No matter which electrical appliance you buy or how good the sales representative says it is, every appliance is bound to undergo problems sooner or later. Ovens are crucial parts of the kitchen, helping us cook and bake so many delicacies every day. So, if your oven is causing problems, it’s time to take a good look at it.
According to statistics, some of the most common oven-related problems are faulty control panels (33%), uneven cooking/not heating efficiently (25%), and broken self-cleaning features (11%). In this think piece, you’ll learn some of the major signs that your oven needs repair before it breaks down!
1. Unusual Smells
Odd smells coming from inside the oven are a major sign that you need to call professional oven repair services to fix the appliance.
If you have a gas oven, you might experience a distinct rotten egg-like smell coming out due to a gas leak or uneven burning. If you have an electric oven, it may be smell due degradation of the internal components. .
If you’ve been noticing frequent smells coming from the oven, it’s best to switch off the oven and let the professionals take care of it.
2. Uneven Cooking
Another major problem that many owners face is uneven cooking or heating of the food items. For example, if you’ve put a cake inside the oven and one side comes out undercooked while the other side is burnt, it’s time to call the repair services.
In most cases, uneven heating is a sign that the oven’s thermostat isn’t working properly or one of the heating elements inside the oven has broken down.
Many users frequently adjust cooking times for different meals, which can cause the thermostat to lose its sensitivity.
3. Oven Not Heating At All!
Electric ovens need a steady power supply to heat up. Often, the element or elements might stop functioning due to regular wear and tear and may need replacements. In this case, the element is faulty.
Sometimes, the it’s not the element that’s faulty but that the element is not receiving power from another source. In those instances, the issue might be the control function or computer board which are upstream of the element and supply power to the unit. Or potentially, the oven is not getting power at all and in those cases further electrical diagnosis is required to repair such fault.
4. Gas Stove Not Lighting
If you have a gas stove as your oven, you can light the range burners with a matchstick if the electric ignition stops working. But if you’ve tried that out and the burners still fail to light, then you might need to repair or troubleshoot the oven.
In this case, gently lift off the burner grate, burner cap, and base. Next, scrape off any accumulated food or other debris with a toothpick or air compressor.
Clean the entire grate and cap and check the wiring connecting the ignitor to the oven module. If you see any loose connections, make sure they’re tight.
5. The Oven Door Not Closing
The oven door is an important part of the appliance, and if it doesn’t seal properly, it can damage not just the food being cooked inside but also the machine itself. So, if your oven door isn’t locking properly, check the insides for broken hinges.
Many times, users tend to pull and push the door too hard, causing the interiors to get damaged. Or it may have been caused by a bent hinge or handle.
In this situation, it’s best to leave the oven alone and call a repairman to fix the door handles and hinges or to completely replace them.
6. The Interior Light Isn’t Working
Just like with any other lightbulbs, even oven lights may stop functioning once the button has been pressed. This may seem like a relatively simple repair task. However, you should rather ask a professional for help.
The professional will remove the bulb cover by gently turning it in the clockwise direction. Next, he will remove the damaged bulb by pulling it out and then push in the new bulb while wearing gloves or having something protective in his hands.
If the light still doesn’t work, he will make sure to check the dimensions of the bulb required to be fitted inside the oven and the new bulb that he pushed in.
Conclusion
Since ovens are sensitive appliances that require heat to work properly, even the smallest of damages can lead you to replace the oven later. So, try to repair it before it’s too late!
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