Return to site

Five Oven Lessons From The Pros

 How to Repair Common Oven Parts The oven is an appliance in the kitchen that is used to cook food items. The heat produced by the oven sterilizes food and kills most of the micro-organisms that are present in them. All bakers need an accurate oven thermometer. Understanding how your oven functions will help improve your baking, roasting and cooking skills. It can also help you avoid the annoying hot spots that can ruin cookies, cakes and baked products. Thermostat The thermostat is an important part of your oven. It is used to ensure that the temperature of food corresponds to the temperature you set on the control panel. It can be problematic as is any other sensor or switch that is electro-mechanical. The oven can overheat or underheat, or simply not maintain the temperature you set. The oven thermostat is essentially a small strip of two different metals joined. When exposed to heat, the various metals expand and contract at different rates, making or breaking an electrical circuit. When the thermostat's metal attains the temperature you've set on the control panel, it turns off the heating element's power. As the oven cools the bimetallic strip contract to re-establish the circuit before activating the heating element. This process continues to maintain a constant temperature in your oven. You'll need the oven disconnected and all screws removed to diagnose a thermostat problem. If you own a multimeter (which is a tool that measures the electrical current) set it to the ohms level and then test the thermostat. If the multimeter shows zero or close to zero it means that the thermostat is working properly and doesn't need to be changed. If the multimeter does not detect anything it means that the thermostat is defective. It needs to be replaced. Cooker Spare Parts suggests that you replace your thermostat with one of the same type as the old one. go source are available through the internet or at the kitchen store, and can be bought at a reasonable cost. Bake Element The bake element is vital to the functioning of your oven. It provides heat that allows it to cook food items. It's an easy component that transforms electricity into high temperatures for baking, roasting, and broiling. Heating elements are usually found in electric ranges and ovens and are either uncovered or hidden under the floor of the oven. Generally, oven heating elements are constructed from high-resistance components like nickel-chromium alloy. They convert electricity into heat via resistance. This heat is then radiated through the interior of the oven to attain the temperature required for cooking different types foods. When you start the oven the heating elements start to generate heat by the high-voltage current flowing across the surface of the metal. The element is a ribbon or coil (straight or corrugated) of wire, and as the electric current flows through it, it starts to increase in temperature. The element will turn red hot when it reaches the temperature you want. The baked element is the main source of heat for most oven functions. It is typically located at the bottom of the oven. best hob uk of ovens that are automated also use it to clean themselves. You may observe that your oven doesn't get hot as fast, or that your food hasn't cooked to perfection. To verify that you have a working oven baking element, plug your multimeter into its red and black ports, and then place the metal probes against each other on one side of your element. The other end of the element on one terminal and place your hands on it. If the element feels warm, take it off it and try testing it again. If not, remove it and try again. Broil Element The broil element, usually located on the top of your cavity offers high heat to brown or char food items. The broil setting of your oven is a great option for quickly grilling meat and vegetables, crisping up vegetables, warming lasagna or making caramel on top of the casserole. The broiler heating element is similar to the bake element in that it converts electrical energy by resistance into heat. It is composed of an inner core comprised of metal wires, which are wrapped in an insulating, expanded material called perlite. The inner core is then enclosed in an outer layer of stainless steel, which protects the wires from direct contact with the oven. The three-layer structure helps reduce the temperature of the broil element which makes it safer and more efficient than older styles of elements. While you are able to use any baking or broiling heating element in your oven, make sure to select one that is compatible with the wattage rating of your oven. Using a different wattage can cause damage to your oven or cause it to overheat. The voltage and current ratings of the latest heating elements can be located on the control panel of your oven. This will allow you to examine the ratings and wattage of your oven. Check the resistance of your old element, and compare it to the wattage ratings of the new one. The greater the resistance, the greater energy an oven element consumes. Replace your broiler element immediately If it's not working or if it is acting up. Your oven must function correctly to be able to cook your favorite meals. However, if your oven is not working in any way or only intermittently, the issue may be with a different part of your oven. Light Bulb and Assembly The oven light helps keep an eye on the food cooking without having to open the door and let heat escape. The light will also notify you when the casserole has been cooked. However, it's not uncommon for the light bulb to fail. It can be a hassle, but it's a relatively easy fix you can do yourself. Make sure the breaker is not tripped and that the connector has three prongs. Remove the old bulb and then locate the new one. You may have to look online to find a replacement that is compatible with the wattage and model of oven you have. Some appliances use standard 40-watt bulbs and others require halogen bulbs up to 50 watts. You should consider using cotton gloves to shield bulbs from damage caused by oil. Remove the glass casing from the bulb before you replace it. It's important to take this step slowly to ensure that you don't fracture it. Then, you'll have to eliminate the air inside the bulb and fill it up with gas mixture. This will prolong the lifespan of the filament. If your bulb is always going out it could be due to an electrical problem that requires an expert to fix it. Make sure you're using the correct oven bulb and look over your Use and Care Guide to find more help in troubleshooting. Be sure to unplug your oven and shut off the power before you start any repairs. This will prevent you from suffering an electric shock. Vent Tube The vent tube is an important oven element because it allows for a tiny amount of airflow inside the cavity. This permits the bake element to circulate heat throughout the oven, ensuring that the temperature is distributed evenly. It also allows the vapors to escape from the oven and smoke to be drawn from the cooking surface. It is crucial for the proper operation of any electric or gas oven. Vents for ovens can become clogged or blocked by several factors. Accidental spills and splatters from cooking can leave sticky residues on the oven vents, which attract dust and other debris that can eventually cause blockages or clogs in the course of time. Oil and grease particles can become airborne and settle around the vents, too. Other environmental factors, like kitchen renovations and construction work can bring dust or other pollutants into the vents, which can cause clogs or blockages. Depending on the oven model the vent tube may comprise an a bottle guide 20, spreader 46 and fill tip 12 that are integrally formed by the pipe 32. For example the bottle guide 20 might have a tapered exterior surface which is in harmony with the tapered inside of the spreader 46 to allow the vent tube to be easily fitted into various sizes and shapes of bottle necks. best hobs uk blocked or clogged vent tube can result in the loss of pressure inside the enclosing structure, which can create a downdraft situation that pushes exhaust down the vent and backwards through the oven's burners, causing damage to the oven's components. Consult a professional if think your vent pipe might be blocked or clogged. They will determine the cause and offer suggestions on how to clean or clean the vent.

go source|best hob uk|best hobs uk