5 Oven Lessons From The Professionals

How to Repair Common Oven Parts Oven is a kitchen appliance that is commonly used to cook food. The heat produced by the oven sterilizes food items and kills the majority of micro-organisms in them. An accurate oven thermometer is a necessity for all bakers. Understanding how your oven works can help you 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 essential element of your oven. It is used to ensure that the temperature of food is in line with the temperature you have set on the control panel. However, just like any other electro mechanical switch or sensor it may have issues that can cause the oven to over heat or under heat, or simply not be able to keep the temperature you've set. The oven thermostat is basically tiny strips of two different metals that are connected. When exposed to heat the different metals expand and bend at different rates, forming or breaking an electrical circuit. When the metal in your thermostat reaches the temperature that you set on your control panel, it will shut off power to the heater. When the oven cools down the bimetallic strip expands in a way, reestablishing the circuit and turning on the heating element. This process is repeated over and over to ensure a constant temperature in your oven. To diagnose a problem with the thermostat you'll need to disconnect the oven and ensure that all screws that hold it in place have been removed. If you have a multimeter (which is a device that measures electrical current) set it to the ohms level and then test the thermostat. If the multimeter displays zero or close to zero the thermostat is operating properly and doesn't need to be changed. If the multimeter isn't reading anything, it's likely that the thermostat is faulty and requires replacement. Cooker Spare Parts recommends that you replace the thermostat with a brand new one that is the same model as your old one. They can be purchased through the internet or at the kitchen store, and can be bought at a reasonable cost. Bake Element The bake element is essential for the proper operation of your oven. It generates heat that lets it cook food. It's a basic element that converts electricity into the high temperatures needed to bake, roast, and broiling. Heating elements are commonly found in electric ranges and ovens and can be covered or hidden beneath the floor of the oven. Generally, oven heating elements are made from high-resistance components like nickel-chromium alloy. They convert electricity into heat via resistance. This heat then radiates through the oven's interior to reach the desired temperature to cook various types of food. When you start your oven the heating element starts to generate heat through the high-voltage electricity moving across its metal surface. When the electric current is flowing through it, the element heats up. When the element reaches the temperature it is intended to it begins to be lit up in red hot. The baked element is the main source of heat used in most oven functions. It's usually located in the bottom of the oven, and is used to perform the self-cleaning function in many automatic oven models. You may observe that your oven doesn't get hot as fast or that your food hasn't been cooked completely. Connect your multimeter to its red and black ports. Then, press the metal probes on one side of the device against each other. The other end should be placed against one of its terminals, and place your hand on it to test whether the element is warm to the touch. If it's not, take off the element and start testing again. Broil Element The broil element is usually situated in the upper part of the oven and can provide high heat like a grill to roast or grill food. The broil setting in your oven is a great choice for quickly searing meat and vegetables, crisping up vegetables, warming lasagna or making caramel on top of a casserole. The broiler heating element has a similarity to the bake element in that it converts electrical energy via resistance into heat. ovens uk is made up of an internal core of metal wires wrapped in insulating expanded perlite material. The inner core is enclosed in an outer layer of stainless steel to protect the wires from direct contact with the oven. ovens uk -layer structure helps reduce the temperature of the broil element making it more durable and safer than the older designs of elements. You can use any heating element you want to use for baking or broiling in your oven. However, it is important to select one that matches the wattage of your oven's rating. A different wattage may harm your oven, or cause it to overheat. The voltage and current ratings of the new heating elements can be found on the control panel of your oven. This allows you to determine the wattage and rating of your oven. It is also advisable to 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 power an oven element uses. Replace the broiler element as soon as possible if it is not working or is acting up. It's important that your oven function properly to cook all of your favorite food items. If your oven doesn't work at all, or only intermittently, the issue may be a problem with a different component. Light Bulb and Assembly The oven light helps you keep an eye on your food while it cooks without opening the door and let heat escape. The light also informs you when your casserole is ready. It's not unusual for the bulb to die. It can be quite frustrating, but you can do it yourself. Before you begin, make sure that the breaker hasn't tripped and that the three-prong connector is intact. First, take out the light bulb that was in use and find the new one. You may have to search the internet to find the correct replacement bulb that is compatible with your oven's wattage. Some ovens use standard appliance bulbs of 40 watts, while others need lamps that are halogen up to 50 watts. It is recommended to use cotton gloves to shield the halogen bulbs from the damage caused by oil. Remove the glass casing from the bulb before replacing it. It's important to do this slowly so that you don't damage it. Then, you'll need to evacuate the air inside the bulb and fill it with an amalgamation of gases. This ensures a longer life for the filament. If your bulb keeps blinking, it could be a wider electrical problem that needs to be addressed by an expert. Verify that you're using the correct oven bulb and check your Use and Care Guide to get more troubleshooting advice. Make sure to unplug the oven and turn off the power before you start any repairs. This will help protect you from electric shock. Vent Tube The vent tube is a vital oven component that allows for a small airflow inside the cavity. This allows the bake element to circulate heat throughout the oven and ensures that the temperature is evenly dispersed. It also allows the vapors that are released from the oven to escape, and allows smoke to be drained away from the cooking surface. It is necessary to ensure the proper operation of any electric or gas oven. Vents in ovens can get blocked by many factors. Accidental spills or splatters may leave sticky residues on oven vents. These can draw in dust, debris and other contaminants that can cause clogs in the course of time. Grease and oil particles may become airborne and settle around the vents, and vice versa. Other environmental factors like kitchen and construction work can introduce dust into the vents. This can cause clogs. Based on the oven model, the vent tube may include the bottle guide 20 and spreader 46, as well as fill tip 12 that are formed by 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 inserted easily into different sizes and shapes of bottle necks. A clogged vent tube can cause a loss in pressure inside the enclosure, which can lead to an updraft that pulls exhaust backwards and then down the vent, causing damage to oven components. Consult a professional if you suspect that your vent tube might be blocked or clogged. They will diagnose the problem and provide recommendations for removing or cleaning the vent.