Let's face it: When it comes to oven
maintenance, most of us are clueless. Oven repair is an
even trickier endeavor. Do you know how to fix your oven yourself if you ever
find it on the fritz? Probably not. When was the last time you consulted the
owner's manual for your oven? Probably never. Do you even know where you put
it?
Regardless of whether you have
a gas or electric oven, oven maintenance is not
only an issue of ensuring tonight's dinner isn't blackened, but a safety issue,
as well. Gas ovens are of particular concern, given the potential of gas leaks
going unnoticed. But how do you know when it's time to call an expert to
perform an oven repair, or even just a tune-up to make sure you’re getting
the most out of your appliance?
1) You're planning a party, and
you want the food to be perfect.
Throwing the perfect
get-together is hard enough without having to worry about whether your hors
d'oeuvres will be burned on the outside but frozen solid in the middle. There
are a multitude of reasons why your oven isn't getting hot. Do you know
anything about electric heating elements? What about oven igniters? Do you know
where the temperature sensor is located? If the answer to all of these
questions is a resounding "Huh?", then put your mind at ease and call
a professional.
2) There's more going on than
meets the eye.
Oven maintenance can be
tough to master, and sometimes, your oven troubles may not have anything to do
with your actual oven. You may have an underlying wiring problem in your home,
which could be the culprit behind why your electric oven is taking an eternity
to get hot. Or you may have a gas leak, which can be both dangerous and hard on
your gas bill. A quick call to the oven maintenance man
could determine the root of your baking woes, as well as helping you avert
potential disaster.
3) Your oven is ancient.
If you purchased your oven when
Nixon was in office, or if the one that came with your apartment is that
mustard-yellow color that was popular at the same time as bell-bottoms, no
amount of DIYing it will force your oven to regain its youthful vigor. Age
could be at the heart of your oven's erratic temperature swings, causing your
attempts to recreate your Nana's brisket recipe to range from inconsistent to
flat-out inedible.
4) You need a fix ASAP!
Consider this scenario: You
invited your boss to a dinner party at your home tomorrow night, but while
reheating leftovers for dinner this evening, you've discovered that your oven
is dead. You have no clue where the owner's manual is, and you're not the most
savvy person when it comes to home appliance repair. In fact, you're not even
sure where your screwdriver is located. Feel the panic rising in your stomach?
Panic no more. Call the repairman and have it done quickly, and have it done
right. No guesswork or endless Googling involved.
5) You don't trust your DIY
abilities.
Hey, it's okay. As much as the
Internet would like you to believe that you can fix any appliance in your home
yourself, that's not always the case, and it's certainly nothing to be ashamed
of. There's a reason oven repair professionals exist, and it's so you can spend your
time worrying about important things, like why your refrigerator isn't keeping
anything cold.
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