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.
Faulty temperature sensor or thermostat. Heating element problems. Gas oven igniter issues. Electronic control board failure.
A broken electric oven thermostat is most likely the cause of your electric oven's temperature fluctuation. Your oven thermostat is the oven part which regulates the temperature. If the thermostat is broken, it will no longer be able to keep the temperature at a stable level and will cause fluctuation.
Generally, if a oven reaches a temperature above 250 degrees and then shuts off then either the cooling fan is not working, the temperature sensor is faulty or the temperature control circuit on the control board is faulty. Since both ovens are doing this I would not suspect the temperature sensor as the issue.
Keep a pizza stone in your oven to stabilize its temperature
Although the oven will take a bit longer to heat up, once it reaches temperature, that temperature will remain more stable, since the stone acts as a buffer between the oven's heat source and your food.
There are a few possible reasons why an oven isn't distributing heat evenly, including restricted airflow, improper oven calibration, overcrowded racks, a broken heating element, a malfunctioning temperature sensor or simple user error like opening the oven door too often during the baking process.
Use a thermostat: A thermostat can help you maintain a consistent temperature by automatically adjusting the temperature based on your preferences. You can set the thermostat to turn off the heating or cooling when the temperature reaches a certain point, which can help you save energy.
Why Won't My Oven Hold Temperature? 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.
Place the multimeter on the thermostat. If the thermostat has a reading of zero or as close to zero as possible, it is working fine. However, if it has no reading at all, your oven thermostat is faulty and will need replacing.
Calibrate the Thermostat: Consult your oven's manual to learn how to calibrate the thermostat properly. Professional Repair: If calibration doesn't work, it's best to call a professional technician to diagnose and repair the thermostat. Sometimes, electrical problems within your home can cause the oven to shut off.
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.
Once you've noted down the thermometer's readings, check them against the temperature you've set the oven to. If it's more than 15°F (10°C) off, you'll want to recalibrate it. If temperature is off by a lot, you should call a technician and not try to calibrate it yourself.
If you open the oven door and the interior feels warm or hot, this can be normal. The oven interior is designed to retain heat, even several hours after the oven has been turned off after cooking. The interior light may have been left on. The bulb can put off enough heat to warm the oven if left on.
When your oven is heating but not reaching the set temperature, there may be an issue with the temperature settings, temperature sensor or calibration. The solution to your oven's heating problems could be checking to make sure your oven is set to the proper unit of measurement.
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.
Electrical Faults
Electric ovens can easily cut out if there is a fault with one of the components inside. Even issues with the clock and the switch can cause the oven to shut off, so pay close attention to these electrical oven parts in particular – both are tell-tale signs that you need professional assistance.
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.
5 Steps to Calibrate Electric Ovens With Analog Controls
Pull the temperature knob off your oven thermostat. Locate the screw(s) on the back. Turn the screw(s) clockwise to decrease the temperature. Turn the screw(s) counterclockwise to increase the temperature.
You should check the power source, the socket, the plug, the cord and the fuse, or circuit breaker. All of these rather simple issues could be the actual cause why your oven can't maintain temperature.
The experts at America's Test Kitchen say, “Ovens are inaccurate. Since all ovens cycle on and off to maintain temperature, even the best models will periodically deviate from the desired target by at least a few degrees throughout cooking […]
If you notice that your electric oven isn't heating up to the correct temperature and food comes out under-cooked, this many be caused by a defective electric oven thermostat. Thermostats measure the temperature inside the oven cavity, switching the electric element on and off to maintain the desired temperature.
A thermostat is a regulating device component which senses the temperature of a physical system and performs actions so that the system's temperature is maintained near a desired setpoint. Thermostats are used in any device or system that heats or cools to a setpoint temperature.
Most modern thermostats will have a clearly marked reset button inside the panel. It's usually small and recessed, so you might need a pointed object like a paperclip to press it. For those wondering specifically how to reset air conditioner thermostat models, the process is generally the same.
When you set your thermostat to hold the temperature, it will maintain that specific temperature for as long as you want. This is convenient if you want your thermostat to ignore scheduled or automatic temperature changes for a while and stay at a specific temperature.