If you notice your oven making unusual sounds during the preheating phase, it’s normal to express concern. When something goes wrong with a cooking appliance, the causes can range from minor (i.e., loose screw, worn part, etc.) to potentially dangerous (i.e., electrical damage, gas leak, etc.). Therefore, it’s important to figure out the problem as soon as possible.
An oven making noise when preheating may suggest a faulty fan, door seal, electrical unit, or igniter. Rattling, grinding, or squeaking could be fan issues. Squealing or whistling indicate a broken door seal. Popping or buzzing may mean electrical trouble, and booms could indicate igniter issues.
This article explores several odd sounds that convection and gas ovens might make while preheating, what causes those sounds, and how to fix them. We’ll also cover some normal oven sounds that aren’t a cause for concern. Read on to learn more.
Convection Oven Making Odd Sounds While Preheating
Convection ovens differ from gas ovens as they utilize an electric heating element instead of fuel and igniters. They use a fan to circulate hot air from the element throughout the interior to provide even heating.
Occasionally, the parts on these appliances may malfunction, causing strange sounds during the preheating process. These odd noises could be the result of several potential problems, as discussed in this section.
Rattling, Grinding, or Squeaking Noises
Likely Cause: Fan or Fan Motor Malfunction
Rattling sounds that occur while preheating a convection oven may indicate a problem with the fan. These types of ovens utilize motors to run. When subjected to time and regular use, the vibration caused by the spinning of the fan’s blades may loosen the screw that holds it in place. A loose fan may cause a rattling sound. You can fix the issue by tightening the fan screw and checking to see if it eliminates the noise.
Grinding sounds during preheating could mean a problem with the fan’s motor or restriction of the fan’s blades. Over time, the fan motor may become faulty due to regular wear and tear or fat build-up that restricts fan movement. Poor fan movement can cause a grinding sound, but it can also cause the motor to burn-out.
You can access the fan and clean it to see if this eliminates the noise. Here’s how:
- Allow the oven to cool down completely.
- Unplug the oven from the wall.
- Access the inside of the oven and locate the fan.
- Remove the fan’s cover with a screwdriver.
- Attempt to manually spin the fan.
- Inspect the fan for excess food residue and clean it.
If you’re having trouble spinning the fan due to excess food residue, clean the fan and reinstall it to see if the sound goes away. If not, you may need to replace the motor.
For more information on accessing and cleaning an oven fan and replacing the motor, check out this YouTube video.
Squeaking noises from a convection oven heard in the preheating phase are likely caused by the motor’s bearings. When the fan kicks on, the worn out bearings may release a startling, high-pitched squeak or squealing sound. Unfortunately, the only fix for this issue is to replace the entire motor.
Preheating Convection Oven: Squealing or Whistling Noises
Likely Cause: Broken Door Seal
Squealing or whistling sounds that occur while preheating an oven likely indicate a problem with the door seal. The air inside an oven expands as it heats up. A broken door seal allows hot air to escape, whether through tiny cracks or gaping holes. As the hot air escapes through these open spaces, it can create a whistle or squeal.
A broken door seal can cause other issues besides annoying noises. It can cause food to unevenly heat and may even take longer to heat up than usual. Fortunately, you can replace the seal on an oven door fairly easily.
Preheating Convection Oven: Popping, Buzzing, or Crackling Noises
Likely Cause: Electrical Malfunction
Popping, buzzing, or crackling sounds during the preheating process are not normal unless there’s food in the oven — and most of us don’t cook food during the preheating phase. Never ignore popping sounds, especially when accompanied by strange smells, such as burnt plastic, fish, or other unusual odors. These are all signs that the oven is malfunctioning and suffering from an electrical issue.
So, if you’re hearing popping, buzzing, or crackling as your oven heats up, turn the appliance off immediately and unplug it from the wall. It could be the electrical components in the oven itself or the wiring in your home. Either way, the sounds are an indication of something wrong that could lead to a dangerous electrical fire.
