With the holidays right around the corner, it’s likely that your oven is going to see a little more action than usual. Whether it is the annual batch of Christmas cookies or a home-cooked meal with your family and loved ones, an under-performing oven is certain to dampen the holiday spirit. If you are noticing problems with burnt edges, raw centers, or inconsistent cook times, it may be a result of uneven or inconsistent heating. Here’s what to look for to determine if you are in need of oven repair:
Unresponsive Heating Element
Many ovens contain multiple heating elements. These are visible in the oven; if this is the case, it is easy to see if they are heating up when the oven is turned on. In the case of convection ovens, a malfunctioning blower may also be the cause of uneven heating.
Slow Preheating
Depending on the desired temperature, most ovens should take 7-10 minutes to successfully preheat. If you notice yours taking considerably longer, there may be a problem that will also cause food to cook unevenly (or not at all).
Under-cooked or Unevenly Cooked Food
It seems that every oven has its own temperament. You know if yours tends to cook slower or faster than what is recommended in recipes. If you notice that this time has changed, then it may be a sign of internal problems. A tell-tale sign is if food is coming out under-cooked or unevenly cooked. Not only does this make your meals less appetizing, but it can also cause potentially harmful food poisoning.
Maintaining Temperature
Your oven has an internal thermostat that maintains the desired temperature. This tells the appliance when and for how long to heat the oven. Once the desired temperature is reached, a well-functioning oven should be able to maintain temperature within a few degrees. If you are noticing wild fluctuation during cooking, there is likely a mechanical failure somewhere in the appliance.
If you notice that your oven is experiencing any of these problems, we can help. Contact us to have your appliance serviced. There’s still time before the holidays.