Range/Oven
When it comes to the types of appliances, one of the oldest and most owned would be the Oven. At Cunningham Appliances we all have our different opinion on whether we prefer gas or electric, but in the end of the day they both do about the same thing. Of course whether it be an Electric or Gas Oven they can be fairly complicated to maintain. Theres also some maintenance I think everyone should know in order to maintain their Appliances health to keep us out of their home for as long as possible.
GAS & ELECTRIC
Some people swear up and down that a gas oven is the only way to go, while others stand by the accsesibility and trustworthiness of an electric. There is hot debate between which is preferred and we at Cunningham Appliances think both are good at what they do. But it is good to know the difference whether you're shopping for something in the future or whether you're just curious.
Gas ovens are a classic, with the ability to work when theres no electricity and typically sporting far less moving parts, making it a functional unit through almost anything and for a long time. Electric while being dependent on 240 volts and a 30 amp breaker they aren't as resiliant and easy to use but they make up for it in their robust features and functionality.
WHEN TO CALL AN EXPERT
Most user manuals and tidbits of information you can get from the manufacturer are indeed helpful, but they sometimes miss out on some pretty critical bits of information. For instance when you set the temperature inside your oven that of course doesn't mean your oven is sitting a perfect 350 degrees. No matter how fancy or high tech your oven it will also regulate about 20+ degrees in both directions. So if you set it to 350 you can expect to find it going down to 325, and up to 375 at some points. Of course depending on whether its gas or electric these numbers can change even more.
In regards to oven temperature you may not realize that the air temp inside the oven won't be what you typically set it to either. Most ovens only have one single thermostat/thermistor in them to maintain temp, and it's typically located at the very top of the oven near where it exhausts at. If you find your oven off by just a little bit here and there, you can typically adjust it in some way but if its having some extreme issues that might be something else.
MAINTENANCE
Maintaining your oven could be an entire page of information. But we're going to keep it short here just so we can keep it simple and sweet. Typically the interior cavity of the oven doesn't need maintained that much, of course theres a couple things you can do. Most work however has to do with the cooktop and user activated parts.
Maintaining the cavity of course does depend on whether it has electric elements or a gas bake system. If you have lower bake elements always make sure that nothing falls onto them. The filament and the material of the element shouldn't come into contact with anything other than the metal, and the air. You especially should be careful of water. Most elements used in water have a coating to protect them from the fast change in heat, and if not careful could quickly turn into a fire hazard. For gas always make sure nothing falls down into the heat vents and try not to use a fire extinguisher. Try to invest in a fire blanket first but if neccesary of course use an extinguisher.
The cooktop however really needs to be maintained. When it comes to issue with lighting gas or getting a nice solid burn, that typically all comes down to how clean it is. If your burners are clogged with grease, debris, or whatever else ends up on your cooktop it will block the gas flow and make it hard to ignite. Try to take a brush to the electrodes lightly and clean out the orfices if you can. If theres still issues after this of course don't be afraid to give Cunningham Appliances a call.
