No matter what you’re cooking, there is nothing more frustrating than an oven that doesn’t heat evenly. After all your hard work, following all of the recipe instructions carefully, the last thing you want is a ruined dinner that isn’t cooked through.

What’s more, not only is this a frustration, it can also be a health hazard, if you are cooking food such as chicken and it isn’t cooked right.

There could be a number of causes for this to happen, yet the good news is, if you are DIY handy, most can be sorted easily! So, read on to find out some of the main causes of your oven problems.

Your oven isn’t properly calibrated

Let’s say you’re cooking a pizza. You’ve followed all of the cooking instructions to a T, yet it comes out burnt around the edges and raw in the middle. This could be a hint that your oven has a calibration problem.

This means that, even though you are selecting the correct temperature, the internal temperature of the oven isn’t matching that. Over time, a lot of heating and cooling can put stress on an oven, so the accuracy of the temperature can fall out of line and wear out.

This can easily be tested by simply using an oven thermometer. Place the thermometer inside and set the oven to preheat to your desired temperature. Make sure that the thermometer is left in the oven for at least 15 minutes to ensure it’s preheated properly and then take a temperature reading. Repeat this for the next two hours or so and then find the average of your readings. This should be the original set temperature.

However, if you do have a poor oven calibration, you will need an expert to reset this, such as Joe Graham Appliance Repairs, who offer outstanding appliance repairs and Hotpoint Spares Luton, where needed.

Your oven racks need re-adjusting

Did you know that your oven problems could even be down to something as simple as the placement of your racks?

If you’ve found yourself struggling with your new oven, make sure to get to grips with how it cooks. Take note of where you place the racks and how the food cooks. For example, if you are finding that your food is burnt on top but undercooked on the bottom, you may just need to lower the rack. Similarly, you may need to rotate your food as it cooks, to ensure that it is heated evenly.

The temperature sensor is broken

Much like uneven oven calibration, a faulty temperature sensor can be another reason why your oven isn’t cooking evenly.

Even though you’re setting the oven temperature, the faulty temperature sensor could be telling the oven to heat way above or below the set temperature.

Use an oven thermometer to check inside the oven and preheat to check whether the temperature sensor is rising.

If this isn’t the case, then your temperature sensor may need replacing. We recommend that at this stage, you call in an appliance repairs expert to take a look.

The elements are faulty

Inside your oven, you will find two elements, one is the bake element and the other is the broil element. If either of these aren’t working as they should, then your oven will not cook evenly.

The bake element is located at the bottom of the oven, whereas the broil element is at the top. Visually check that these are working by preheating the oven and checking to see if they are glowing red. If they are not, make sure to call in a specialist who can check them further and replace them.

The fan is broken

If you have a fan oven, understandably, the fan is the most important part! It helps to even distribute the heat around the cavity of the oven and therefore cook your food evenly.

You can check the fan, by turning the oven on and seeing whether the fan sounds louder or is working slower than usual. If you notice this, turn your oven off and wait until it is completely cool, then turn the fan by hand. Notice any resistance, and it is time to call in a professional.

We hope that this guide has given you some insight into why your oven isn’t working as it should. Make sure you carry out all of the above checks, as well as more basic ones such as around the door seal, before you call out an expert.