Try These DIY Solutions to Get Oven Heating Up Again

If you notice food taking longer to cook than it should or coming out of the oven undercooked, your oven might not be reaching the desired temperature. There are a few different reasons this might happen.

Cause: If the temperature sensor in the oven is not working as expected, it may cause the oven to fail to heat to the correct temperature. This can be caused by a faulty temperature sensor or a temperature sensor that is touching the oven walls.

Fix: Make sure the temperature sensor is not touching the interior wall, as this will affect its ability to accurately measure the oven's interior temperature. If so, reposition it so that it is not in contact with the wall. If it still does not heat properly, you can use an ohmmeter to test the sensor for proper operation. The resistance of the sensor should increase as the oven's internal temperature rises. As with the heating element or gas ignition, replacing the temperature sensor is a quick and easy fix that you can do yourself.

Cause: If it is still not heating to the correct temperature and you have checked or replaced the heating element, gas igniter and temperature sensor, it may just need to be calibrated.

Fix: To test the accuracy of your oven, all you need is an oven thermometer, which can be purchased for just $6 (£4.81 or AU$7.94). Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176.67 degrees C) and take a temperature reading after 20 minutes and every 20 minutes for the next hour and a half to 2 hours. Divide the sum of the temperature readings by the number of readings you took to see how close the average is to 350 degrees F (176.67 degrees C). From there, you should know what kind of adjustment you will need to make to the oven's temperature dial.

If you bake some toast and find that some bake more than others, then your oven is not cooking evenly. To confirm that your oven is cooking unevenly, you can also try baking a cake or roasting a whole chicken.

Cause: Like an oven that simply won't heat up or heat up to the correct temperature, the first thing you should check is the heating element and temperature sensor.

Fix: Preheat the oven and perform a quick visual inspection to see if the heating element glows completely red and check that the temperature sensor's resistance rises with the oven temperature. If either one is not working properly, replace them.

Cause: Some ovens cook differently and you may just need to know how it cooks. However, uneven cooking in your oven may also be related to the position of the racks or cookware you are using.

Fix: Baking pans, for instance, are supposed to be reflective. If they have discolored over time, try removing the buildup by deep cleaning or replacing them altogether. Also, be aware of how your oven cooks and adjust how you cook with it, such as rotating food while cooking or adjusting the height of the racks for certain foods.

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Keywords: commercial oven repair

Originally published 25 Aug 2022, updated 25 Aug 2022.