Oven Tips

There are some simple steps you can take to keep your oven in good running order, but if the worst has happened and the oven is not working there are some simple checks below before placing a service call.

Never place heavy objects on the oven door – If the oven door is open never place heavy trays of food on the door as this can bend the hinges and prevent the door from sealing. Always clear a space on the bench top prior to opening the oven and place any hot trays on a breadboard or some other heat resistant object.

Teach children from a very young age the dangers of climbing on an oven door. This can not only cause significant damage to the oven but worse yet the injuries can be fatal. The glass can shatter with the weight of a child on there causing serious lacerations. Another injury that can occur is, if the oven is not secured to the wall or floor hot food can topple onto them.

Clean oven – This is one of the most hated jobs in the household but there is nothing less appealing than removing your meal from a filthy oven. Dirty ovens attract vermin such as cockroaches and mice, this is a good source of food for them. Once you have invited them in mice chew on door seals and the wiring which can cause electrical fires. Mice also make nests out of the oven insulation and if they die in between the panels of your oven you will be left with a stench for months making cooking in it even less appetizing.

Cockroaches also eat the door seals but they can also be the carriers of disease, so if you cannot stand cleaning the oven there are professionals that just specialize in cleaning ovens. The trick is to clean the oven after each use so as food and grease does not get baked on.

One of our clients said she soaks oven racks in her bathtub overnight with hot water and baking soda (bi-carb soda) and in the morning the grease wipes off the racks.

Check clock settings – Many ovens, especially the more upmarket ones, have a clock on them be it digital or mechanical. The clocks are often used for automatic cooking in that they switch off the oven element once the clock reaches zero.

If your oven is not working check the clock is set correctly, you may have to check the owners manual as the ovens differ in many ways. The most common settings that the oven should be set to are –

• Manual
• Hand symbol
• Oven

When you turn the oven on an indicator should illuminate, if it does not light up it is either the clock setting or may be a more serious problem. If the grill is working but the oven is not and the indicator is not, 90% of the time it is the clock setting.