bottle guide 20 and spreader 46, as well as fill tip 12 that are constructed with the pipe 32. The bottle guide 20 could have a tapered edge that matches the tapered inside edge of the spreader. This allows the vent tubes to be inserted easily into different sizes and shapes bottle necks.

A blocked or clogged vent tube can result in a loss of pressure within the structure that surrounds it, which could result in a downdraft which pulls exhaust down vent and then backwards over the oven burners, causing damage to oven components. Consult a professional if think your vent pipe could be blocked or clogged. They will diagnose the issue and provide suggestions on how to remove or clean the vent.