While owning a home has many advantages, it also includes numerous appliances that will eventually need to be fixed or upgraded. But, when your oven goes, so do the yummy meals! So, if you think something is wrong with your gas oven, it might be time to call in the appliance repair professionals.

Here, we'll go over the obvious signs that your oven needs repair services.

1. Your Food Isn't Cooking Evenly

If your food consistently comes out of your gas oven cold or raw, the appliance should be checked out. Usually, a broken element or other significant heating device is to blame when the oven is unable to properly heat your food. Since this problem requires parts to be replaced, you should leave it to a pro. An experienced technician will be able to figure out what part is causing the problem and replace it.

2. Your Oven Is Making Strange Noises

You may hear a clicking sound as the ignition ignites the flame. Then, as the gas runs through the pipes, you might hear a hissing or whooshing sound as the oven burner cycles on and off to regulate the temperature of the oven. But if you hear a continuous clicking noise – or any other noise – you should discontinue use and call us. These noises could be caused by a variety of different things, and only a trained technician will be able to diagnose and fix the problem.

3. Your Food Is Burning

Food constantly coming out burnt? It’s not you! Well, maybe it’s you. But if you have a defective thermostat, your oven is unable to maintain the desired temperature and will often overheat – thus burning your food. While it's always possible there is another defective component that could be the cause – such as clogged vents or grates leading to improper air flow - it’s best to leave that up to the pros to determine and get back to enjoying un-burnt lasagna.

4. Your Oven Is Taking Longer to Heat Up

If it's taking longer than it used to for your oven to heat up, it could be a few things. Maybe the heating element is going out, perhaps the temperature sensor is faulty, or maybe the power supply has crashed. In any case, it’s an inconvenient issue that is impacting dinner prep. An experienced appliance repair technician will be able to find the problem and get it fixed so you can get back to cooking those delicious dinners in no time.

5. The Oven Light is Out

If the light in your oven has burned out, it's usually not a big deal. You can simply replace the light bulb yourself. However, if the light won't turn on at all, even after you've replaced the bulb, then there's a bigger problem that needs to be addressed like the whole lighting assembly needing replacement. And it could also be an issue with the wiring or another electrical component in your oven. Either way, you want to call a professional so they can do the proper test to see what’s wrong.

6. Your Oven Smells Strange

Even though it’s a gas oven, the last thing it should smell like is gas. This could be a sign of a gas leak, which is incredibly dangerous. You should turn off your oven, discontinue use, and call a technician right away to look for leaks or loose connections. If you feel nauseous, dizzy, or have a headache, leave your home immediately and contact your local emergency services.

However, smells like burnt food or cleaning products are normal – even though they can be unpleasant. If you can eliminate those normal causes of smells and have ruled out a gas leak, but your oven still smells off, you should call in the pros so they can check to see if it is a mechanical issue.

7. The Door Isn't Sealing Properly

If the door on your oven isn't sealing properly, it could be letting out heat and causing your food to cook unevenly or not at all. Losing heat from your oven can make it work harder to try to maintain the desired internal temperature and make cooking times longer, which consumes more energy than necessary. Broken or malfunctioning hinges and even the gaskets are frequently to blame for a door not closing properly. Thankfully this is a relatively easy and quick problem for our technicians to diagnose and fix.

8. The Self-Cleaning Feature Isn't Working

If your oven has a self-cleaning feature and it's not working properly, it's usually because the door seal is damaged or one of the safety features isn’t working. During the oven's self-cleaning cycle, the door lock switch activates the door lock motor to prevent the oven door from being opened. If the door lock motor and switch component is broken, your self-cleaning feature might not work. (Or in some cases, your oven might not function at all.) The self-clean feature could also not be working due to your oven being too hot, so try waiting for your oven to cool before use. If your gas oven is new and you’re having these problems, it could be that the self-clean feature wasn’t properly set up so double-check your manual or call to have a technician service it for you.

Just Call for Help!

While it could be tempting to ignore minor problems or inconveniences, keep in mind that a defective oven increases the risk of a house fire. It's important that you pay attention to all warning signals that your gas oven needs repairs. These issues don't go away on their own and will continue to worsen over time. And by putting off a repair, you may end up with a bigger repair issue and a higher repair bill.

Fortunately, a technician from Culligan of Le Mars can solve your gas oven problem quickly and effectively thanks to their knowledge and experience. To get you back to making your family's favorite foods, our professionals will inspect your oven to determine its condition, diagnose any underlying issues, and ensure that it is operating properly. Just give us a call or visit our service page to get your repairs started today!