You are ready to prepare your favourite meal in the oven but the door won’t close properly? Or do you want to clean your cooking appliance in-depth but the door keeps getting in your way? We know how frustrating this can be! But don’t worry, an oven door can be easily removed, disassembled to its parts and repaired, or fully replaced. Depending on the oven model you have, the steps may slightly differ, but the main is always the same.
So, if you:
Then, keep reading because this article is just for you! Here, you will find the signs that your oven door needs repair, as well as a step-by-step guide on how to remove and re-install an oven door.
In most cases, homeowners resort to removing the oven door when either they’ve decided to deep clean the oven, the door glass is cracked or the door fails to close properly.
Several reasons can lead to improper closing of the oven door. From a faulty hinge to a worn-out seal, the result is always the same – heat escaping through the gaps and an unevenly cooked meal.
Now, let’s have a look at some common reasons behind an oven door replacement in more detail.
A damaged oven door hinge is one of the most common reasons why an oven door won’t close firmly. Hinges can come off their slots if the door is pulled rather forcefully, loosen or break with time and frequent use, or get stuck with grease and food debris.
You will be able to tell the issue is coming from the hinges when you see your door hanging slightly to one side or you inspect the hinges up close and notice that they don’t move smoothly. Luckily, repairing an oven door hinge is a simple task!
Oven seals, also known as gaskets, are designed to withstand extreme heat, but they are still prone to wear and tear. With everyday use, gaskets can wear out or even break.
To see if that is the case with your oven door seal, simply run your hand along the lengths of the door frame from a short distance, while the cooking appliance is turned on. Just be careful to not get burned! If you can feel a stream of hot air, then the oven door seal has loosened and come off.
Whether your oven door glass has not withstood the test of time or you have accidentally bumped into it, addressing cracks in the oven door is something that shouldn’t be put off for long because it can only get worse.
Whatever the reason, even if the crack is a particularly small one and barely visible, a damaged oven door glass may pose a health hazard when exposed to very high temperatures, corrupt the cooking process, or drastically reduce the energy efficiency.
As a general rule of thumb, ovens should be cleaned in-depth every 6 months. Although an oven door can be cleaned without actually being removed, to make it easier for you and to achieve better results, we recommend disassembling the door, if the model allows it, of course. That way, you will be able to reach the internal parts of the cooking appliance better and clean the oven door both inside and out.
Resort to the help of experienced cleaners now and save time!
Removing an oven door does not require a great deal of effort. The approach may vary from model to model, but in most cases, ovens operate in a very similar way. If you own one of the newer oven models, the door will probably be attached to the main body with the help of a locking mechanism using latches. However, the older models usually come without latches.
To help you handle the task smoothly, below we’ve put together the most important information on how to remove an oven door with and without hinges in two simple step-by-step guides.
Before diving into work, however, make sure your cooking appliance is turned off and cool. Wipe the door with a clean cloth and some detergent to remove the main dirt and grease. Also, you may want to prepare a pair of safety gloves, a soft towel to put the door on once it’s removed, as well as a flat screwdriver and a Phillips one.
As we have already established, not all ovens are built the same. If your oven door comes with latches or screws, you will be able to tell by looking at the hinges’ locking mechanism, when the door is in an open position.
If that is your case, check the steps below on how to remove an oven door with hinge latches and screws:
Step 1. Open the oven door fully so that it is parallel to the floor. This will help expose the metal latches and give you better access.
Step 2. Once you have located the latches at both sides of the door, flip them open, using either a flat screwdriver or your fingers. If instead of latches, you see one or two screws at each hinge, use a screwdriver or nut driver to unscrew the door hinges from the oven frame.
Step 3. Start closing the door and stop when it is only a quarter ajar. For some models, you will need to stop when it’s ⅓ of the way open.
Step 4. To detach the door, grab both sides evenly, then gently pull the door up and away. The door hinges should easily slide out from the oven’s frame.
If you’ve inspected your oven and you haven’t found latches, don’t think that your oven door has been less secured or that it will be more difficult to remove it. In fact, it may even prove easier!
Here are the steps to follow on how to remove an oven door without hinge latches:
Step 1. Open the oven door, so it’s partially ajar, approximately a quarter of the way down. Most doors can stay still at this position.
Step 2. Move your hands to grab the door at both sides. Keep a firm grasp of the door because it can be heavy.
Step 3. Remove the door from the main body of the oven by lifting it gently away. The hinges should slide free easily and quickly. Once the door has been disassembled, place it on a flat, safe surface.
Whether you are returning an old oven door back in its place or you are fitting a brand new one, you will see that the steps are just the same. The only part that may be a bit frustrating is when you try to align the hinges to the dedicated slots and fit them perfectly in their place. Just arm yourself with some patience.
Alright then, here come the steps on how to put an oven door back on:
Step 1. Grabbing the oven door by the sides, align it with the oven’s slots. This means that you will need to hold the door at the same angle it was when you removed it. Make sure you are holding it firmly.
Step 2. Slide the two hinge tongues into the oven’s slots simultaneously and push as far as possible until you can feel that the hinges have set in the slots perfectly.
Step 3. Push the door corners slightly down, then open the door fully. If the hinges were fit correctly, the door should come down without difficulty. If the door looks uneven or opens only partially, slide it out and try fitting it again.
Step 4. Lock the hinge latches, if your door has them, or place the screws back in. Finally, close the door and see if it looks even and moves up and down seamlessly.
As you have already seen, re-installing an oven door is just as easy as removing it. However, if you don’t feel up to the job, again you can consider requesting a professional oven repair service.
Need extra help with your oven? Contact us for a quick and smooth oven door repair!
Disclaimer: We are a commercial home maintenance service provider. Our purpose with this blog is to provide valuable and accurate content for solely informational purposes. We strongly advise our readers to consider all the risks and health concerns before taking a DIY project. We also highly recommend you get fully informed about the laws and regulations regarding electrical, plumbing, appliance repair and other work in the different states of Australia.
Have you ever had to re-install your oven door? Did you use any tricks you would like to share with us? Feel free to put them in the comments below!
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