The oven is such an indispensable kitchen essential that no matter it’s the evening meal or weekly dinner you are looking forward to, you can’t afford to miss out on it. Ovens have become the epicenter of all those fancy dishes that count as must-haves at a party.
Amidst all this, when you have to tend to your oven repeatedly because it just won’t work, this can turn out to be a complete disaster. It not only worsens your impression of the guests but also takes your mind away from the things that matter. To sort it out for you, we have tried to address four common problems of an oven that you might come across in daily life:
1. Oven Doesn’t Turn On
Let us start with the most common of them all, i.e. your oven won’t just turn on. Now, there could be a million reasons behind that, but as a DIY step, you can check the junction box of the oven. This part has all the circuits that run the oven. Furthermore, these circuits work to the maximum in keeping the breakers from tripping incidents. Opening the junction box can help you see if there’s any tripped breaker or not. This is why a little know-how can save you from calling for costly professional help.
Secondly, if the oven shows the sign of working when you plug it in, but won’t heat the items, this can indicate a variety of causes. One main thing can be a broken wire that disrupts all the circulation of electricity in the machine. This same factor is a gift that keeps on giving, i.e. it messes with the heating element, which always serves as a hindrance in the oven’s right functioning. Let us tell you that these problems might sound minor to an expert but if you are a beginner, caution is necessary. These are the tiny parts that are present in the core of the circuit, so any carelessness can cause electric shock. For the people new to this discussion, you might consider calling the company for professional help.
2. Jammed Door Of The Oven
Most of the time, the feature of the self-cleaning cycle doesn’t get the praise it deserves for its role in smoothening out the oven’s function. All you have to do is to let this cycle work on its own for some time and then try opening the door. The door should open, however, if it is still jammed, you can unplug the oven and give the main circuit some break. This is another easy method because when the circuit gets over-heated, all the mechanism turns upside down, and the door becomes stuck. One thing we won’t recommend at any cost is using extra force, this step, in turn, can lead to more damage.
Next comes the method you may only go for in the presence of a professional. This includes removing the hinge of the door, but for this, you would have to do away with the door and the whole side panel. This can take some time and a little investment, but on a brighter note, you won’t have to come across the same problem for a long time. There is a tiny tip that can also do a lot for you in this regard. Whenever you use your oven to make something greasy and it splatters, never let it dry and clean it on the spot. This prevents the food particles from solidifying and sticking in the door’s nooks and corners.
3. Oven’s Light Stops Working
Oven’s light never fails to give us a hard time. This is one of those common problems that even a beginner can sort out in no time. Firstly, you can go ahead with changing the oven’s light bulb itself. There are greater chances that it’s a faulty bulb that is disrupting the oven. The exciting thing is that oven bulbs don’t cost you that much and hence, are less burdensome on your pockets. The most important aspect is to keep in mind the name of the bulb’s company that goes with your product. It is because not all the bulbs go with the same oven, you can find more about it in the manufacturer’s instruction manual.
If this primary step doesn’t work, then there’s a risk that it’s the wiring or the circuit that is causing this problem. For this, you may go with professional aid because without any prior knowledge, handling the oven’s wires on your own can be hazardous. Sometimes, it’s the light switch itself that tends out to be the culprit, so you need not uproot all the circuit wiring. This is why it counts as a small problem that doesn’t necessarily make you replace your oven.
4. Oven’s Temperature Causes Glitches
Lastly comes the oven’s temperature, which continuously needs professional maintenance sessions. The oven has got a greater deal to do with temperature, if the temperature regulator starts messing up, you’d end up with a half-cooked meal. The most common route this problem takes is that you might set your oven at the right temperature, but still, the food might taste over-cooked or raw. This spoils all your hard work and brings agonizing embarrassment in front of the guests. This is the reason that it is vital one should always keep an eye on the temperature regulation of the oven, and also, you shouldn’t let your oven stay inactive for a longer time.
Although every oven has its design for the temperature regulator, most of the time, you have the liberty to increase or decrease the heat by 35 degrees. This is the reason that temperature comes as the trickiest factor for some people and it becomes hard to point out the little changes. However, oven thermometers can be a handy tool in this regard to keep an account of even the fractional temperature changes.
Conclusion
This brings us to the end of our discussion. These are some of the common problems that we have to encounter on daily basis, however, they might not always cost you professional help. Having basic know-how of the oven’s parts like a circuit, door and bulb can save you a fortune. It is always advisable to try the mentioned tips and tricks first to help yourself, then go for the professional hand. On top of everything, proper cleaning sessions and wiping the inside of the oven with a damp cloth can be fruitful in the long run. Similarly, coping with the splattering the moment it happens, also proves to be of a substantial role.