Cooktop Repairs Plano TX

Cooktops offer more convenient than your average gas range burners. Aside from having less food burnt on the surface, glass cooktops have also been seen to reduce the incidents of children burning themselves with the surface. However, these appliances can sometimes become difficult to use when it needs repairs which is why it is important to determine when to call an expert. While they last awhile, even electric cooktops may fail. Issues range from burnt out elements to failed receptacles and burners. Even its clocks or timers can, in time, break down.

A cooktop's most common "ailment" is not heating and there is no point in using it if your cooktop is not emitting enough heat to cook your food. Cooktops, or the so-called surface burners, have a heating wire that usually appears in a coil and uses electricity to produce heat. When coil type surface burners do not increase in temperature, it is imperative that the user should check for continuity of electricity. First, remove them from the terminal block. Then test for flow of electricity using a multi-meter. You can also check terminal ends for possible damage or corrosion from heat. Before doing this, it is important that you follow these safety measures to prevent any unfortunate incidents from happening:

1. Unplug or disconnect the appliance from its power source to prevent electrocution. Aside from unplugging the power source, you may also stop the power from flowing at the electrical service panel.
2. Remove the heating element (coil) from its surface and check for burns and damage on the coil. Replace if it is damaged. Terminals that have been subjected to corrosion can be cleaned by using a steel wool.
3. After doing so, test the heating element by attaching it into a working receptacle and turning the burner on. If the coil still does not emit heat, you need a new one.
4. If the coil heated in a different receptacle, you need to test the nonworking heating element.
5. Before testing, make sure to unplug the cooktop from the power source.
6. Trace wires connecting the nonworking heating element to the corresponding terminal on the burner switch.
7. Use a multi-meter to test for continuity of flow. Set it to RX1 or resistance times 1 and attach a probe to one of the terminals on the switches.
8. Remove the receptacle and touch the multi-meter probe to each of the contacts. Only a single contact should show continuity.
9. Do it again for the other switch terminal. In this case, the other receptacle contact should show continuity.

Another common issue on cooktops is a malfunctioning clock or timer. To replace it, you must first disconnect the appliance from its power source. Then open the control panel located in the front part of the cooktop. When you see the wiring and controls, remove the leads and unscrew the defective timer from the panel. After removing it, install the new timer and reattach the leads you removed in the same manner when they were detached from the old timer.