How do I make sure my oven works on Thanksgiving?
Test it about a week before. Run the oven at 350°F, check the real temperature with an oven thermometer, and make sure both bake and broil light. If anything seems off, you still have time to get it fixed before the big day.
Ovens really do break more often around the holidays. In our own job records, oven and range repairs make up nearly one in five of our calls in November and December, compared with about one in nine the rest of the year. Most of those calls could have been avoided with a quick check ahead of time. Here is the same checklist our technicians use in Elmwood Park and nearby towns.
Step 1: Run a test bake
Put an oven thermometer on the middle rack. Set the oven to 350°F and wait until it says it is preheated. Then check the thermometer.
- Within about 25 degrees: your oven is fine.
- Much lower: on a gas oven, this is often a weak igniter. On an electric oven, it is often a bake element or sensor.
- Much higher: the temperature sensor or control may be reading wrong.
Also pay attention to how long it takes. If your oven takes a lot longer to preheat than it used to, that is an early warning sign.
Step 2: Check that bake and broil both light
Many gas ovens have two burners, one on the bottom for baking and one on top for broiling. Each one has its own igniter. Turn on bake, then broil, and make sure each one lights.
On a gas oven, look through the slots in the oven floor. If you see the igniter glowing orange but no flame, or the flame lights late with a loud whoosh, the igniter is getting weak. It usually gets worse, not better, so this is the moment to fix it. Igniter replacement is one of the oven repairs we do most often. Read more in our post about a Whirlpool gas oven that would not heat.
Step 3: Think twice about self-clean
This is the big one. A lot of people run the self-clean cycle the day before Thanksgiving to get the oven ready. Self-clean runs the oven extremely hot, much hotter than normal cooking. That heat is what most often:
- Blows the thermal fuse, so the oven goes completely dead
- Damages the control board or the display
- Gets the door lock stuck closed
Rule of thumb: if you want to self-clean, do it at least a week before Thanksgiving, never the day before.
That leaves time for a repair if something fails. Or skip it and clean spills by hand. Baked-on spills on the oven floor and door, like the ones in the photo from a customer's oven, usually come off with a paste of baking soda and water and a plastic scraper.
Step 4: Check the door seal and the racks
- Door gasket: look for gaps, tears or flat spots. A bad seal lets heat escape and makes cooking times longer.
- Door closing: make sure the door closes all the way and does not spring open.
- Racks: set them where you will need them for the turkey before the day. It is hard to move hot racks.
- Light: replace a burned-out oven light so you can check food without opening the door.
Step 5: Do not block the airflow
Do not line the oven floor with foil. In a gas oven, heat comes up through the slots in the floor. Foil blocks it, causes uneven cooking, and can damage the finish. Put a baking sheet on the lowest rack to catch drips instead.
On the stovetop, make sure every burner cap sits flat and centered. A crooked cap gives you an uneven flame or a burner that will not light.
How much does oven repair cost?
Here are typical costs for the oven repairs we see most:
- Oven, stove or range repair: usually $275–450
- Gas oven igniter replacement: usually $300–375
- Control board replacement: usually $375–575
- Door gasket replacement: usually $300–550
These are estimates, not quotes. Your final price depends on the exact problem, your appliance's brand and model, and the parts it needs. The $89 service call is credited toward the repair.
What to do if your oven fails on the day
- Check that the range is plugged in and the breaker is on.
- Make sure the oven is not set to lock, Sabbath mode or a delayed start.
- If the stovetop does not light either, check that the gas valve behind the range is open.
Smell gas? Do not touch any switches or the oven. Leave the house and call your gas company from outside.
If none of that helps, turn the oven off and call us. We repair ovens in Elmwood Park, Oak Park, River Forest, Melrose Park and nearby towns.
Get your oven checked before the holiday rush
If your test bake turned up a problem, book a visit now, before the week of Thanksgiving gets busy. We repair Whirlpool, GE, Samsung, LG, Frigidaire, KitchenAid and other gas and electric ovens. See our oven, stove and range repair page for more. First-time customers pay $79 for the service call: just mention it to our technician when he arrives. Every repair comes with a 30-day warranty.
Frequently asked questions
Should I self-clean my oven before Thanksgiving?
If you want to, do it at least a week early. The self-clean cycle runs the oven extremely hot, and that heat is what most often blows a thermal fuse or damages a control board. If something fails, you still have time to get it fixed. Or clean spills by hand instead.
How do I know if my oven temperature is accurate?
Put an oven thermometer on the middle rack, set the oven to 350°F, and check after it says it is preheated. If the reading is off by more than about 25 degrees, the temperature sensor or control may need attention.
Can I line the bottom of my oven with foil?
Do not cover the oven floor with foil, especially in a gas oven. It blocks the air and heat that come up through the floor slots and can cause uneven cooking or damage the finish. Put a baking sheet on a lower rack instead.
My gas oven takes forever to preheat. Is that a problem?
Yes. Slow preheating in a gas oven is a classic sign of a weak igniter. It usually gets worse until the oven stops lighting at all, so it is best to fix it before the holiday.
How much does it cost to fix an oven?
Most oven, stove and range repairs we do cost about $275–450, and a gas oven igniter replacement is usually $300–375. These are estimates, not quotes: your final price depends on the exact problem, your oven's brand and model, and the parts it needs.
What should I do if my oven stops working on Thanksgiving?
Check that the range is plugged in and the breaker is on, and make sure the oven is not in lock or timed mode. If it still will not heat, turn it off and call us. If you smell gas, leave the house and call your gas company first.
Do you repair ovens in Elmwood Park?
Yes. Elmwood Park is our home base. We repair gas and electric ovens, ranges and cooktops in Elmwood Park and nearby towns like Oak Park, River Forest, Melrose Park and River Grove.
