Oven heating elements are the ones that regulate baking and heating in the oven. If suddenly your oven isn’t heating up quickly, there is a chance that it doesn’t have enough heating elements. But can you replace the element with the heating element of another oven? Yes, you can because the heating elements in an oven are universal and used in all ovens. You are going to know more about this in this article.
Can You Use One Type Of Heating Element In All Ovens?
Most of the time, you can use any type of heating element in your oven. But sometimes it also depends on the model of your oven. For most ovens, you can find two types of heating elements. One is a baking element and the most used one is used. Another is the broiling element which is used for broiling.
The baking element is located at the top of the oven and the broiling element is at the top of the oven. As the baking element is the most used, it probably needs replacement quicker than the broiling element.
You cannot interchange both of these elements but if any of them needs a replacement, you can buy one while giving out the model number of your oven. The heating element will likely fit and you will be able to resume your baking.
Can You Use Some Other Heating Element In Your Oven?
Most of the time, it is possible. You may find that some manufacturers have different styles of heating elements but at the end of the day, they all work the same. But make sure that if you are replacing the baking element, the element replaced has the same accurate size.
But on the other hand, you cannot use the broiling element in place of the baking element. Every heating element should be replaced with the same heating element.
What Things Should You Keep In Mind While Buying A Universal Heating Oven?
Here are some things that you have to tell the seller if you are on your way to buying a universal heating element for the oven. These things are:
Type of Heating Element
Make sure that you know what type of heating element you need. Do you need to change all of the heating elements or just baking, broiling, or grilling?
Model and Manufacturer of Your Oven
Sometimes the size of the heating element can be a bit changed and the universal heating element won’t fit. The heating element also depends on the size of your oven. You should also know what size your oven is.
Watts Used In The Oven
As the heating elements of the oven use electricity, you should know how much energy your oven takes to operate. For example, if you have an oven of 2750 watts, you can still use its heating element in ovens of 2500 watts or 3000 watts.
How You Can Change The Oven Heating Element
Once you get all the required heating elements for your oven, you have to install them in your oven two. For this purpose, you can choose two options. a) Get a mechanic and he will do all the work for you. b) Do it yourself. Changing the oven heating elements by yourself is the cheapest option. So, let’s see how you can change the heating elements in the oven.
Turn Off The Power
Turning the power off of your oven should be at the first of your list when you are about to change the heating elements. The safest option is to switch off the breaker that is connected to your kitchen or oven.
Remove The Screws
The next step is to remove all the screws of the old heating elements of your oven. When the screws are removed, slowly pull the elements away. Beware of all the wires and holes. You have to pull the heating elements from these holes and wires but they shouldn’t get damaged.
Secure The Wires
Firstly check the voltages in the wires. If there is no voltage, gently pick up the wires and attach them to the oven with tape. It is because once the old heating element is removed, the wires can fall back into the holes.
Position The New Heating Element
Now position the new heating element in place of the old heating element. You have to connect the wires to this heating element too so make sure you know which wire goes where. You have to put those wires in the holes after they are attached. Once it is done, screw the elements tightly.
Attach The Wire With The Oven Switch
Once you are all done with the heating element, do not forget to attach the power wires to the switch of the oven. Without it, you won’t be able to make your oven work.
How Can You Find The Best Heating Element For Your Oven?
You can find the heating elements (baking and broiling) at any hardware store or online ones like Amazon etc. One thing you should know about buying the heating elements is the company and model number of your oven. Even though most of the time the heating elements are universal, there can still be a slight difference in them.
Do You Need To Change All Elements In The Oven At Once?
No, you do not need to change elements at once in your oven. If one of the heating elements is not working properly, you should only replace it and let the other elements work as they are.
What Is The Cost Of Changing The Heating Element In the Oven?
Changing the heating elements in the oven is not much costly compared to the whole price of the oven. The price of the element also depends on the model of the oven. Typically, a heating element consists of $300 to $2200. If you cannot install the heating element yourself, you have to pay the installation fee too which is around $25-$50.
What Is The Reason For Replacing the Heating Elements In The Oven?
The main factor is time. If you are using an oven for a long time, there is a probability that you need to change your heating element. A heating element has a time of 15 years on average. Sometimes heating elements can break, rust, roast, or lose their liquid. So if you may find your oven not working properly, check its heating elements. There will surely be a fault in it.
Conclusion:
If you are looking for a heating element in your oven, make sure that the element you are using is universal and can be used in all types of ovens. You have to make sure of a few things while buying an oven heating element. Explain to your seller what you want and they will help you out as much as they can. In this article, we have helped you as much as we could. Hope you now know that heating elements in the oven are indeed universal.
