Ovens are an important part of our kitchens, whether they’re countertop steam ovens, wall ovens, or bigger ranges. Unfortunately, this integral part of the kitchen doesn’t last forever, even though we may want it to. If you’ve had your oven for a while and you’re trying to decide whether you need to replace it, we can help. Keep reading to learn about the seven signs it’s finally time to replace your oven.

Cracked Glass

The glass on your oven door allows you to safely keep an eye on your food as it cooks, and it helps insulate the front of your oven. If this glass fails and cracks, then you have a serious safety hazard on your hands. A cracked glass door will allow hot steam or gas fumes to leak into your kitchen, putting you and your loved ones at risk for burns, poisoning, and other health problems.

Most of the time, these glass doors are replaceable, although you’ll need to call a professional to do so. However, sometimes the glass isn’t replaceable, and that means it’s time for a new oven. Don’t put this off. As we mentioned above, cracked glass is a serious problem in your kitchen that can lead to serious injuries. Replace your oven as soon as you learn that the glass is irreplaceable.

Rust Buildup

Most modern ovens have a lining inside that prevents too much rust buildup, but sometimes, rust prevails anyway as air gets into the iron in your oven. While cleaning products can help you combat the rust in your oven, as long as air can get inside your oven, the rust will continue to happen. You may find this rust problem especially prevalent in steam or combination ovens since they use moist air to cook, and additional moisture can worsen rust.

If rust starts to build up in your oven, you’ll need to get a new one. Even if you clean it regularly, the rust will continue to develop once the iron is exposed to air. Try to determine the cause of the rust and what happened to your oven lining before you replace it so you can make sure the problem doesn’t happen again.

Escaping Heat

The entire point of your oven, no matter what kind of oven it is, is to keep the heat inside it so your food cooks. If heat is escaping from your oven, it’s not doing its job. Try to pinpoint where the heat is escaping from and call a professional about potential repairs before just throwing the oven away. However, depending on where and how the heat is escaping, you might decide it’s more economical to invest in a new oven instead.

If you don’t feel any heat escaping when you’re near your oven, but nearby surfaces show signs of scorching, then heat is still escaping your oven. Heat scorching can cause paint to peel and yellow and make pale rings appear on surfaces nearby. If you notice these problems around your oven, then heat is escaping without you knowing it, and it’s time to replace your oven.

Insufficient Heat

When you first brought your oven home or paid for its installation, you were probably promised a certain performance level. You expect your oven to continue to meet that performance level, heating in a certain amount of time, producing a certain amount of heat, and taking a certain amount of time to cook. When your oven starts to fail these expectations, especially if it’s not heating properly, then you may need to replace your oven.

As we’ve mentioned before, sometimes, you can address problems like insufficient heating with repairs. But if nothing appears wrong with your oven and it’s still not heating and cooking as expected, then it’s time for a new oven.

Noise Problems

All appliances make a certain level of noise when they perform their jobs, but if you notice your oven making different noises than usual, something may be wrong. Sometimes, the noises are from the item you’re cooking or a problem with the container you’re cooking your food in, so make sure you check to see if that’s the issue before panicking about needing a new oven.

But if the noise is coming from your oven, then something is wrong, and you’ll need to call a professional and consider the possibility of a replacement. No matter what kind of oven you have, it should be quiet, and unexpected noises are a sign of serious problems that you need to address as soon as possible. Leaving your oven to make weird noises could mean leaving a part to deteriorate and break, which could hurt your entire oven and even you and your loved ones. So don’t wait!

Strange Odors

Cooking food releases various smells into your home, and, most of the time, they’re pleasant ones. However, if something is wrong with your oven, you may notice some unwelcome odors. This is especially prevalent in gas ovens since a problem with the gas line can quickly cause the scent of gas to infiltrate a home, but problems with any of the heating mechanisms in your oven can cause strange odors.

As we’ve mentioned above, you should call a professional to look at your oven and diagnose the cause of the odor. If they can’t figure out where the odor is coming from or the cause of the odor is irreparable, you’ll need to get a new oven.

Constant Repairs

In all the previous sections, we’ve mentioned calling a professional to address the problem and potentially invest in a repair. Repairs are often our first choice when problems occur since they allow us to keep using what we already have. However, if your oven consistently has problems that require constant repairs, it’s more economical for you to replace said oven than continue to pay for repairs.

While a new oven is a big upfront cost in comparison to the smaller regular costs of repairs, the new oven will save you money in the long run since you’ll no longer need so many repairs. You’ll also enjoy more peace of mind since you can trust your oven to do its job and not constantly break.

The seven signs it’s finally time to replace your oven are cracked glass, rust buildup, escaping heat, insufficient heat, noise problems, strange odors, and constant repairs. If your oven is having any of these problems, it’s time for a new one. ROBAM provides high-quality combination convection steam ovens that will make a great addition to your home, allowing you to cook healthier food in a shorter amount of time and save yourself from all the problems we’ve listed above.