Five Common Problems with Your Oven-and How to Fix Them

Appliances aren’t manufactured to last forever and like all other major appliances, an oven can give you problems. Most of us will experience oven problems sooner or later. There are a few common problems that occur. One of the following five oven problems may be one you’ll face.

Failure to Heat

It might look great in the kitchen and have all the bells and whistles, but an oven that fails to heat is totally useless. What good is a stove that won’t cook? Thankfully, as major as it sounds, the problem behind a stove that won’t heat could be fairly simple and easy to fix.

If you’re cooking (or not cooking as the case may be) on an electric oven, open the door to view the heating elements inside. Overtime, the elements burn out and need replacing. A red glow indicates that the elements are working, but if the elements glow and the stove still doesn’t heat, they may be on the way out. Take a look at your stove’s manufacturer’s manual to find the model and serial numbers. You’ll need those numbers to order and replace the elements. This is not a difficult job for most DIYer’s. It involves unscrewing the broken elements from the stove’s interior wall, and then removing from the stove. The new elements can then be plugged into the holes and screwed in place where the original elements had been. Unplug the oven before replacing the elements.

Incorrect Temperature

Baking a cake or bread requires a different temperature than roasting prime rib, for example. The stove must perform the action of varying the temperature to accommodate different recipes and food items. The stove must remain on the temperature to which it was set, but if it doesn’t, there’s a problem. If the food on your table is either under or overcooked, then the temperature controls may have lost calibration.

The stove’s temperature display window reflects inner temperature. The temperature reading may fluctuate away from your initial setting, either going up or down. However, the display window may not give away the oven’s fickle fluctuations. Place an oven-proof thermometer inside the oven to determine if the temperature matches the display window’s reading. If the readings don’t match, follow the manufacturer’s manual to calibrate the oven’s temperature controls by pressing a few buttons on the control panel.

Interior Light Won’t Turn On

Cooks are accustomed to peering through a window into a well-lit oven to view their culinary creations, but the experience isn’t the same if the interior light won’t turn on. Check the light bulb when darkness falls. It may simply need replacing. The manufacturer’s manual will provide the wattage and type of bulb needed or you can remove the bulb and use it as a guide.

If changing the bulb doesn’t light the darkness, then there may be a greater problem. Call an electrician to check for issues that affect wiring or the electronic control panel.

The Oven Won’t Turn On

The oven is plugged in, but pressing the correct button on the control panel doesn’t turn the oven on. Check the breaker box to determine if the circuit breaker controlling the stove has been inadvertently switched to the off position. Switching it back to the on position should cause the stove to turn on. That’s the simplest solution. More serious reasons could also affect the stove’s ability to turn on. With electric ovens, it could be a faulty wire or another electrical issue. A gas oven might not turn on due to worn or dirty components, such as the igniter. Determining the cause and solution for reasons other than a tripped circuit breaker, may be best left to a professional.

Self-Clean Function Malfunction

The days are gone when cooks spent hours in rubber gloves cleaning an oven. Self-clean models eliminate the hard work associated with a clean oven, but the best made plans…

A malfunctioning door switch lock can prohibit the oven from self-cleaning. When working properly the door is supposed to lock, disallowing access until the cleaning process is complete. If the door switch lock malfunctions, the oven won’t self-clean.

As with other oven problems, the self-clean function might not work due to an electrical issue, such as a faulty thermal fuse, wiring and components that control temperature. Assessing these oven problems is not a job for a non-professional. An electrician or professional technician is equipped to address the wiring and electrical issues that prohibit self-cleaning.

An oven is just one of the many appliances that home owners choose to cover with a home warranty plan offered by FPL Home. A home warranty plan can help to pay to fix or replace appliances that fail due to normal wear and tear. Call 844-965-1133 to learn more.