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common issues happen to an electric oven

Common Issues That Can Happen To an Electric Oven

It’s entirely normal for electric ovens to develop issues from time to time. Sometimes, your oven may show signs before it starts showing problems. Other times, the problems just come up unexpectedly. It can be very frustrating, especially when you plan to prepare dinner for the family or yourself.

Some electric oven issues are pretty simple to fix, while others may require the help of professionals. If you’re trying to fix electric oven problems yourself, always remember to observe safety rules. It’ll enable you to avoid electrocution.

In this article, you’ll learn how to fix the common issues that can happen to an electric oven. Faults in your oven tend to affect other components if you don’t find the solutions early enough. Therefore, we’ll also explore ways to diagnose these problems before they escalate into more significant issues.

Read further to gain more knowledge on common electric oven issues and what you can do about them.

Electric Oven Issues and How to Diagnose Them

Like other machines, it’s normal for electric ovens to develop faults or malfunction from time to time. However, you may already know that not all electric oven faults are the same. Instead, there are varieties of issues that can hinder your electric oven from functioning normally. 

Experts describe electric oven issues as a loss of usefulness. We can break loss of usefulness down into three categories, namely:

  • Obsolescence
  • Surface degradation
  • Accidents

Of these three categories, surface degradation is primarily responsible for the average electric oven’s loss of usefulness. Surface degradation comprises corrosion and mechanical wear. 

Corrosion

Corrosion of machine parts is a prevalent cause of machines’ malfunction, especially for devices in contact with water. Water is the primary cause of iron surface rust, and it also increases the oil’s oxidation rate. These effects lead to an acidic environment in the component. 

Mechanical Wear

Mechanical wear in machines occurs when mechanical surfaces wear against each other. Over time, metals in your oven will begin to weaken as a result of constant usage. 

Your electric oven can develop faults due to several reasons. But surface degradation is the cause of the majority of these problems. Therefore, sealing your electric oven’s possible particle entry points will reduce the occurrence of faults.

Electric Oven Power Problems

Your oven may come on in the morning and refuse to come on at night. Sometimes, it may give you a hint or sign; other times, it just happens abruptly. Here’s why that may be happening.

Loose or Unplugged Power Cord

Look out for an unplugged or loose power cord. Sometimes, the wall socket may no longer be able to grip the cord firmly. 

Instead, it makes the cord flexible and easy to disconnect from power. Perhaps you or someone in the house may have mistakenly unplugged the cord from the socket.

To fix this, you simply need to plug the cord properly into the socket. If the socket is loose, it needs a replacement. A loose socket may cause your oven to trip off occasionally during usage. It can also damage your oven if it happens too repeatedly. 

Bad Control Board

If your oven is plugged and getting adequate power from the wall but won’t function, the problem is most likely from your control board. The board and user interface can develop faults over time because of constant usage, repetitive use, and failure.

The boards are easy to replace. But it’s advisable to wait for professional oven repair services to avoid the risk of being shocked. If you possess electrical knowledge to a considerable level, you can test the boards with a multimeter. If not, you can just inspect it for signs of burning or short-circuiting problems. 

Broken Wires or Cables

broken wires or cables

There are sensitive cables responsible for the distribution of power in an electric oven. When there’s physical damage to such cables, your oven won’t work correctly. Until you replace the defective cables or wires, your oven will not come on. 

Most of the time, the broil or bake power supply wires burn out near the heating element. Therefore, the damage is usually visible with apparent signs of burn.

You may want to employ a professional to fix the broken cable. But if you feel you can tackle the problem, you can go ahead. Always remember to apply safety precautions as written in the oven’s manual. 

Box Breaker and Fuse

An electric oven won’t come on if there’s a problem with the breaker or fuse. For example, if the breaker trips or the fuse blows up, the oven won’t receive power. 

In your home, try to ensure that appliances that may have high power consumption have their circuits. It’ll stop the breaker from tripping regularly.

You have to replace the faulty fuse or replace the fuse. Then, try to turn on the oven one more time. 

Uneven Power Distribution

Inadequate power supply or voltage distribution to your electric oven may stop it from working. Too much voltage is also not suitable for your oven. Sometimes, due to faulty connections, there may be a current or voltage surge that destroys appliances. 

For instance, plugging a 220v oven into a 110v outlet is terrible. If you do so, you’d likely damage the appliance. Consider yourself lucky if your electric oven is still working fine after this type of issue.

If the outlet available has a lower voltage, you can always change it to a higher one to avoid this electric oven issue.

