Dealing with a broken cooking appliance is always a hassle, but an electric oven overheating can be downright scary. Why is the oven temperature too high, and what could possibly be causing the problem? These are actually common questions when it comes to oven repair, and we’ll show you exactly how to identify the source of the issue.
How to Diagnose an Electric Oven Overheating
The scariest thing about an electric oven overheating is discovering the smokey, charred remains of what should have been a delicious meal. Don’t let another recipe go to waste trying to compensate for the increased temperature! Stay safe and follow these instructions to find what’s causing the malfunction.
Defective Temperature Sensor
When our technicians come across an overheating oven in the field, the first thing they look for is a broken temperature sensor. This thin metal probe is found inside the oven usually near the broil element. Its job is to monitor the internal oven temperature and send signals to the main control board which then makes changes accordingly.
When a temperature sensor starts to fail, it can send inaccurate readings to the control board. These readings can result in the bake element staying on for too long, which leads to overheating. Unplug the oven and use a multimeter to test the resistance of your oven temperature sensor while at room temperature to see if it needs to be replaced.
Bake Element Failure
The most obvious part that could make your oven temperature too high is, of course, the part that does the heating! Bake elements are what generate radiant heat within the oven cavity as they glow orange and red during operation.
Occasionally a bake element can become defective and heat too much or not turn off when it should, leaving the oven temperature too high. Visibly inspect your element and connection terminals for damage, and test the part for continuity using a multimeter. Replace the element if necessary.
Oven Fan Breakdown
Even with today’s modern cooking technology, ovens require an internal fan to evenly spread out the heat generated by the element. When that fan stops working though, your oven can begin to heat unevenly, or even overheat and burn your foods.
Unplug your oven and access the fan. Turn the blade and motor with your hand to see if it’s working properly. Replace the fan as needed.
Faulty Thermostat Control
If the temperature sensor, bake element, and oven fan have all been tested and you still can’t find the problem, it may come down to a defective thermostat control. All ovens use temperature-controlled switches with control knobs to set and maintain the desired temperature. An oven too hot or too cold can come down to a defective thermostat.
Unfortunately, it can be difficult to test a thermostat to see if it’ still working properly. Some have adjustable calibration screws in the back, but most will have to be replaced when they break. If all other temperature-related parts have been tested and are in good shape, replace the thermostat control.
If you do have an electric oven overheating, the smart move is to call the professional oven repair experts at Tiger Mechanical to fix your unit safely and affordably. And for more information on the most common range failures such as why your oven won’t heat.
