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How to Repair Common Oven Parts The oven is an appliance used in kitchens that is used to cook food items. The heat generated by the oven sterilizes food items and kills the majority of microorganisms. Every baker needs an accurate oven thermometer. Understanding how your oven functions will improve your baking cooking, roasting and cooking skills. It will also help eliminate those annoying hot spots which can cause damage to cakes, cookies and baked goods. Thermostat The thermostat is among the most vital components of your oven, assisting to make sure that the temperature of your food is exactly what you've set on your control panel. However, just like any other electro mechanical switch or sensor it can have issues that can cause the oven to over heat or under heat, or not be able to keep the temperature at what you've set. The oven thermostat is basically an extremely small strip of two different metals that are joined. When heated, the metals expand and bend at different rates. This creates an electrical circuit. When the thermostat's metal attains the temperature you've set on your control panel it shuts off power to the heating element. As the oven cools it expands the bimetallic strip in a circuit, re-establishing it and activating the heating element. This cycle continues for a long time to ensure a constant oven temperature. To determine if there is a issue with the thermostat, you'll need to disconnect the oven and make sure that all screws that hold it in place have been removed. If you have a multimeter (which is a tool that measures the electrical current) set it to the ohms setting and then test the thermostat. If the multimeter reads zero or close to it then the thermostat is functioning properly and doesn't need to be replaced. If the multimeter doesn't show anything, the thermostat is faulty. It must be replaced. Cooker Spare Parts recommends that you replace the thermostat with a fresh one of the same type as your old one. These thermostats are available at a reasonable price online or in the kitchen store. Bake Element The bake element is essential for the proper operation of your oven. It provides heat that lets it cook food. It's a simple element that converts electricity into high temperatures for baking, roasting and broiling. Electric ovens and ranges often have heating elements, which are either visible or hidden beneath the floor. In general oven heating elements comprise of high-resistance elements such as nickel-chromium. They work by converting electricity into heat via resistance. The heat then radiates through the interior of the oven to reach the temperature required to cook different kinds of food. When you start your oven the heating element gets to produce heat through the high-voltage electricity flowing across its metal surface. The element is a ribbon or coil (straight or corrugated) of wire, and as the electric current passes through it, it starts to get hotter. The element will turn red hot when it reaches the temperature you want. The baked element is the main source of heat in most oven functions. It's usually found in the bottom of the oven and is used for the self-cleaning feature in many ovens with automatic cleaning. If it starts to get hot, you might notice that your oven doesn't heat up as fast or that your food is not fully cooked. Plug your multimeter in to its black and red ports. Then, you can press the probes made of steel on one side of the device against each other. Place the other end against one of its terminals, and place your hand on it to determine if the element is warm to the contact. If not, take it off the element and test again. Broil Element The broil element is typically located in the top of your oven cavity and provides the same high temperature as grills to brown or char food. Broil settings in ovens are an excellent way to quickly sear meat crisp vegetables, heat lasagna, or caramelize the topping of a casserole. The broiler heating element is comparable to the bake element in that it converts electrical energy through resistance into heat. It is made up of an internal core of wires that are wrapped in insulating perlite product. The core of the element is covered with an outer layer of stainless steel to protect the wires against direct contact with the oven. The three-layer design helps to reduce the temperature of the broil element, making it safer than older styles. While you can use any heating element in your oven, you should choose one that is in line with the wattage rating of your oven. A different wattage can cause damage to your oven or cause it overheat. You can verify the wattage of your oven and the rating of the new heating element by examining their current and voltage ratings on the control panel of your oven. Examine the resistance of the old element, then compare it with the wattage rating of the new one. The higher the resistance of an oven element, the greater power it draws from it. If your broiler heating element is not working or functions at all, you must replace it immediately. Your oven must work properly for you to be able to cook your favourite meals. If your oven does not work in any way, or just intermittently, the issue may be in a different part. Light Bulb and Assembly The oven light helps you keep an eye on the food as it cooks, without opening the door and let the heat escape. The light will also let you know when the casserole has been cooked. But it's not uncommon for the light to go out. It can be frustrating but you can fix it yourself. Before you start, make sure that the breaker hasn't been tripped and that the three-prong connector is in good condition. Remove the old bulb and then look for the new bulb. You may have to look online for a replacement that matches the wattage and type of oven you have. Some ovens use standard 40-watt appliance bulbs and others require a halogen bulb that is up to 50 watts. Be aware that the oil from your hands can damage the bulb, so it is recommended to use cotton gloves when handling it. Before you place the new bulb in place, you should first take it out of its glass casing. You should do slowly to avoid breaking it. You'll have to remove the air from the bulb and replace it with a mixture. This will ensure a longer filament life. If your bulb is always going out it could be an electrical issue that needs an expert to fix it. Make sure that you're using the correct bulb for your oven, and look over your Use and Care Guide for more troubleshooting tips. Remember that it's a good idea to unplug your oven and disconnect the power from the outlet prior to you start any repair. Best ovens will protect you from electrical shock. Vent Tube The vent tube is a crucial oven part as it allows for a tiny amount of airflow to be created within the cavity. This allows the bake element to circulate heat throughout the oven, making sure that the temperature is distributed evenly. It also allows the vapors that are released from the oven to escape as well as allows smoke to be drained away from the cooking surface. It is essential for efficient operation of any gas or electric oven. Vents for ovens can become blocked by a variety of factors. Accidental spills or splatters while cooking can leave sticky residues on the oven vents, which can draw dust and other debris that could eventually cause clogs or blockages over time. Oil and grease particles can be blown into the air and settle around the vents, as well. Other environmental factors, like kitchen renovations and construction work can bring dust and other contaminants into the vents, which can cause blockages or clogs. Depending on the model of the oven the vent tube may include a spreader and the fill tip 12, and a bottle guide 20 that are incorporated into the pipe 32. The bottle guide 20 could have a tapered outer edge that matches the tapered inside edge of the spreader to allow the vent tubes to be placed effortlessly into various sizes and shapes bottle necks. A clogged or blocked vent tube could cause a loss of pressure within the structure that surrounds it, which could result in a downdraft that pulls exhaust down the vent and backwards towards the oven burners, causing damage to the oven's components. Consult a professional if you think your vent pipe may be clogged or blocked. They will identify the problem and provide suggestions on how to remove or clean the vent.