If you’re running a restaurant, bakery, or commercial kitchen, losing a piece of equipment can really throw a wrench in business. For example, if your commercial oven were to suddenly break down, it would leave you scrambling on how to accommodate your menu and your customers. Here are some of the common problems that may come from your oven and what you can do as an owner to fix the issue and prevent it from happening again.
1. The pilot light won’t stay on.
In order to get your commercial oven working properly, the pilot light needs to stay lit for ignition. A malfunctioning safety valve or thermocouple can cause an oven’s pilot light to keep switching off. This is an issue that a commercial appliance repair expert must address. They’ll be able to replace a faulty thermocouple or potentially replace the whole safety valve if the two parts are attached.
A faulty igniter can also be the result of poor maintenance of a commercial or convection oven. You could try to clean the area near the pilot light. Be sure to turn off the gas line to the oven before beginning this process. A toothbrush will help to remove any gunk or debris that is surrounding the igniter. From there, you can unclog the pilot light hole with a sewing needle. If this doesn’t fix the oven issue, it’s then time to call in a technician for necessary repairs.
2. The oven’s temperature is inconsistent.
There’s nothing worse than creating a meal for customers that you yourself just want to dive into, only to find that it’s taking longer than ever to cook your protein. If you find that the oven interior is not heating up to the temperature you need it to, it could be due to a faulty sensor. A temperature sensor touching the wall of the commercial oven may also cause it not to heat properly. This will require the sensor to be recalibrated to ensure it works properly in the future.
This is a feature in gas and electric ovens – usually a thin tube that is located at the upper back of the unit. You can gently bend the sensor away from the wall to better allow it to assess the oven’s internal temperature. A new sensor usually runs anywhere from $15 to $25, which can be ordered through the oven manufacturer’s website. Your owner’s manual can provide a step-by-step instructions on removing the faulty part and installing a new one. If you don’t want to handle this appliance repair yourself, don’t hesitate to call a technician in to solve the problem.
3. Food is cooking unevenly.
Imagine cooking up one hundred portions of sirloin at a singular temperature, only to open your commercial oven and find temperatures running the gambit from still raw to a hockey puck. Uneven cooking can be caused by something as simple as how the racks and cookware are positioned in the oven or even proper cleaning. Commercial oven cleaning needs to be a daily cleaning because of constant use and health standards. You can do this with soap and warm water or oven cleaners approved by the system’s manufacturer.
However, the most common cause is faulty heating elements in your oven, as well as issues with your temperature sensors. If you recently replaced the thermostat of your oven, this could cause temps to be all over the map for a commercial oven. To confirm that the heating elements are functioning, make sure they are glowing during preheating. If a glow isn’t happening, it could be a calibration issue that requires the assistance of a commercial oven repair technician.
