How long can you expect your oven to last?
You can expect your oven to last about 13 years if it’s an electric range oven and 15 years if it’s a gas range oven. However, the true lifespan of your appliance will depend on a variety of factors, including your usage and care of the oven.
Knowing how to properly care for your oven can help maximize its average life span. This article will walk you through what you need to know about caring for your oven, and how you can positively impact how long and how well it can serve you.
Most common components to break on an oven
Your oven works thanks to the combined effort of different parts. When these components work well, they easily generate the heat needed to bake and cook your favorite dishes. However, when one or more of these components fails, it can result in your oven not functioning properly and even trip the electrical circuits in your home.
The most common components that tend to break on an oven include:
- Heating element: One of the most common elements that can break or otherwise become damaged is the heating element. This important component passes the electrical current. Resistance within the heating element causes this current to generate heat, which allows the oven to do its job. People who use their oven rarely, particularly if they live in warm, humid areas, might find a buildup of moisture within the heating element. This moisture can then cause the circuit to trip. You can also experience problems with the heating element if the oven is on for a prolonged period. This can cause the heating element to crack or break, which can also result in a tripped system.
- Light bulb: Your oven also contains a light bulb. Like bulbs elsewhere in the home, this one can break or blow in response to overuse or simply getting old. If this happens, it can cause problems in the wiring of your oven and result in the appliance tripping.
- Function selector switch: You can also experience problems with the function selector switch. This switch allows your oven to move between different functions, such as the fan or the grill. If the switch doesn’t work properly, the oven won’t be able to heat up and prepare to cook.
- Other types of wiring problems: Finally, your oven can experience problems if any of the other wires in the appliance — such as those that direct the fan — get worn down, tangled or otherwise damaged. Given the large amount of electricity that an oven uses, you can see how electrical problems with the appliance can become dangerous. If you see signs of electrical problems with your oven, don’t use it until a professional can take a look and diagnose the problem.
As you see, there are a few components of your oven that can experience damage and cause this critical kitchen appliance to stop working properly. Knowing what is wrong can help you determine if the oven is fixable when something breaks.
Is it worth fixing your oven?
Ovens are made of several components that can break and result in malfunction. While it might cost less to repair the oven rather than replace it, the best thing is to leave the diagnosis and repair to a professional.
Fortunately, with a home warranty from Cinch Home Services, you don’t need to worry about keeping your oven up and running. When the covered appliance breaks down, you can request service any time online or by phone, pay the preset deductible, and Cinch will find a prescreened service professional in the area to diagnose and remedy the problem. If it turns out that your oven can’t be repaired, it can be replaced.
While Cinch has your back when it comes to unexpected breakdowns, there are steps you can take as a homeowner to help extend the life expectancy of your oven and prevent some problems from occurring.
How to extend your oven’s life span
There are a few regular maintenance steps that homeowners can take to better care for their oven and extend the life span of the appliance.
How to clean your oven
Cleaning the oven about three times a year can go a long way to reducing problems and ensuring your appliance works well for as long as possible.
Before diving into the steps to deep-clean your oven, though, it’s important to point out that if something spills, you should wipe it up as soon as possible. For example, if batter from a cake or grease from meat drips to the bottom of the oven, give it a quick spot clean as soon as the oven cools off. This also includes food that drips or splatters around the burners. Pay attention to this even if you have a self-cleaning oven.
To give your oven a good scrub, follow these steps:
- Remove the oven racks and soak them.
- Make a paste from baking soda and water. Spread this paste all around the inside of the oven, including the glass door. You may notice the paste turning brown in some areas, and that’s normal.
- Let the paste sit in the oven overnight.
- The following morning, get a damp cloth and wipe away the paste and the grime with it. You may need to use something like a spatula to help remove any food droppings that have become particularly caked on. As you wipe the paste, you should see the oven start to look cleaner. Pay close attention to areas around the door seals, corners and other areas that might be harder to reach.
- Spray the interior of the oven with a vinegar solution. This can get the interior to really shine and help you find any baking soda mixture you missed because the vinegar and baking soda will react to create bubbles.
- Give the oven another good wipe down with another damp cloth. If your oven is particularly dirty, you might find you need a few of these cloths to successfully remove the grime. Keep wiping it down until all of the baking soda solution is gone.
- Give your oven racks a thorough scrub and put them back in the oven.
Use a surge protector
A surge protector can help protect the oven’s electrical system in the event of a power surge. Many homes experience power surges during storms and other types of natural events. These surges can damage electronic parts in your oven, the same way they can in a computer or TV. Having a surge protector can help prevent damage to your oven’s control board.
Turn your oven on at least once per week
Many people fight to manage their crazy schedules, making it hard to cook at home. This can easily result in households where the oven isn’t turned on for weeks at a time. Unfortunately, this can exacerbate potential problems with the oven. For example, it can lead to a greater accumulation of moisture in the heating element.
Even if you don’t cook regularly, turning on the oven at least once a week is a good practice. Consider using it to heat up leftovers instead of the microwave on occasion. Not only can it help you avoid certain problems, but it will also alert you to potential problems earlier. If your oven does fail to work properly, discovering the problem when trying to heat your leftovers is far less intrusive than discovering the issue when trying to cook Thanksgiving dinner for a house full of guests. No one wants to spend Black Friday hunting for an oven instead of the latest gadgets.
Regularly turning on your oven gives you the chance to call a repair professional and ensure the oven is in peak working condition when you really need it. If you need a new appliance, you’ll have the chance to visit a retailer and find your preferred model.
Prevent costly oven repair bills with Cinch
You can further protect your oven with the help of a Cinch home warranty. Our coverage makes it easy for you to take care of critical appliances and built-in systems in your home — from your oven and washer to your garbage disposal and air conditioner.
Rest assured that if you need gaskets replaced in your washing machine or help with your water heater or air-conditioning system, we’ll find a trusted, vetted technician to help fix the problem for you.
See how a Cinch Appliances plan can provide you with the coverage you need for your major appliances, including your oven. Request a free quote today to get started.