Home-Wizard
Sponsored by:

Boston Digital LLC
Making it easier for you to manage your home
   
http://www.boston-digital.com
Interactive Home Maintenance Guide
Homepage | "Ask the Wizard" | Recommended_Schedules | Free_Personalized_Reminders | Infotainment Videos | Free_Newsletter | Maintenance_Library | Find_Contractors | Energy_Savings | Safety | Sponsorship_Opportunities | Login | Help_&_FAQs
New Page 1
  

Our latest info-tainment
videos: 

    

                         

Oven Maintenance

To maintain the energy efficiency, safety, and useful life of your wall oven, it is important that your home maintenance program include the proper maintenance for your oven.

Ovens come in different types such as: "Self-Cleaning"; Continuous Cleaning"; and Conventional".  Self-cleaning ovens clean themselves by oxidizing (burning off) food splatters at a very high temperature during the cleaning cycle.  For continuous cleaning ovens, the oven walls are coated with a catalyst, or chemical mixture, that oxidizes food splatters when the oven is operating. A "double oven" is a wall unit which contains two separate oven units.  See also:  Stove and Microwave Oven.

Shown below are the recommended routine maintenance tasks for your oven.  

Learn to enjoy managing your home with our free Newsletter or our free Automatic Maintenance Reminders.  We can also show you the Recommended Maintenance Schedules for your entire home.

     

 

 
 

 

  

 Maintenance Task:  Annual cleaning and maintenance

  
       
    How do you clean and maintain an oven?  

 

  

Oven cleaning procedures and maintenance vary significantly by the type of oven (e.g. "self-cleaning, "continuous cleaning", and "conventional") and you should consult your manufacturer's recommendations for the specific procedures for your model.

NOTE:  For self-cleaning ovens avoid oven cleaners, steel wool, and other abrasive materials that could impair the self-cleaning action.

  
       
    Why is it important to clean and maintain an oven?  

 

  

Proper cleaning and maintenance of your oven reduces the safety risk of fires, improves the energy efficiency of your oven, and can help extend its useful life.

  
       
    How often should you clean and maintain an oven?  
    Perform at least annually (January), or according to your manufacturer's recommendation.  

 

  

 

    
    How does Home-Wizard rate the costs and benefits for this task?  
    The cost of this task is relatively low.  It is estimated that this task should only take about 60 minutes to complete, depending on the type of oven you have and your manufacturer's recommended cleaning procedure.  
         
    The benefits of this task are moderately high.  Doing this task can help prevent kitchen fires, improve the efficiency of your oven, and extend its useful life.  
       
    Overall Home-Wizard benefit-versus-cost rating (one 'hat' = low and four 'hats' = high):   

 

  

 

Would you like to receive our free Newsletter or our free Automatic Maintenance Reminders?

 

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS from "Ask-the-Wizard":

QUESTION from Janet on 9/7/2008
What would cause a heating element of an oven to catch on fire? We had just baked a pie at 350 degrees, took it out of the oven and turned the temperature up to 425. We waited about 10 minutes. I was in the other room and heard some pounding and thought someone was banging on something in the kitchen. When I came back in the kitchen and opened the oven there was a small flame in the back of the oven so I turned the oven off. The flame went out and I saw the heating element had burned in two.

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM on 9/7/2008
Dear Janet:

It sounds like the heating element in your oven developed a short circuit, which could cause it to over-heat and catch fire. Unfortunately, this is something that can happen sometime with ovens, and another reason why everyone should keep a fire extinguisher in their kitchen. 

At this point you will need to replace your heating element, of course, and you will want to inspect the terminals where the new element will plug into, to be sure there is no damage to the connectors.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
____________________

Maintenance Library index
Air Conditioning (central) Foundation Program Thermostats
Air Conditioning (room unit) Freezer Radiators
Attic Furnace Refrigerator
Automatic Lawn Sprinklers Furniture (Fine Wood) Roof
Barbeque Grill Furniture (Leather) Roof Gutters
Baseboard Heating System Furniture (Upholstered) Safety Tips
Basement Garage Security System
Brick Siding Garbage Disposal Septic System
Carpets Garbage Rates Showers & Tubs
Ceiling Fan Gas Fireplace Smoke Detectors
Charity Goods Donation Heat Pump Storm Windows
Clothes Dryer Holiday Lighting Stove
CO Detectors Hot Tub Spa Sump Pump
Daylight Savings Time Humidifier Swimming Pool
Decking Insurance Rates Tax Assessment
Dehumidifier Large Trees Nearby Telephone Service Rates
Dishwasher Lawn Trash Compactor
Drapes and Blinds Locks & Hinges Utility Meter Verification
Driveway Marble Floors Vinyl Siding
Electric Air Cleaner Mattresses Washing Machine
Electric Shaver Medicines (expired) Water Beds
Electrical Ground Faults Microwave Oven Water Heater
Emergency Supplies Mortgage Rates Weatherstripping
Energy Audits Outside Lighting Well Water
Energy Rates Outside Water Faucets Windows
Energy Savings Tips Oven Window Screens
Exhaust Fans Patio Furniture Wood Siding
Fire Extinguishers Personal Computer Wood Stove
Fireplace Pest Control Wooden Floors
Forced Air Heating System Plumbing  

Terms of Use
Copyright © 2000-6 Boston Digital LLC. All rights reserved.