Thanksgiving may be over, but the holiday season is still just starting, which likely means even more cooking at your home. As your stove and oven will see increased usage this upcoming month, we want to talk about common oven and stove issues, and offer some tips.
Common Stove Issues, and Tips
Gas burner is slow to heat food: If you notice that cooking is taking longer on your gas stove, it may be due to the gas burner openings being clogged with debris. To fix, you’ll want to clean the stove and the gas burner openings. Turn off the power and disconnect the stove top, then remove the burner caps and grates. Soak them in soapy hot water, then thoroughly scrub them; let them dry fully. Also clean the stovetop surface to remove any remaining greasy residue.
Gas burner flame will not light. On your gas stove, observe the gas burner as you try to turn it on. Do you hear clicking but don’t smell any gas? If this is the case, then it’s likely there’s an issue with the gas flow. Clean the gas burner openings, as described above; if this doesn’t solve the issue, then reach out to us. If it’s the opposite scenario of where you don’t hear clicking but do smell the gas, then the ignition switch may be experiencing a problem. This is best addressed by professionals, so give us a call.
Electric coils won’t heat. If you have an electric stove, you’ll want to keep the coil burners clean; if they’re dirty they may not heat. Be sure to fully remove the coils and clean them thoroughly. Once cleaned, make sure they are installed properly. If the coils are connected loosely to the stove, then they will fail to heat.
Electric coil burners are worn out. If you tried the above step of cleaning and properly installing the coils, and they still fail to heat, then it’s likely they are just worn out. If the coils display blistering, bubbles, or cracks, then you’ll want to replace them with new ones. Be sure to purchase coils that are the correct size for your unit’s burners.
Common Oven Issues, and Tips
Oven Won’t Heat. If you have an electric oven that won’t heat, the issue is with the heating element or an igniter, which can be replaced.
Oven Door Won’t Shut. Should your oven fail to shut, it is unsafe to use. You’ll want to unplug the oven, and if it’s a gas model, turn off the gas. Pull the door straight up and out to remove; if this fails unscrew the hinges, and replace them if needed.
Oven Doesn’t Self Clean. When an oven self cleans, it has a self locking mechanism to ensure the oven stays closed for the duration of cleaning. When this locking mechanism fails, the oven will not self clean. However, other issues such as a faulty temperature sensor, clock failure, defective oven control board, or wiring deficiencies, can prevent an oven from self cleaning. Reach out to us and we’ll find the source of the issue and address it.
Oven Light Doesn’t Turn On: Most times this is a super easy fix: simply replace the bulb with a new one. However, should a new bulb fail to light, contact us, as the problem is most likely an electrical issue, such as a faulty light switch or wiring, and is best handled by experts.
Oven Doesn’t Cook Food Evenly. This is usually a problem with the heating elements and temperature sensor. You can do a visual check by preheating the oven to see if the heating elements turn red as they heat up. Sometimes, however, the problem stems from using older cookware: bake pans are meant to reflect heat, but if they’re discolored, this can affect how the food cooks. Ovens differ, and sometimes just playing with the rack height can solve the issue of food not cooking evenly.
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