Oven fixes for the most common oven problems

Your oven is one of your key home appliances. Knowing how to fix the most common oven problems is a handy skill when something goes wrong.  Here we share our troubleshooting guide and provide some handy maintenance and repair oven fixes for a well-functioning oven.

Safety first! Before you get started on any oven repairs, make sure you disconnect your appliance from the power source. If your oven is hard wired, turn off the oven’s circuit breaker. This will ensure your safety when working with electrical elements.

Your oven won’t turn on

If your oven won’t turn on, do a quick check of the basics:

• Check to see if there is a blown fuse or tripped circuit breaker
• If your oven plugs into a wall socket, try plugging another appliance in to see if that is working
• Use a multimeter to test the incoming power in the wall socket
• If your oven has an isolator switch, check to make sure it is in the on position

Check the clock

A simple but often forgotten oven fix! If the LED display clock is not set, some ovens will fail to operate. If the clock is flashing, you may not be able to operate any of the oven functions. Set the time and test the oven again.

Inspect your oven elements

Faulty and burnt-out oven elements can cause your oven to stop heating. Perform a visual inspection and look for signs of damage. If the elements fail to glow or produce heat, they will likely need replacement. If one element is working eg top or grill element, but another is not, it is a sure sign that you have a burnt out element. You can follow our guide to changing an oven elements here.

Faulty wires and electrical issues can also cause your oven to stop working. Gas ovens might not turn on due to worn and damaged ignitors. If the troubleshooting tips above do not apply, contact a qualified service technician so that they can correctly diagnose and fix any major issues.

The oven door is not closing tightly

Have you noticed that your oven is taking a long time to heat up or that your food is cooking unevenly? The culprit could be your oven door seal or hinges.

Try these oven fixes! First inspect your oven to ensure there is no food or debris stuck in the crevices of your seal or hinges. Give them a good clean with warm soapy water and a sponge.

Take a close look at your door seal. If it looks worn, cracked or damaged, it will need to be replaced. To remove your door seal, you will need to gently peel it off. Some seals have small hooks or screws holding them in place. Once the seal is removed, you can then give the area a good clean. Simply use warm soapy water and a sponge. Next install your new door seal. You will need to position the seal by lining up one of the corners, then work your way around and press firmly to secure into place. Reattach any clips or screws. Check out our guide to replacing your oven door seal in 4 easy steps

Broken hinge springs or faulty hinges may also prevent your oven door from closing properly. Many ovens will not work at all if the door is not shut properly. This is an easy way to distinguish between a single blown element and a door issue. Inspect carefully and replace them if necessary. Refer to your operating manual for step-by-step instructions or watch our YouTube video.

The oven temperature is inconsistent

If your food is not heating to the correct temperature you will need to diagnose the problem. The cause is usually the temperature sensor, heating element or in the case of gas ovens, the igniter. Try these oven fixes:

Temperature Sensor

Your oven is equipped with a temperature sensor.  This is a thin tube that is located in back of your oven and reads your oven temperature. The sensor can be bumped, or can even touch the sides of the oven. This can lead to incorrect temperature settings. If you notice that the sensor is bent or damaged, you will need to replace it with a new one.

Heating element

Electric ovens typically have a baking element (located at the bottom of the oven compartment) and a grill element (located at the top of the oven compartment). Both are needed to evenly heat your oven. Fan forced ovens have an additional element located at the rear, circling the fan.

You will need to replace your oven element if:

• You notice your element isn’t glowing bright orange when heated,
• The temperature is inconsistent when cooking,
• There are signs of wear and tear on your elements.

To identify which of your oven elements are not working, use the oven function selector to select each heating function in turn. To fix and change your oven element, refer to our step by step guide.

Igniters (Gas ovens)

If you have a gas oven, your igniter could the be cause of inaccurate oven temperature. Poorly functioning igniters may be slower to ignite or may not work at all. If you inspect your igniters and notice they are dirty, they can be fixed with a simple cleaning. Replacing a faulty igniter requires some more advanced skills. It is best to contact a qualified service technician to do the job.

The interior light is not working

Just like your light globes at home, your oven globe light will need to be replaced periodically. Oven globes need to withstand high temperatures. This is why you will need to use a globe that is specifically designed for ovens. You can find new oven globes at Statewide.

Replace your oven globe

This is an easy oven fix that you can tackle. To replace your oven globe, you will need to turn off your oven from the power source and make sure your oven is cold. Locate the oven globe cover and remove the burnt out globe. If you are fitting a halogen globes, it will need to be handled carefully with the use of gloves or a lint free cloth.

Follow our guide for simple oven globe installation or check out our YouTube video.

Regular cleaning for a well functioning oven

We recommend regular cleaning to keep your oven performing at its best.  A spotless oven doesn’t have to be a heavy chore. We have the best tips to clean your oven easily and naturally on our blog guide. Looking for easy care solutions? Check out the Aktivo Easy Off oven/BBQ Cleaner. Its non-caustic and low fuming formulation is effective for removing grease, oil and carbon build up.

Do inspect your oven regularly for signs of wear and tear and apply simple oven fixes for any small issues as they arise. This can help eliminate the issue of costly repairs down the track. Lastly, check out the range of oven and cooktop spares at Statewide Appliance Spares. We have a huge range including  oven elements, racks, hinges, seals, thermostats, knobs and more. Everything you could possibly need at competitive prices, with fast Australia wide delivery.