Is Your Oven Slow To Heat Up? Does It Seem To Take Ages To Cook Something Properly?
If your oven is heating up but taking a long time to get to the correct temperature then the element is probably ok. Elements usually tend to work or fail, not operate at half power.
Check The Thermostat
The problem could be the thermostat, and you can check that yourself if you have a cooking thermometer. Place the thermometer in the oven, set the oven thermostat to 180 degrees and when the oven indicator light goes out, check the temperature on the thermometer. It might not read exactly 180 degrees but it should be fairly close. If it is substantially different then the thermostat will probably need replacing.
Check The Door Seals
Another common cause of your oven being slow to heat up and taking a long time to cook your food is a faulty door seal. A damaged or missing or poorly fitting door seal can allow much of the heat to escape, resulting in slower cooking times.
Door seals are fairly easy to replace and you can do it yourself as long as you get the correct spare part. To get the correct part you will need the model number of your oven.
Find The Model Number
Getting the model number is not always as easy as it should be, as most manufacturers seem to either hide this valuable information, or put it on a sticker that is designed to fade and become illegible soon after purchase. Check for stickers inside the oven or grill door, or on the back the removable kick panel below the oven door. If you are lucky enough to locate and actually decipher a model number you have a good chance of getting the right door seal.
Check The Door Hinges
Loose or worn door hinges are another common cause of heat loss that results in slow cooking times. The oven door hinges may be worn out if you can see a gap at the top of the door, and the door does not close firmly against the body of the oven. You may also need to change the door hinge guides, which are inside the oven body. New hinges won’t make a lot of difference if worn out hinge guides are not replaced.
Once again, having the model number of the oven, not just the model name, will be important for getting the correct parts.
If you are losing heat from your oven due to worn hinges or a faulty door seal then it’s also costing you money in extra power used due to the extended cooking times.
If you are having problems with slow cooking times and low oven temperatures, or need any oven repairs fixed as quickly as possible …
Phone Mance Electrical Launceston on 6331 4711 for same day repairs to your cooking appliances, including all makes and models of oven, stove and hotplates.
