An oven thermostat regulates the temperature inside an oven. The thermostat's temperature-sensitive probe measures the oven's warmth, switching the heat on and off as necessary to maintain the correct temperature.
You will know your cooker thermostat is broken if the temperature inside isn't reaching the heat you've set it to with the knob, if the temperature inside is always at maximum regardless of what you've set the temperature to, or if the knob isn't clicking when you turn it.
If your oven is not maintaining the correct temperature, it could be due to a malfunctioning thermostat, a faulty heating element, or a malfunctioning temperature sensor. The issue may also simply be a need for calibration or keeping the door closed.
Thermocouple: A thermocouple is a temperature sensing device made by joining two dissimilar metals. This junction produces an electrical voltage in proportion to the difference in temperature between the hot junction (sensing junction) and the lead wire connection to the instrument (cold junction).
Unlike a food thermometer that registers the temperature of meat or poultry, an oven thermometer measures the air temperature in the oven.
An oven thermostat regulates the temperature inside an oven. The thermostat's temperature-sensitive probe measures the oven's warmth, switching the heat on and off as necessary to maintain the correct temperature.
The oven thermometer that is commonly used in the kitchen to measure the internal temperature of cooked meat is based on this principle.
Ovens typically have either mechanical or electronic thermostats. Mechanical thermostats use a gas- or liquid-filled bulb to control heating. They are sturdy but may lose accuracy with age.
A faulty temperature sensor will cause the oven not to heat to the correct temperature. If food is taking longer to cook, or is undercooked when cooking time is completed this is due to the oven not reaching the desired heat. You need to make sure that the temperature sensor isn't touching the interior oven wall.
Remove the oven temperature knob and turn it over. It should have one or two screws on the back. If the oven is running cold, you will want to turn the screws counterclockwise, and if it is running hot, you will want to turn them clockwise. Turn them gradually, about an eighth of a turn each time.
Then you can simply remove the thermostat from the control panel. Finally, to replace your oven thermostat, just do the opposite of what you have just done - fix it to your control panel; rewire it; feed the wire through and fit the capillary tube back into the oven cavity, and fix everything back together.
The cost to replace an oven thermostat is $100 to $350 on average. Signs of thermostat failure include the heating light never switching on or the oven not heating. A thermostat turns the heat on and off as needed to reach the right temperature setting.
An often fault that causes electric ovens to produce no heat entirely is when the thermostat or selector switch has become burnt out. If the thermostat or selector switch burns out and stops working then so will your oven.
To test the oven: Hang an oven thermometer in the center of the middle rack and preheat the oven to 350˚F (176.67˚C). Allow the oven to preheat for at least 20 minutes and take a temperature reading. This will tell you if the oven is even reaching the desired temperature from the beginning.
To replace your oven sensor, you'll pay between $100 and $250.
To clean the TempSensor, we recommend: Using a towel with gentle soap and water to rub the needle and cord. Being careful not to submerge the TempSensor connector in water. If the connector is wet, ensure it dries completely before using it again.
325-350 F: This is probably the range you use most often—and there's a reason for that. Temperatures over 300F are where you begin to experience caramelization (browning of sugars) and the Maillard reaction (browning of proteins).
Beyond the obvious task of turning raw batter into something edible, oven settings play a big role in the final texture, colour, moisture level and flavour of your baked goods.