As a baker I often find myself wondering; why does my oven take so long to preheat?
That was until I did my due research and spoke to the customer review of the organization where I purchased my oven.
Having your oven preheated is a great way of preparing for baking.
As a preheated oven makes your cake and other baked food begin baking right away giving it a lovely and freshly baked look.
However, at certain times mostly due to certain faults in the oven, preheating takes way longer and this can be pretty annoying and delaying.
A leakage in the oven pipes is the most common reason for the delay in the preheating of your oven. Other factors may lead to the delay such as defective thermostats and issues with the control board.
In this article, I shall be sharing with you, the numerous causes of delayed preheating in ovens and how to fix such problems.
How To Know When Your Oven Takes Long To Preheat?
So why is my oven taking so long to preheat? Is it actually taking so long or you just don’t understand your oven?
Depending on the type of oven you are using, the preheating time differs also.
This confusion might arise if you are used to a certain type of oven and you either switch ovens or have to use a different kind of oven.
The oven’s preheating time can differ depending on the type and the design of the oven.
- Gas oven takes about 8-10 mins to get to 350C
- An electric oven with visible elements takes about 10-12 mins to get to 350C
- An electric oven with hidden elements takes about 15 mins to get to 350C
- An electric oven with hidden elements and a fast preheat feature takes about 10 mins to get to 350C.
Therefore, depending on the model and the design, ovens have different preheating periods.
However, an estimated time of 20-24 minutes is good enough time for your oven to be completely preheated.
Anything beyond that signifies a longer preheating time. And would require proper troubleshooting to figure out the cause of the problem.
Why Does My Oven Take So Long To Preheat?
Aside from design and product type, other reasons can lead to a longer preheating time.
Some of these are minor and simple issues, and others are far more complex.
Regardless of the cause of the issue, it is best advised that you do not attempt to fix the oven if you have no prior knowledge or handy skills or are without a proper guide.
Safety should be your first priority and proper measures should be taken before attempting to troubleshoot for any cause whatsoever.
Also, any damage done to any compartment while trying to fix the oven could lead to further issues and will cost more to fix.
Below are some good safety measures to follow before attempting to fix your oven;
- Ensure the oven is switched off, either disconnected from the power source or disconnected from the gas source depending on your model.
- Ensure the oven is cold in all areas before attempting to troubleshoot. A wait time of 30 mins to 1 hour should do the trick.
- Wear heat-resistant gloves.
- Read the owner’s manual if you still have one.
Note: A longer preheat time could be a sign of a bigger issue in your oven, hence why you should do so well to check and fix the issue.
Now we shall be delving into the causes of a longer preheat time and how to fix such issues for both gas and electric ovens.
Why Does My Gas Oven Take So Long To Preheat?
Gas oven can be of two types, the complete gas oven or the hybrid with some electrical components.
These electrical components can be an igniter, a temperature sensor, and a control board. Whichever one, the causes are a lot similar.
Let’s delve right in;
Reason #1: Clogged Gas Pipes Or Jets
Debris and dirt due to prolonged use of the oven can get into the pipe holes and obstruct the quick flow of fire.
This is quite a minor issue and happens over years of accumulating dust, oil, and other dirt from the constant use of the oven.
This requires very little effort to fix the problem.
By simply removing the pipes and giving them a thorough cleaning, the problem can be solved.
Reason #2: Faulty Oven Igniter
The oven igniter is responsible for starting a fire in the oven without the need for a lighter. This is common in modern gas ovens.
The igniter works by becoming red hot and opening the safety valve to release gas, that way the gas gets ignited.
When this becomes faulty, the igniter takes longer to ignite the oven, leading to a longer preheating period.
When this component gets faulty, the best thing to be done is to change it to a newer one.
Igniters can be gotten from online stores such as Amazon. After purchasing it, locate the igniter in the oven and replace it.
Note: Ensure to purchase the right igniter model for the oven you are obtaining.
Reason #3: Defective Temperature Sensor
A temperature sensor is responsible for telling the actual temperature reading of the oven.
Once it becomes defective, it tells a wrong temperature reading.
And hence this confuses us, as we do not know the actual temperature of the oven.
A temperature reading could be so low, whereas the actual temperature is high, and vice versa.
A simple replacement of the temperature sensor will solve this issue. As with the oven igniter, you can also purchase a new sensor from any online store.
Simply purchase the new sensor, and locate the sensor, which is at the back of the oven in most cases.
Detach the old sensor using handy tools and replace it with the new one.
Why Does My Electric Oven Take A Long Time To Preheat?
Electric ovens can develop longer preheating times, mostly due to defects in the components of the oven.
Reason #1: Oven Leaking Hot Air
The mechanism by which the electric oven operates is by passing heat to the heating element, which in turn heats up the air in the oven.
This makes heat spread to the oven and gets it preheated as the air trapped inside is hot.
The air in the oven can escape either through faulty oven doors or faulty door hinges.
When this happens there is no way for the oven to trap air inside and therefore leak hot air, thereby resulting in a longer preheating time.
By fixing the doors and hinges, this problem can be solved in no time. The trick is to make the door firmer and more stable.
Reason #2: Power Supply
For an electric oven, the power supply is the key source of heat.
With electricity flowing into the heating elements, only then can heat be generated in the oven.
However, the power supply can get affected, either by a fault in the power cord or a fault in the power outlet.
Also, electricity going into the oven could be short-circuited making it difficult for the element to produce heat in time.
If there are no signs of a short circuit in your home, a good way is to test the oven in a different outlet to know if the issue is from the outlet or from the power cord.
After figuring out the fault, either from the cord or from the outlet, the best thing is to change them to newer and more durable ones.
Reason #3: Heating Element Wearing Out
The heating element can wear out, due to use over time.
This means that the element can no longer generate as much heat in a faster duration of time as it used to.
Unlike other causes, this can not be done by yourself, it is best to call for the help of a professional to fix an element issue.
Conclusion
Should you still find yourself wondering; why does my oven take so long to preheat?
Then you might need for you to call a professional. Or a call to get a new oven.
Either way, it is important that your oven is in perfect condition at all times for a baker or just for home cooking.