Why is My Oven Blowing Air Out | Top 2 Reasons
Almost every oven blows air out more or less because of the vent at its top. Blowing hot air is normal, whereas blowing cold air is not. Generally, the oven blows hot air to circulate the heat evenly throughout the inner compartment.
On the other hand, if the oven is blowing cold air, it probably has a faulty heating element. In that case, you’ll have to repair the affected component. That said, hot air blow can also be a matter of concern, especially if it’s too hot to be usual.
Why is My Oven Blowing Cold Air Out
Generally, an oven is not supposed to blow out cold air. But, if it does so, you have to fix up the problem. Otherwise, this cold air can ruin your cooked meal.
Two things are the main culprit behind popping cool air out and causing an annoying situation. The first one is when you accidentally set to blow cool air. And the second, as well as the most common reason, is a faulty heating element.
Cooling Fan Settings
Some ovens offer you a wide variety of features and controls. Though a not-so-regular oven feature, some units come with a setting to activate the cooling fan. You may wonder why an oven has this kind of function. Well, this feature is there so that you have an option to cool down an extremely hot meal before serving it in a hurry.
Faulty Oven Fan Elements
If your chosen setting is perfectly alright for cooking, but the oven still blows cool air out, perhaps the fan is not working. But if the thermostat light is on, it might be the elements surrounding the fan that got damaged.
Unplug the appliance and remove the back panel inside the oven to check whether your fan or heating element is flawed. Make sure not to do such things without having expertise or at least some level of experience. If the heating element appears burnt in some places during the inspection, replace that part.
Sometimes, there may not be visible damage on the outside. In that case, you better get some expert help. In addition, as it is a costly procedure to deflect the elements, be sure which part got damaged before deciding to replace it.
Why is There a Vent in My Oven
Air circulation is a vital part of proper cooking. Usually, the oven cavity at the base of the door is not airtight, blocking room air through it. Such a setup helps dissipate hot air inside the oven. When the oven element starts to heat up, it raises the temperature of that particular area.
A small vent at the top of the oven cavity helps circulate hot air to each corner. This vent, however, allows a small amount of hot air to escape into the room. In return, this allows more air to enter the oven cavity. And this continual cycle of releasing and entering hot air helps the oven heat equally from bottom to up.
So, it is clear that you can cook perfectly when your oven comes with a vent that helps to circulate the air inside your oven.
Are Ovens Supposed to Vent Heat
Generally, the vent at the top of the oven comes in handy to achieve an even temperature. When the heating element heats up, it increases the temperature of a particular area. So, a small amount of hot air exhausts through the vent while allowing a large amount of air to circulate heat evenly.
So, this vent is not for dissipating heat from inside to outside. Instead, it allows a small amount of hot air to escape for equal heat throughout the oven.
Why Does My Gas Oven Keep Blowing Out
If your oven pushes out hot air through the vent above the range and below the controls, it is probably for the exhaust. The oven burner is generally on the bottom of the oven. So, when you turn the oven on, hot gasses from the flame first heat the bottom. And after that, it dissipates from bottom to up.
At first, set the oven to a low temperature and pull the bottom access panel open to see the flames on the burner. When it reaches a low temperature while the thermostat throttles the flames down, your oven may still blow hot air slightly through the vent, meaning not all gas ovens require such vents. Nevertheless, check your owner’s manual to see what the manufacturer says about your model.
Frequently Asked Question
Why is air blowing out of the top of the oven door?
No matter how weird it sounds, blowing hot air is a normal function of your oven. The cooling fan inside blows a little amount of hot air through the vent at the top of your oven door. This function keeps the control panel cool to the touch and prevents the dish from burning. Besides, it helps the oven heat up evenly from top to bottom.
What happens if your oven is not vented?
If your oven does not have vents, it might fail to heat harmoniously. It can burn out your dish also. Though a vent is necessary for almost every oven to circulate the heat evenly, some units do not require it. And surprisingly, their performance does not get affected by that either.
Final Thoughts
It is normal if your oven blows hot air out slightly through the oven vent. When hot air blows away, it also allows cool air to enter from the outside. This procedure lets you cook properly as the heat circulates equally throughout the oven. But if your oven blows cold air, inspect the heating element and replace it if necessary.
