Oven Overheating

While the lack of proper heating in an oven is a rather common and a rather unfortunate problem, since it often makes the appliance completely useless, there is another widespread problem – the oven produces too much heat. Of course, this problem sounds more complicated – it is obvious that a simple replacement of a heating element is not going to be particularly helpful in this case.  Yet, it might be still a bit too early to throw away your appliance – often the repair can be done quickly – and rather cheaply as well. This problem may be somewhat hard to diagnose, as the overheating can be caused by various faulty parts – and it is important to follow this guide carefully before coming to a conclusion as to which part do you have to replace.

Preparation

Do not forget to unplug your appliance before you start the diagnostics! If you have a gas appliance – turn off the gas supply. Later you may have to move your appliance as well, so make sure you have some room for that.

Checking Thermostat

Thermostat is a part of your oven, which is responsible for measuring and regulating the oven’s temperature. Once the thermostat reaches the required temperature it prevents the bake element from heating up, helping your oven to avoid overheat. The faulty thermostat is the most likely, but not the only reason that can be causing this issue.

• Access the thermostat. Check your user manual in order to locate it – it can be located in different places of your appliance depending on the model and type of your oven.
• Examine it visually and make sure it is not damaged or burnt.
• Check your thermostat’s switch contacts for continuity. You may have to replace the part in case there is no continuity on any contact.

Checking the Cooling Fan

Some modern ovens have a cooling fan – it is switched on and off by a thermal switch automatically, depending on the temperature. After you finish cooking the cooling fan would run for around 10 minutes or so, cooling the oven door and the oven itself down. In case your appliance have a built in cooling fan and it stopped working your oven might overheat.

Locate and diagnose your cooling fan. The fan wouldn’t operate properly in case the motor is damaged. Examine the fan visually and check the contacts for continuity.

Checking the Heating Elements

The heating element in the electric ovens is responsible for heating up your meal. Electric ovens normally have a bake element, located at the bottom of the oven, and a broil element, located at the top.

• Examine your heating elements visually. Make sure they are not damaged and have no blisters.
• If your heating elements are fine remove the back panel of your oven. Make sure the wires, which are connected to your heating elements are not loose and not damaged.
• Test the wires with the multimeter for continuity.

Checking Power Supply Board and Power Relay

Sometimes the problem can lie in the damaged power relay. We would advise you against diagnosing them on your own, since it requires voltage testing which can be complicated and dangerous – however you can always call a technician and ask them to diagnose your appliance for yo