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Ovens generate a lot of heat, so it’s normal for the appliance to get very hot. But should the oven be hot on the outside, particularly at its control panel?
The oven control panel will get a little hot when using the appliance. That’s because the heat inside the compartment will flow to the oven’s frame, including the control panel. However, an overheating control panel is likely due to an oven door that isn’t fully closed, a worn-out door seal, or damaged hinges that prevent the door from shutting firmly.
In this guide, we’ll dive deeper into all the reasons your oven control panel gets hot. Some reasons are normal and harmless, while others signify a problem. Let’s see which is which.
Safety Precautions
First of all, you should take some safety precautions when troubleshooting an oven that’s hotter than you think it should be. So, always err on the side of caution.
Start by disconnecting your oven from its power source or shutting off its circuit breaker.
Then, put on something to protect your hands, like oven mitts or something similar. That is to prevent any burns on your fingers and hands if you accidentally touch a part of your oven that’s too hot.
Taking safety precautions like these will help you troubleshoot your oven safely and with confidence.
5 Reasons Your Oven Control Panel Gets Hot
There are a handful of reasons why your oven control panel gets hot. Some reasons are harmless, while others are tell-tale signs that there’s a problem that requires attention.
Here are the 5 reasons why your oven control panel gets hot.
#1 Side-Effect Of Regular Use
First and foremost, you must understand that it’s entirely normal for your oven control panel to feel warm or even a little hot while you use it.
Remember: your oven has one or more heating elements inside that generate lots of heat. So even though the compartment traps all of that heat, a lot of it can still transfer to other oven parts..
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On top of that, your oven consists of several materials that conduct heat, like:
- The oven’s glass window.
- The metal exterior and handles.
- The rubber or plastic knobs and buttons on the control panel.
Each of these materials will conduct at least some of that heat, making them warm to the touch. So, as long the control panel isn’t too hot to touch, that means your oven is operating normally.
#2 Because Of The Oven’s Design
Another reason your oven control panel feels a little hot is because of its design. Some manufacturers design their ovens to have vents close to the appliance’s front.
As hot air flows out of those vents, it will reach the front of the oven. That will cause that part of the oven to heat up whenever you use the oven.
You can inspect your oven or refer to the user manual to locate and identify its vents. If you find them anywhere near the control panel, that’s likely the reason why it gets warm.
#3 Oven Door Not Closed Properly
The two points above are normal and harmless reasons why your oven control panel gets hot. However, user error can also cause excess heat to flow to the control panel and cause it to overheat.
Sometimes, users will open and close the oven door several times throughout the cooking process. As that happens, the door might accidentally be left slightly open.
Unfortunately, plenty of scorching air can flow out of the oven through even the smallest gap in the door. Since oven doors typically open downward, that means the hot air will flow up and directly to the control panel.
As a result, the control panel will become very hot to the touch and possibly even melt the plastic overlay attached.
#4 Worn Out Door Seal
Of course, the oven control panel can also overheat because of faulty parts instead of human error. The first part that might fail is the door seal that wears out.
What it is: Oven doors have a rubber seal around their perimeter. When you shut the door, the seal ensures that the oven is airtight so that none of the heat inside can escape.
How it fails: Unfortunately, oven seals can get worn out, especially if you’ve been using the appliance for many years. A worn-out oven seal can be warped, torn, or ripped.
The oven seal will fail to keep the appliance airtight when any of that happens. So, lots of hot air will escape the oven and flow to the control panel, causing it to overheat.
How to fix it: The solution to this problem is to replace the door seal with a new one. That is a straightforward repair to do, but you must first shut the oven off and let it cool down.
Once the oven is cool, you can pull the existing door seal out and insert the new one. When you do that, the oven will become airtight again, and none of the hot air will escape to the control panel.
#5 Damaged Door Hinges
Besides worn-out door seals, damaged door hinges can also lead to your oven control panel getting hot.
What it is: Oven door hinges allow you to open and close your oven door without a problem. More importantly, they also ensure that the door aligns perfectly with the oven.
When the oven door hinges (and the door seals) are all in good working order, they’ll ensure that the door forms an air-tight seal to trap heat inside the oven compartment.
How it fails: Door hinges can get bent or broken, especially if you handle the oven door roughly. That will cause the oven door to get out of alignment and fail to close correctly.
How to fix it: The good news is that you can replace damaged oven door hinges with new ones. Unfortunately, the process can take quite some time and effort.
Firstly, you must remove the entire oven door along with its hinges. Then, you can replace them with new ones and reattach the door to the oven frame.
Of course, shut the oven off and give it time to cool down before you perform any troubleshooting or repair, including replacing the door hinges.
Read: How To Clean An Oven Quickly
Hot Oven Control Panel – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some other frequently asked questions (FAQs) you might have surrounding your hot oven control panel.
Are Oven Knobs Supposed To Be Hot?
Yes, if your oven has knobs, it will also get a little hot. That’s because the oven’s heat will flow through its frame, with some of it reaching the knobs.
Your oven knobs will feel warm, but they should still be warm enough to use comfortably. If the knobs are too hot for you to hold with your hands, that means your oven is overheating.
Read: Why Electric Oven Gets Too Hot?
Should The Outside Of The Oven Be Hot?
Yes, it’s normal for the oven to be hot on the exterior. Some parts are safe to touch while hot, like the door handle and control panel. However, the metal frame and glass window are unsafe to touch and could result in burns.
Do You Have To Leave Oven Open To Cool Down?
No, it’s unnecessary to leave the oven door open to cool down. Given enough time, the oven will cool down by itself. However, you can open the door if you need the oven to cool down faster.
Read: 3 Reasons Why Oven Popped And Tripped Breaker
How Long Does It Take For An Oven’s Exterior To Cool Down?
An oven will need about 45 minutes to cool down thoroughly. The appliance might need more time depending on how hot it was while using the oven.
Why Is My Oven Hot When It’s Off?
If your oven is still hot even after you turn it off for 45 minutes, there’s likely a problem with one of its components, like the main control board or the heating element. You will need to troubleshoot the oven thoroughly or get a qualified technician to do it for you.
