It’s November 10th, 2020 and we are in the middle of the fall season. Everywhere around the country it is getting cold, but except for Texas and a few other southern states. That means right around the corner is one of America’s favorite holidays, Thanksgiving. You know what that means, there will mass baking of our favorite Turkey Day dishes! Bake green bean casseroles, turkey, mac n cheese, bread, apple, and pumpkin pies. When your stove and oven are not heating or working, however, you might feel doomed because you can’t make the Thanksgiving dinner or bake that dish you volunteer to bring over to your family and friend’s house. Don’t you fret, Appliance Cowboys have compiled a list of several basic troubleshooting tips that might get you back to baking without the visit of an appliance repair technician and spoil your Thanksgiving plans.
Oven Not Heating – The Baking Element
If your oven isn’t getting hot then the first place you need to look is the bake element. (The bake element is the coil that heats when your oven is on. Most ovens have one coil on the bottom of your oven for baking, and one coil at the top for broiling.) Open your oven up and use a flashlight to visually inspect the bake element. Any spots that look like blisters or have cracks indicate that you will need to replace the bake element with a new one.
Assuming the bake element looks normal, it’s time to get your hands dirty. Before proceeding with this step, make sure you disconnect the power (Safety First!). Next, open the back panel of the oven. Inspect the wires to see if any have become loose or look corroded. You can also use a multimeter to check continuity in the heating element. The multimeters price range can be cheap at $20ish to over $600. You can just get the cheap one for the simple diagnostic that you will be doing. If there is no continuity, then it will need to be replaced.
Oven Not Heating – The Thermostat
Another culprit for your oven, not heating could be the thermostat. The thermostat regulates the temperature of the baking element by keeping it at whatever temperature you set. It’s possible that your thermostat just needs to be recalibrated. If this is the case, you will need a highly accurate thermometer. The thermostat is located in the main control panel. Look for a little screw in the control panel that can be turned. In some models, that screw will be inaccessible. Refer to your oven’s user manual for its exact location. In this case, you should probably call a reliable appliance repair company like Appliance Cowboys for troubleshooting and service calls.
Stove Not Heating – Gas Stove
How you repair your stove in Houston depends on whether your stove is gas or electric. One common reason why a gas stove won’t light is that the igniter is dirty. Use a toothbrush to lightly scrub the igniter clean. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also try cleaning the pilot hole and then relight it.
Stove Not Heating – Electric Stove
Electric stoves have a little nub located either under the striking plate or on the stovetop itself. Make sure this nub is clean and that the striking plate is properly seated on the burner. Next, lift the burner up and carefully pull it out of the socket. Examine the plug and the socket to see that everything looks normal. Plug the burner in again and give it a wiggle. If the burner is loose, remove the burner again and then gently bend the burner prongs outward for a tighter connection. Be gentle.
Don’t Wait To Ask For Help
Problems like bad baking or heating elements and dirty stove igniters can be easy to find and fix, but there are a lot of electronic components inside of today’s stoves and ovens. Repairing them can require some specialized equipment and knowledge, which is where the professionals at Appliance Cowboys can help. With over 30 years of experience in stove and oven repair in Houston and Greater Houston, we are your local, trusted authority on appliance repairs. Call us today to get back to cooking and baking before Thanksgiving Day!