Have you ever seen your oven heating element sparking while trying to cook or bake something on it? If so, that must be a scary sight. But do you know what causes the heating element for ovens to spark like that? Can you fix that?
Key Takeaway
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Well, the oven heating element may start to spark due to either one of the following reasons:
To resolve your oven heating element sparking issue, break into the oven’s internal compartment, diagnose thoroughly, run a continuity test, and take necessary actions.
Sounds too complicated? No worries, this article will explain everything you need to know. So, keep reading!
What Causes Your Oven Heating Element Sparking?
There are four main reasons why the heating element for ovens may spark:
Age or Manufacturer:
The electric or gas range oven heating element may spark as the oven and its internal parts, including the baking and broiling get older or worn out with time.
In general oven’s internal element starts to decline after 8 to 15 years of use.
However excess use of the oven may also lead your oven’s internal components to deteriorate quicker than usual.
Besides that, Oven heating element sparking can also be caused by manufacturing defects, such as when one of the internal wiring or connections is loose or damaged from the start. As a result, when you start using the oven, one of the heating elements or the coil sorts.
Sorted or Damaged Heating Element:
Sparks can also occur when the heating element fails and overheats. As the oven gets older and has been in use for a longer period, the internal element starts to decline.
As these elements become worn or weaker, you may encounter such sparking either directly from the exposed heating element or the coil.
However, your oven heating element can also turn damaged due to sudden power outage or other internal or external electrical issues such as higher resistance causing overheating.
Electrical or Wiring Issues:
If there are electrical issues with your oven wiring or your house’s electrical system, it can cause the oven heating element to spark. Such as
- loose connections,
- corroded or loose clips or connectors,
- a wire with frayed insulation,
- cracks or bubbles in the coil, or
- internally powered heating wire leakage.
Moisture or Left out Residues:
Moisture or humidity can also cause electrical sparks, especially with oven coils. If food remnants are not wiped out soon after usage, they might become conductive.
When moisture from cooking or food residue comes into touch with the heated oven coil, it can result in abrupt temperature changes. These abrupt changes in oven temperature might produce conditions conducive to sparking.
How do you clean the heating element in your Oven?
How to Diagnose and Fix Your Oven Heating Element Sparking?
If the heating element in your oven starts to dramatically spark, you should follow the below-explained steps to diagnose and replace the heating element if necessary:
Tools and Supplies That You’ll Need:
Step_1: Disconnect the Power
Before you begin, make sure your oven is unplugged from the wall power outlet to avoid electrical shocks.
To be extra cautious, switch off the main home circuit breaker. You may also use a multimeter and touch the probe to the exposed wires to verify the power is turned off.
Step_2: Access the Back of Your Oven
Move the range oven forward or far enough from the wall to get better access to its back side.
At the back, you will see 6 to 8 mounting screws attached to the edges of the back penal cover to keep it in place. So, use a Phillips screwdriver and carefully remove all of them. Pull out and separate the back panel cover from the oven.
Step_3: Remove the Electrical Connections
Now you will see these wires at the back, but you only need to concentrate on those marked wires (verify with the instruction manual of your specific oven model).
Take a photo before disconnecting these connectors to remember in which order they were originally connected.
Step_4: Set Up the Multimeter and Test the Heating Element
Now use a digital multimeter and connect its black probe to the black connecting point as well as the red probe to its red connecting point as shown above.
Next, set the multimeter on the continuity setting and switch it on. Then grab the other end of those two probes and just touch them on the outer two tabs.
If you can hear a beep, that means the element is in good condition. But if you can’t, that means it’s bad and you should replace it.
Step_5: Remove and Replace the Heating Element
To access the heating element on your oven, remove all the shelves. If the inside looks dirty, clean the oven before replacing the heating element.
Now use a Phillips head screwdriver to remove the screws holding that back panel in place. Remove the back panel carefully.
Then take off these three final mounting screws to remove the heating element.
Once the old one is out put the new heating element over there and reconnect all the mounting screws to secure it in place.
Put everything back together. Make sure everything is in the right place and all the connections are secure enough.
Step_6: Test Your Oven
Once you have securely reinstalled everything, switch on the main circuit breaker if you have previously turned it off. Plug on the oven’s power cord to the wall connector and turn the switch on.
Turn on your oven and see if the new element has an orangish glow. If it has, use an oven thermometer to calibrate the oven and verify if the oven setting of 350°F matches the thermometer. If it does, you are good to go.
Frequently Asked Questions- FAQ:
Can a sparking oven heating element cause a fire?
Yes, a sparking oven heating element can cause a fire. If this happens, disconnect the power immediately and call the fire department.
Can I still use my oven if the heating element is sparking?
If it is a gas range oven, you may be able to use the stove part. However, it is not recommended because sparks can ignite grease or food debris in the oven, causing a fire.
Can I replace the oven heating element myself?
Yes, you can easily replace it by following the DIY technique explained in this article. But it will still require basic technical knowledge. So, if you’re not confident enough, hire a qualified technician instead of taking risks.
How often should I replace my oven heating element?
On average, a heating element can last for five to seven years. However, the frequency of replacing the element highly depends on how often you use the oven. So, if you see any potential sign of damage, immediately replace it.
