If you use an electric oven to cook your family roast, bake cakes or any other cooking, then you’ll know that they are – on the whole – very reliable appliances. However, as with all electrical household goods, things can go wrong, and no oven will last a lifetime. Perishable parts reach the end of their life after a while and need replacing, and there might come a time when your oven is too old to be repaired. But, what we will say is that most of the frequently reported problems associated with electric ovens can be fixed, so here are the most common, and what you can do about them.

Oven Will Not Switch On

The first thing to check if your oven simply will not switch on is the situation at the mains connection. It is not unusual for people to believe they have a fault when, in fact, they simply have not switched the socket on! 

Now that you have checked that and seen that it is switched on, you need to consider whether a fuse has blown. Fuses – both in the plug and in the machine – can blow for a variety of reasons and it is sensible to find out why. If you replace a fuse and all is well, you might want to call out a technician to check the appliance over as it may just happen again.

If it’s not the fuse and the oven is switched on, the heating elements are your next port of call, and these are definitely for the experts to deal with. At the top you have the broil element, and at the bottom of the oven is the bake. These elements will not last a lifetime, and it is often the case they reach the end of their life and need replacing. Only attempt this on your own if you know what you are doing, and it is recommended that you call out an electric oven technician – you might want to keep a phone number close at hand!

Other potential causes of an oven that won’t work include various sensors and switches that are built into the system and designed to monitor temperature and other factors. If these are damaged or malfunction you will need them replacing and, unless you are familiar with this sort of work, it is best to get the experts in.

Power is On But Oven Not Heating

Let’s say you switch your oven on, the power is there, but it doesn’t heat. This is similar to the problem above in that it could be one of many problems. At least in this instance we know it is not the mains connection or a fuse, so what is the problem?

We have to come back to the broil and bake elements first, as they are the items that produce heat. An expert will be able to tell you if they are damaged – or you might be able to see obvious damage on the elements if you look closely – and these are parts that are easy for the technician to replace. However, it is recommended you check some other parts of the oven before arriving at this conclusion. 

One thing to consider is an electric fault within the control system. This could be the temperature sensor malfunctioning, or perhaps a fault with the wiring or the control board itself – the heart of the oven if you like. These are areas that you need the engineer for, as they may take a lot of checking and understanding of the system to determine and to rectify.

If you have a more modern appliance you may have a display screen that shows error messages when things go wrong. This is helpful not only to you, but also to the technician, so if you do see such messages, note them down. A final potential problem could be wiring in the system that has come loose or is faulty, which is an easy fix for the expert.

Do remember that for older machines, a reputable repair technician will be honest if they believe the fault will not be cost-effective to fix, so you might want to consider your options if that is the case.

Oven Keeps Cutting Out

This is a problem that is most likely linked to a faulty thermostat. This device monitors the temperature inside the oven and – should it get too hot – instructs the appliance to shut down. It is a common fault for a faulty thermostat to tell an oven it is too hot when in fact it is reading incorrectly. The answer here is to replace the thermostat. Depending on the model, this might be a possible DIY job for someone familiar with electronics, but if you prefer, a technician will be able to supply the right part and complete the job very quickly.

It could also be that the elements are damaged – see the section above where we explain that the broil and bake elements do not last a lifetime – and that the brain of the oven has recognised this. In the interest of safety it may not start the heating process should it sense a damaged element. They are, as we said, perhaps best left to the expert to replace.

Other components on your electric oven may fail or break – including selector switch and other smaller items – so if you think you have a problem and cannot find it, switch the oven off at the mains for safety, and give your electric oven repair expert a call.

Door Will Not Close

The problem with a door that will not close can be as simple as something being in the way – a baking tray or other implement, for example – or a faulty door latch, which will not let it click into place. We’ll keep this short and simple as if you find that you still can’t get the door to close after checking for both of these, it’s not recommended to try and fix it yourself. You can damage the door and its fittings all too easily if you get it wrong, so leave it to an expert to either sort out the problem with the door, or perhaps fit a replacement.

Oven Makes a Lot of Noise

You may notice that your electric oven is making more noise than usual, and if so, the first thing to do is switch it off. The most likely problem here is that the fan is either worn or broken. The fan plays a vital part in the oven in that it circulates warm air throughout the oven and, as such, is one of the few moving parts on an electric oven. It is powered by an electric motor that while reliable, will not last a lifetime, so after a while it may stop working to maximum efficiency. You should call an expert to have a look at your oven, motor and fan because it can be an expensive repair or replacement, and you want to know if it is worth the cost of repairing your existing oven.

There can also be incidences in which the fan simply does not work – when it will make no noise at all – and it is at this point that you know that you might be in for costly repairs, so ask your technician for an estimate before advising them to go ahead.

Further Possible Faults

In truth, there is not a lot that can go wrong with an electric oven beyond its electronics and the two elements, although you may find that a faulty central processing unit can render the oven inoperable. This will usually be detected as you know that you have power to the oven, but there are no lights or indications on the display.

One problem that does occur is that the oven keeps tripping out the electrical system in the house. If your electrics trip out at your main junction box, there may be an indicator in there that tells you what appliance or system was the cause. If not, it can be a case of turning off all appliances, and finding which one it is that trips the circuit.

It is often the electric oven, thanks in no small part to problems with dodgy elements, which we have mentioned above many times. It is essential that a problem such as this is identified and rectified as it will certainly reoccur.

Finally, remember that with certain jobs regards electrical circuits, it is legally required that a qualified and certified electrician carries out the work, so for safety’s sake, if you do have a problem with your electric oven, switch off at the mains and call in the experts.

The above are some of the most commonly seen problems that can occur with electric ovens, but it should be remembered they are not the only ones! These are machines with which, in time, there are plenty of parts to fail, and as we have already said no component will last a lifetime. If you are having problems with your electric ovens it’s worth contacting an expert who will be able to advise you as to whether it is possible – or financially viable – to repair your electric ovens.

With 2 hour and weekend slots available for your convenience, North London Appliance Repairs will notify you up to 30 minutes ahead of arrival to ensure that you don’t miss our visit, and our website even allows customers to track the status of their electric ovens repairs online.

With a 1 year parts and labour guarantee on every job, you can be sure that you’re in good hands with North London Appliance Repairs. So don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team today for more information or to request a quote.