Introduction
Having an oven break down can be extremely inconvenient, especially if it happens right before you were planning to cook a big meal. While calling an electrician is always an option, there are several troubleshooting steps you can try yourself first to get your oven working again quickly and without having to pay for a costly service call.
In this article, I will walk through 7 simple do-it-yourself steps to fix the most common oven problems. These tips will help you diagnose issues and make repairs that get your oven up and running again in no time.
1. Check the Power Supply
The first thing to check with any appliance that has suddenly stopped working is the power supply. Make sure the oven is plugged in, the circuit breaker hasn’t tripped, and the outlet is working properly.
- Try plugging something else into the outlet to confirm it has power.
- If the outlet doesn’t have power, check your home’s breaker box and reset any tripped breakers.
- Unplug the oven before resetting the breaker to avoid getting shocked.
Restoring power to the electrical outlet is an easy fix that can get your oven working again quickly.
2. Test the Heating Elements
If the oven has power but isn’t heating up, the issue is likely with one of the internal heating elements. Ovens normally have both a bake element on the bottom and a separate broil element on the top.
- Set the oven to bake and test if the bottom element gets hot after several minutes.
- Do the same for the broil setting to test the top element.
- If one or both elements remain cold, they likely need replacing. Both bake and broil elements can be replaced by the owner relatively easily.
Replacing a bad heating element is much cheaper than paying for a service call.
3. Check the Temperature Sensor
Another common source of oven problems is a faulty temperature sensor. This part monitors the internal oven temperature and signals the elements when to turn on and off.
- If the oven isn’t heating accurately or maintains uneven heat, the sensor is likely bad.
- Test its accuracy with an oven thermometer placed inside.
- If the sensor reading doesn’t match the thermometer, replace the faulty sensor.
Again, this is a repair the average DIYer can perform with some online guidance.
4. Replace a Blown Thermal Fuse
Thermal fuses are safety components that blow and cut power to the oven when temperatures get dangerously high. They are meant to prevent fires.
- If your oven suddenly stops working, a blown thermal fuse could be the culprit.
- Locate the fuse housing on the back of the oven.
- Remove it and check if the small glass tube inside is broken.
- If so, replacing this inexpensive part can get your oven working again.
Thermal fuses are designed to be replaced after blowing, so this an easy fix.
5. Clean the Oven Temperature Sensor
In some cases, the oven sensor may become coated with grease and residue that interferes with its accuracy.
- Remove the sensor from the oven’s interior wall.
- Gently wipe clean with rubbing alcohol or glass cleaner and a rag.
- Be careful not to damage the delicate sensor wire.
Cleaning the sensor contacts can help improve temperature regulation without needing to replace parts.
6. Lubricate Sticky Oven Door Hinges
If the oven door is sagging or getting stuck, it could be a result of hinges that have lost lubrication. This can prevent the door from closing and sealing properly.
- Remove the oven door to access the hinges.
- Apply a small amount of household oil or grease to the hinge joints.
- Wipe away excess lubricant and reattach the door.
Lubricating old, sticky hinge joints can help get the oven door functioning properly again.
7. Replace the Door Gasket Seal
A damaged or deteriorating oven door gasket can lead to heat and smoke escaping from the oven.
- Inspect the gasket (seal) around the perimeter of the oven door.
- If there are cracks, tears, or a loose fit that could allow air to leak through, replace the gasket.
- New oven door gaskets are inexpensive and install easily with no special tools required.
Replacing a worn gasket will allow the oven to heat correctly again.
Conclusion
Before calling an electrician or appliance repair person, try troubleshooting your broken oven yourself using these 7 tips. In many cases, you can diagnose and fix common oven problems through relatively simple DIY repairs. By following these steps, you can restore full functionality to your oven and avoid paying costly appliance repair bills.