How to Repair Common Oven Parts The oven is a kitchen appliance that is typically used to cook food. The heat generated by the oven sterilizes food items and kills the majority of micro-organisms in them. An accurate oven thermometer is an essential for bakers of all kinds. Understanding how your oven works will improve your baking and roasting abilities and eliminate those irritated hot spots that can cause havoc with cookies, cakes and other baked products. Thermostat The thermostat is an important part of your oven. It helps to ensure that the temperature of food is in line with the temperature you have set on the control panel. It could be a problem, just like any other sensor or switch that is electro-mechanical. The oven may overheat or underheat, or not maintain the temperature you have set. The oven thermostat is an extremely small piece of different metals joined. When exposed to heat, the various metals expand and contract at different rates, creating or breaking an electrical circuit. When the metal in the thermostat is at the temperature you've set on the control panel, it shuts off the heating element's power. When the oven cools down the bimetallic strip expands, re-establishing the circuit and turning on the heating element. This cycle is repeated continuously to maintain a constant oven temperature. The oven must be disconnected and all screws removed in order to determine the problem with the thermostat. Set hobs and ovens to the Ohms setting and then test the thermostat. If the multimeter shows zero or close to zero it means that the thermostat is working properly and doesn't need to be replaced. If the multimeter fails to detect anything it means that the thermostat is defective. It must be replaced. Cooker Spare Parts suggests that you replace your thermostat with a thermostat of the same type as the previous one. The thermostats are sold at a reasonable cost online or in the kitchen store. Bake Element The bake element is essential to the functioning of your oven. It produces heat that allows it to cook food items. It's a simple element that transforms electricity into high temperatures for baking, roasting, and broiling. Electric ovens and ranges often include heating elements that are either visible or hidden under the floor. In general oven heating elements comprise of high-resistance elements such as nickel-chromium. They convert electrical energy into heat through the process of resistance, which radiates outwards into the oven's interior, causing it to increase the temperature to the desired temperature to cook various types of foods. When you switch on your oven the heating element starts to produce heat through the high-voltage electricity that flows across its metallic surface. When electric current flows through it, the element heats up. The element will glow red hot when it reaches the desired temperature. The baked element is the primary source of heat used in most oven functions. It is usually located at in the bottom of the oven. Many automatic oven models also use it for self-cleaning. When it begins to burn out, you might notice that your oven doesn't warm as quickly or your food is not fully cooked. To determine if you have a functioning oven baking element plug your multimeter into its black and red ports, then rub the probes made of metal against each other on the opposite side of your element. The other end should be placed against one of its terminals, and place your hand on it to test if the element is warm to the touch. If hobs and ovens 's not, remove the element and try again. Broil Element The broil element is usually located in the top of the oven cavity and provides high-temperature heat similar to grills to brown or char food. The broil setting in your oven is an excellent option for quickly grilling meat and vegetables, crisping up vegetables, warming lasagna or caramelizing the top of a casserole. The broiler heating element is comparable to the bake element in that it converts electrical energy through resistance into heat. It is comprised of an inner core of wires that are wrapped in insulating perlite product. The inner core is wrapped 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 safer than older designs. You can use any heating element you want to use for baking or broiling in your oven. However, it is important to choose one that is compatible with the wattage that your oven is rated for. A different wattage may cause damage to your oven or cause it overheat. The voltage and current ratings of the latest heating elements can be found on the control panel of your oven. This will allow you to check the power and rating of your oven. Check the resistance of your old element, and compare it to the wattage rating of the new one. The greater the resistance, the greater energy an oven element consumes. Replace the broiler element as soon as possible If it's not functioning or if it's acting up. It is essential that your oven functions properly to cook all your favorite foods. If your oven doesn't operate in any way, or just intermittently, then the issue could be a problem with a different component. Light Bulb and Assembly The light lets you keep an eye on your food as it cooks without opening the doors and let the heat escape. The light also lets you know when the casserole is ready. It's not unusual for the bulb to go. This can be frustrating however, it's an easy repair that you can do yourself. Check that the breaker is not tripped and that the connector has three prongs. Remove the old bulb and then find the new one. You may need to search online to find a replacement that matches the wattage and the type of your oven. Some ovens utilize standard appliances with bulbs that run at 40 watts some require lamps that are halogen up to 50 watts. You should consider using cotton gloves to protect the halogen bulbs from damage caused by oil. Remove the glass casing from the bulb before you replace it. You should do slowly to avoid breaking it. You'll then need to remove the air from the bulb and replace it with an appropriate mixture. This will prolong the lifespan of the filament. If your light bulb is constantly running out it could be an electrical issue that requires the assistance of a professional. Verify that you're using the correct oven bulb and look over your Use and Care Guide for more help in troubleshooting. Be sure to unplug your oven and shut off the power prior to beginning any repairs. This will protect your from electrical shock. Vent Tube The vent tube is an essential oven part as it allows for a tiny amount of airflow to flow inside 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 be released from the oven, and smoke to be drained from the cooking surface. It is necessary to ensure the proper operation of any gas or electric oven. Vents for ovens can become blocked by a variety of factors. Accidental spills and splatters during cooking can leave sticky residues on oven vents, which could attract dust and other particles that can eventually cause clogs or blockages over time. Grease and oil can also become airborne and build up on vents. Other environmental factors like construction and kitchen renovations can create dust in the vents. This can lead to clogs. Depending on the model of the oven the vent tube may include a spreader 46 and a fill tip 12, and an a bottle guide 20 that are integrated into the pipe 32. The bottle guide 20 could have a tapered 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 blocked or clogged vent tube can result in an increase in pressure within the enclosing structure, which could result in a downdraft that pulls exhaust down the vent and backwards through the oven's burners, which can cause damage to oven components. If you think that the vent tube in your oven is clogged or blocked, contact a professional for help. They will identify the issue and offer suggestions for removing or cleaning the vent.
hobs and ovens|hobs and ovens