Common Heating Issues Your Electric Oven May Have 

Your electric oven may be overheating or not get hot due to issues with the thermostat or a control board.

Faulty Thermostat or Sensor

The thermostat is a switch that controls or regulates the temperature in a heating system. It allows you to set the temperature as you prefer. 

You can find a thermostat in the control panel, where it works with a sensor to maintain internal oven temperatures. Your electric oven achieves this by cycling the heat off and on at the right time. However, sensors must be working perfectly to enable efficient thermostat operation. 

To tackle this problem, follow these  steps:

  • Ensure the temperature sensor isn’t making contact with the inside wall of the oven
  • Check the state of the sensor using an ohmmeter. If the resistance rises as the temperature rises, then it’s a good sign.
  • Replace ineffective sensors
  • After checking everything, recalibrate the oven.
  • If you can’t fix the thermostat, maybe it’s time to contact oven repair services to help you out. 

Related Article: How to Repair an Oven Not Heating Up

Electric Oven Door Won’t Open or Close Properly

Oven door problems may likely occur after a safe-cleaning cycle. To solve this problem or electric oven issue, unplug the oven or shut the circuit breaker for some minutes. When you plug it back to the socket, gently move the door to see if it can now open.

If that technique doesn’t work, you may need to restart the self-clean process or cycle. Leave it to function for about 20 minutes, then stop the process. Allow the oven to cool for some time before moving the door lock to see if the door will open.

If the problem persists, the hinge is likely the faulty component. It requires pulling the door apart and removing the side panel. Again, you may need the assistance of a professional to solve this problem.

Electric Oven Self-Cleaning Issue

electric oven self-cleaning

Self-cleaning ovens or pyrolytic ovens use high temperatures (up to 500°C) to burn off leftovers from baking. It doesn’t need chemical agents to carry out this process. Sometimes, faults in your oven’s operation may prevent it from self-cleaning.

If your oven won’t self-clean, the door may be the culprit. First, ensure the door switch locks the oven properly. The self-cleaning process or cycle won’t start until the oven door locks correctly.

There may be a problem with the thermostat, fuse or circuit breaker, or the control board if it doesn’t work. Individuals without the requisite skills and tools may cause further damage if they try fixing it. It’s best to seek the assistance of oven repair services.

Oven Light Won’t Come On

Like the regular lighting in your home, the bulbs in your oven will go out occasionally. Follow the steps below to replace it:

  • Firstly, remove the bulb cover by turning it in an anticlockwise manner
  • Remove the defective bulb by pulling it out.
  • You may want to use a dry fabric or hand gloves to pick up the new bulb. But, first, make sure the bulb is the same as the old one. 

Signs You May Need to Change Your Oven

  • Your favourite recipes will stop coming out right. It’ll stop obeying specific commands.
  • Recurrent faults.
  • Your electric oven isn’t heating up.
  • Worktops scorch when you’re cooking
  • Permanent stains. 
  • If your oven is up to 10 or 15 years, it’s time to change it.

How Much to Repair Common Electric Oven Issues

On average, electric oven repairs can cost up to $200. This pricing covers the service charge and the replacement component. It can also cost as much as $600 due to the extent of repairs your electric oven may need. 

For instance, you may spend just $100 to replace an oven fan. But the cost of fixing or replacing the control board may be up to $600. 

The cost of repairing electric ovens varies due to the following factors. 

  • The enormity of the issue 
  • The replacement materials 
  • Location matters when it comes to appliance repair. Some neighbourhoods have a more expensive standard of living which can reflect in the cost of oven repair.
  • The labour charge of getting the job done
  • The brand or model of your oven also matters because parts of high-end devices cost more than other brands. 

These factors directly affect the cost of repairing electric oven issues. Therefore, you must consider these factors when planning for your oven repairs.

Related Article: Types of Ovens and Which Is Best for You?

Final Thoughts

Ovens have a life expectancy period of 10 to 15 years. But before then, there are specific issues that can make your electric oven malfunction occasionally. 

Electric oven issues range from simple problems like properly plugging the power cord into a socket to complicated issues like fixing the control board. You’ll need to be very careful with the problems you attempt to fix by yourself because of electric shocks. 

Some of these electric oven issues are easy to fix, for example, the thermostat. In contrast, other problems may require a particular level of skills and experience. 

This is where we come in. As a top appliance repair company, we offer oven repair service with first-class services you can always trust. We are home to professionals ready to fix your oven and get it running the same day! Contact us today!

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