If you’ve ever had an oven not heating before dinner, you’ll know the panic that sets in. It could be a number of things that are causing your oven not to heat, anything from a faulty fuse to a defective heating element, and sometimes… the thermostat gives up.
There are four signs that point to a defective oven thermostat:
- The oven cuts out before reaching the selected temperature
- The oven is always at maximum temperature, regardless of the setting
- The temperature dial doesn’t “click” to activate the temperature
- Oven won’t heat up at all
Here we explain how you can easily replace the defective thermostat in your oven. This process consists of 6 steps:
- Remove the top oven cover and remove the switch
- Remove the thermostat
- Remove the temperature sensor
- Attach the new thermostat
- Reinstall the temperature sensor
- Replace the top oven cover and reinstall the switch
This guide will take you through the steps to replace a damaged oven thermostat. The replacement process is as follows:
- First, source the correct part.
- Disconnect electric power to the oven
- Take off the oven’s top cover and then remove the switch.
- Take off the thermostat
- The temperature sensor should be removed.
- Connect the new thermostat.
- Install the temperature sensor
- Replace the oven’s top cover and install the switch
Next: Gas or Electric Oven?
How The Oven Thermostat Works.
The thermostat reads the internal temperature of the oven and switches off the heating element to maintain a level temperature, that is selected on the dial.
The thermostat comes in two parts; a control unit that is located behind the temperature setting dial, from which a wire is connected to a thermometer (sensor) probe, This probe looks like a thin strip of metal and is usually located at the back of your oven.
When your oven suddenly stops heating, or warms up but doesn’t cut off at the set temperature, and you’ve eliminated all other possible faults, then it’s time to change the thermostat system.
Replacement Instructions
- First, ensure that you’ve disconnected the oven from the mains electricity. Remove the oven’s cover, and then remove the knob to control the temperature. In the beginning, based on the model, you’ll have to take off the top cover of the oven with a screwdriver, or Torx key. This allows you to access the space behind the buttons. If you’re using a freestanding electric cooker, the screws you have to remove are typically located in the back or sides of the plates.
- Unplug the thermostat. Behind the control knob, which you’ve just removed You can see the tiny box, which serves as a thermostat. The thermostat is linked to the power cable, and the silver cable also joins the thermostat to the sensor. Photograph the connectors so that you can connect them correctly in the future. After that, disconnect the connectors. If you have mechanical thermostats it has a temperature sensor connected permanently to it. Your new thermostat is fitted with a temperature sensor of its own. Unscrew the thermostat using a screwdriver or wrench. If your oven is fitted with an electric thermostat find and unplug the connection to disconnect the temperature sensor.
- The temperature sensor should be removed. Open the door of your oven, and look for the temperature sensor at the rear top of the oven. It is connected to a bracket using some screws. It is sometimes located inside an oven but usually located on the rear side of the wall. Based on the location of installation it is possible to access the sensor to the top, but you might need to take off the exterior wall of your oven. This can be done using identical tools. Once you’ve removed the screws from the mounting and removed the sensor that controls temperature from its mounting.
- Connect the new thermostat. You can now install your new thermostat. Secure it to the bracket on the old thermostat, and then connect it in accordance with your template.
- Install the temperature sensor. Unwind the wire of the temperature sensor and then insert the temperature sensor into the small hole located in the oven’s interior. Use the screwdriver to fix it to the holders, exactly like the temperature sensor that was connected.
- Replace the oven cover on top and install the switch. Then you can install the top cover as well as the back wall of your oven back in place. Make sure you screw all the covers and then move the thermostat switch in its direction. All you need to do is connect your stove to confirm that the repair was performed correctly!
Tips for Helpful: Especially after pyrolytic cleaning, there are times that the oven ceases to warm up. A smaller thermostat located on the inside of the oven might be the cause it is called it’s a “safety thermostat”. It’s typically small round and round and comes with 2 cable plugs, as well as a red button located in the middle. Press that button to turn it back on and fix the issue.
Your roasts won’t be left uncooked and your cakes won’t be burned! Thanks to the DIY skills you’ve managed to change the thermostat of your oven by yourself!
