How to Repair Common Oven Parts
Ovens are an appliance in the kitchen that is used to cook food. The heat generated by the oven sterilizes food and kills the majority of microorganisms.
A reliable oven thermometer is an essential for all bakers. Understanding how your oven works will improve your baking and roasting skills and eliminate those annoying hot spots that can cause havoc with cakes, cookies and other baked goods.
Thermostat
The thermostat is an important element of your oven. It is used to ensure that the temperature of food matches the temperature you 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 keep the temperature you set.
The oven thermostat is essentially a small strip of two different metals bonded together. When heated, the different metals expand and flex at different rates, making or breaking an electrical circuit. When the thermostat's metal reaches the temperature you've set on your control panel it turns off the power to the heating element. As the oven cools the bimetallic strips expand in a circuit, re-establishing it and turning on heating element. This cycle is constantly repeated to ensure that the temperature remains constant in your oven.
You'll need the oven disconnected and all screws removed to diagnose the issue with the thermostat. Set your multimeter to the Ohms setting, and then test the thermostat. If the multimeter reads zero or close to it, then the thermostat is working correctly and doesn't require to be replaced.
If the multimeter does not read anything at all, then the thermostat is faulty and must be replaced. Cooker Spare Parts suggests that you replace your thermostat with a thermostat of the same type as the old one. The thermostats are sold at a reasonable price online or at a kitchen goods shop.
Bake Element
The bake element is crucial to the operation of your oven. It provides heat that lets it cook food items. It's a simple element that converts electricity into the high temperatures needed to bake, roast, and broiling. Electric ovens and ranges often include heating elements that can be exposed or hidden under the floor.
In general oven heating elements comprise of high-resistance metals such as nickel-chromium. They convert electrical energy into heat by the process of resistance, which then radiates through the oven's interior, causing it to increase the temperature to the desired temperature for cooking different types of food items.
When you turn on the oven, the heating elements begin to produce heat due to the high-voltage current flowing across the metal surface. The element is a ribbon or coil (straight or corrugated) of wire, and as the electric current flows through it, it starts to get hotter. When the element reaches its desired temperature it begins to shine red hot.
The baked element is the main source of heat for most oven functions. It's typically located at the bottom of the oven, and is used for the self-cleaning feature in many ovens with automatic cleaning. If it starts to burn out, you might notice that your oven doesn't heat up as fast or that your food isn't cooked through completely.
To verify that you have a working oven baking element plug your multimeter into its black and red ports, then touch the probes made of metal against each other on the opposite side of your device. The other end should be placed against one of its terminals, and put your hand on it to test if the element is warm to the contact. If not, remove it and try again.
Broil Element
The broil element, usually located on the top of your cavity offers high heat to brown or char the food. The broil setting in your oven is an excellent option for quickly grilling meat or vegetables, crisping them up, reheating lasagna or making caramel on top of a casserole.
Similar to the bake element the broiler heating element transforms electrical energy into heat by the process of resistance. It is comprised of an inner core of wires made of metal wrapped in insulating expanded perlite product. The inner core is then encased in an outer layer of stainless steel, which protects the wires from direct contact with the oven. The three-layer design can help reduce the temperature of the broil element, making it safer than older styles.
You can use any heating element to bake or broiling in your oven. However, it is important to select one that matches the wattage that your oven is rated for. Using a different wattage can damage your oven or cause it to overheat. You can determine the wattage of your oven and the rating of the new heating element by looking at their current and voltage ratings on the control panel of your oven.
You should also check the resistance of your old element and compare it with the power of the new broiler heating element. The higher the resistance, the more energy an oven element consumes.
If your broiler's heating element is not working or functions at all, you should replace it immediately. It is essential for your oven to function correctly to be able to cook all of your favorite food items. If your oven doesn't work in any way, or just intermittently then the problem may be in a different part.
Light Bulb and Assembly
The light allows you to monitor your food while it cooks, without opening the door and letting heat escape. The light will also inform you when the casserole is finished. It's not uncommon for the bulb to die. It can be a hassle but it's an easy fix you can tackle yourself. Before you start, make sure that the breaker hasn't been tripped and that the three-prong connector remains intact.
Remove the old bulb and then locate the new one. It is possible to look online for a replacement bulb that matches the wattage and the type of your oven. Some ovens use standard 40-watt appliance bulbs and others require a halogen bulb that is up to 50 watts. It is recommended to use cotton gloves to shield halogen bulbs from damage caused by oil.
Remove the glass casing from the bulb prior to replacing it. You should do slowly to avoid breaking it. Then, you'll have to evacuate the air inside the bulb and fill it with an amalgamation of gases. This will ensure a longer lifespan for the filament.
If your light bulb is always blinking, it could be a wider electrical problem that needs to be addressed by an expert. Double check that you are using the correct oven bulb and look over your Use and Care Guide for additional troubleshooting tips. Be sure to unplug your oven and shut off the power prior to beginning any repairs. This will protect you from electrical shock.
Vent Tube
The vent tube is an important oven part as it allows for a small amount of airflow to be created within 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 drained from the cooking surface. It is crucial to ensure the proper operation of any electric or gas oven.
Vents in ovens can get clogged by various reasons. Accidental spills or splatters may leave sticky residues in oven vents. They may attract dust, debris and other contaminants that can cause clogs in the course of time. Oil and grease particles can be blown into the air and settle around the vents, as well. Other environmental factors such as kitchen and construction work can cause dust to enter the vents. This can cause clogs.
Based on the oven model the vent tube may comprise a bottle guide 20 and spreader 46, as well as fill tip 12 that are integrally formed by the pipe 32. The bottle guide 20 can have a tapered outer edge that matches the tapered inside edge of the spreader, allowing the vent tubes to slide easily into different sizes and shapes bottle necks.
A clogged or blocked vent tube could cause an increase in pressure within the enclosing structure, ovensandhobs.Uk which can create a downdraft situation which pulls exhaust down vent and backwards towards the oven's burners, which can cause damage to the oven's components. If you think that the vent tube in your oven is clogged or blocked, call an expert for assistance. They will diagnose the issue and make recommendations on how to clean or clean the vent.