Reach out to a repairman or electrician right away.
Gas Oven Making Odd Sounds While Preheating
Instead of an electric heating element, gas ovens utilize a fuel source (propane or natural gas) to heat the oven. The gas enters the oven through a pipeline and an electric igniter lights the gas to produce a flame, which heats the interior of the oven.
As with a convection oven, gas ovens also utilize many internal parts that sometimes fail. Failure of these parts could lead to strange sounds, as covered in this section.
Preheating Gas Oven: Boom Noise
Likely Cause: Igniter Malfunction
Hearing a loud boom after setting your oven to preheat is quite frightening, and you have every right to express concern. Fortunately, it’s not usually an issue to worry about — at least if it’s the first time you’re hearing it.
When turning on a gas oven for preheating, gas enters the interior of the oven, and the igniter lights the fuel to produce a flame. With time and use, the igniter becomes old and worn. As such, it may work slower than usual. Eventually, the gas begins to fill the interior of the oven before the igniter has the chance to activate. That means that the igniter lights the gas once the oven is already full of fuel, causing a loud boom as the gas bursts into a large flame.
It sounds scary, but hearing the noise once or twice isn’t a reason to call the emergency number. It is, however, an indication that the igniters are struggling to heat up properly. Therefore, you should reach out to a technician and have the igniter replaced at your earliest convenience.
Preheating Gas Oven: Popping, Buzzing, or Crackling Noises
Likely Cause: Electrical Malfunction
As mentioned earlier, gas ovens warm food using gas-fueled fire as a heat source, but they still require electricity to function. Therefore, if you hear any popping, buzzing, or crackling during the preheating process, don’t assume that it couldn’t possibly be an electrical problem — it most certainly can. And electrical issues are a potentially dangerous problem.
If you suspect that your gas oven is experiencing an electrical malfunction, immediately shut off the oven, unplug it from the wall, and turn off the gas to the appliance. Call a technician to come out and check the oven.
If you smell gas along with strange noises, evacuate the property and call your gas company to report the problem.
Preheating Gas Oven: Rattling Noise
Likely Cause: Body Panel
Rattling sounds heard while preheating a gas oven may indicate an unsecured body panel, particularly if you’ve recently had the oven repaired. Sometimes these body panels aren’t secured properly after servicing, so they vibrate or rattle as the oven hums. Fortunately, this is a very easy fix.
When the oven is cool, examine the lower body panel. Check to ensure that it’s properly secured by gently pressing against it or pulling on it to see that it’s not wobbly or loose. If it is, secure it back in place and tighten any loose screws.
Normal Oven Noises
When compared to appliances such as refrigerators, washers, dryers, and dishwashers, ovens are relatively quiet, especially newer models. However, it’s normal to hear some sounds coming from these devices. If you listen closely and carefully, you’ll hear several sounds as the oven preheats, many of which are completely normal and nothing to worry about.
Some of those sounds include:
- Clicking. Every now and then, you may hear clicking sounds coming from your oven while it preheats. This is completely normal and the result of the temperature control. Clicking may also be heard when the igniter lights the fuel in a gas oven.
- Humming. Low, quiet humming noises are normal for most ovens. Convection ovens use fans to spread the heat around the interior and some use a cooling fan to cool the oven down; both make humming sounds. Even gas ovens use electricity to activate the igniters and dull hums are commonly heard to power these appliances.
- Hissing. Underground pipes bring gas into the home to fuel gas appliances. When gas enters ovens or ranges, it emits a hissing sound as it’s released when you adjust the controls.
Conclusion
Most of us hardly pay attention to the normal sounds that our ovens make because they’re usually fairly quiet while running. So, when they do make unusual noises, we’re quick to notice.
If you happen to hear your oven making abnormally loud sounds or noises you’ve never heard before, have the appliance checked out by a professional. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of tightening a screw or two, but other times, a part may have reached the end of its lifespan and require replacement.
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