How to Repair Common Oven Parts
The oven is an appliance in the kitchen that is used to cook food. The heat generated by the oven sterilizes food items and kills the majority of microorganisms.
A precise oven thermometer is an essential for all bakers. Knowing how your oven works can help you improve your baking cooking, roasting and cooking abilities. It will also eliminate the annoying hot spots that can ruin cakes, cookies and baked items.
Thermostat
The thermostat is an important element of your oven. It assists in ensuring that the temperature of food is in line with the temperature you have set on the control panel. Unfortunately, like any other electro mechanical switch or sensor, it can have issues that result in the oven going over or under heat, or not be able to keep the temperature at the level you've 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 thermostat's metal attains the temperature you've set on the control panel, it turns off the power to the heating element. When the oven cools down, the bimetallic strip contracts, re-establishing the circuit and activating the heating element. This cycle continues for a long time to ensure that the oven remains at a constant temperature.
To determine if there is a problem with the thermostat you'll need to unplug the oven and verify that all of the screws holding 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 reads 0 or very close to it then the thermostat is functioning properly and doesn't need to be replaced.
If the multimeter isn't reading anything, then the thermostat is faulty and needs to be replaced. Cooker Spare Parts suggests that you replace your thermostat with a thermostat of the same model as the one you have. They are available on the internet or in an appliance store and are available at a reasonable price.
Bake Element
The bake element is crucial to the functioning of your oven. It produces heat that lets it cook food items. It's a simple element that transforms electricity into high temperatures for baking, roasting, and broiling. Heating elements are usually found in electric ovens and ranges and are either uncovered or hidden under the floor of the oven.
In general, oven heating elements are made of high-resistance materials such as nickel-chromium alloy. They work by converting electrical energy into heat using resistance. This heat then radiates through the interior of the oven to achieve the desired temperature to cook different kinds of food.
When you turn on your oven, the heating element begins to produce heat by the high-voltage electricity flowing across its metal surface. When electricity runs through it the element is heated. The element will appear red hot when it is at the desired temperature.
The baked element is the main source of heat for most oven functions. It's usually located at the lower levels of the oven. Many automatic oven models also utilize it to clean themselves. You may observe that the oven does not get hot as fast or that your food hasn't been cooked to perfection.
To check for a working oven baking element plug your multimeter into its black and red ports, and then place the probes made of steel against each other on the opposite side of your element. Set the other end of the probe against one of its terminals, and then place your hands on it to feel whether the element is warm to the contact. If not, remove it and try again.
Broil hobs and ovens is usually situated in the top of the oven and can provide high heat like grills to brown or char food items. The broil setting in your oven is an excellent option for quickly searing meat, crisping vegetables, reheating lasagna or making caramel on top of the casserole.
Similar to the bake element, the broiler heating element transforms electrical energy into heat by the process of resistance. It is made up of an inner core consisting of metal wires, wrapped in an insulating and expanded product called perlite. The inner core is encased in an outer layer of stainless steel, which protects the wires from direct contact with the oven. The three-layer design can help lower the temperature of the broil element, making it more secure than older styles.
While you can use any heating element in your oven, make sure to choose one that matches the wattage that is recommended for your oven. Utilizing a different wattage may damage 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 checking their current and voltage ratings on the oven's control panel.
You should also check the resistance of your old element and compare it with the power output of your new broiler heating element. The greater the resistance, the more 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's important that your oven functions correctly to be able to cook all your favorite foods. If your oven doesn't function at all, or only intermittently, then the issue could be in a different part.
Light Bulb and Assembly
The light allows you to keep an eye on your food as it cooks without opening the door and let the heat escape. The light will also notify you when the casserole is done. But it's not uncommon for the light bulb to fail. It can be a hassle however, it's an simple fix that you can tackle 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 need to search online to find the correct replacement bulb that matches the wattage of your oven. Some use standard 40-watt appliance bulbs and others require halogen bulbs up to 50 watts. ovens and hobs is recommended to use cotton gloves to protect the halogen bulbs from the damage caused by oil.
Remove the glass casing from the bulb before you replace it. It's crucial to do this slowly so that you don't fracture it. After that, you'll need to remove the air from the bulb and fill it up with an amalgamation of gases. This will provide a longer life for the filament.
If your bulb is always going out it could be an electrical problem that requires the assistance of a professional. Double check that you are using the correct oven bulb and check your Use and Care Guide to get more troubleshooting advice. Also, remember that it's recommended to unplug your oven and disconnect it from the outlet prior to you start any repair. This will help prevent suffering an electric shock.
Vent Tube
The vent tube is an important oven component that permits an airflow within the cavity. This allows the bake element to circulate heat around the oven and ensures that the temperature is evenly distributed.
It also allows the vapors to escape from the oven and smoke to be drawn from the cooking surface. It is vital for the efficient operation of any gas or electric oven.
Vents in ovens can get clogged by many factors. Accidental spills and splatters from cooking can leave sticky residues on the oven vents, which can draw dust and other debris that can eventually cause clogs or blockages over time. Grease and oil can also become airborne and build up around vents. Other environmental factors such as kitchen and construction work can create dust in 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 integrally formed by the pipe 32. The bottle guide 20 could have a tapered outer edge that matches the tapered inner edge of the spreader, allowing the vent tubes to be placed easily into different sizes and shapes bottle necks.
A clogged vent tube can cause a reduction in pressure within the enclosure, which can cause an updraft that pulls exhaust backwards and down the vent, causing damage to the oven components. Consult a professional if suspect that your vent tube could be blocked or clogged. They will determine the cause and offer suggestions for removing or cleaning the vent.