Why is My Oven Making a Clicking Noise?

Why is My Oven Making a Clicking Noise?

Many of us who use ovens have heard a clicking noise as our ovens are cooking. For some people, this has probably happened for years and you have considered it normal.

But have you ever wondered where the noise comes from? If not, you might now be wondering, why is my oven making a clicking noise?

The clicking sound may indicate a problem with the appliance, but not always.

A clicking noise will come from the control relay when it cycles from broil to bake elements in-order to maintain and regulate the oven’s temperature. However, when there is a loose connection, the relays might lose power and repeatedly turn back on, producing a clicking noise.

This should be a cause of concern, especially if the clicking noise becomes too repetitive.

Modern models are wired in a way that the clicking sound is more pronounced.

Although this may not necessarily mean that there is a problem with your device, it’s important to take notice of the fact and take any necessary precautions to ensure that the clicking sound is normal.

Is My Oven Supposed To Make A Clicking Noise?

Every oven doesn’t function the same way. Different types of ovens function under different electronics or mechanics. Most of the popular types of ovens are either electric or gas ovens.

Gas ovens(Amazon Link) rely on igniters to light the burners and the oven itself. On the other hand, an electric oven relies on elements that transfer heat throughout the oven.

This heat transfer depends on the set temperature when starting the oven.

Both ovens can make a clicking sound. However, this may not happen under the same conditions and situations.

There might be different reasons that cause the two categories to make the clicking sound, but other times, the sound will have a common cause.

For instance, a gas oven will have a clicking sound from the igniter as it’s being lit. When the burner is lit, this clicking sound should disappear.

However, if the clicking sound happens randomly or doesn’t stop after the burner or oven is turned off, something might wrong.

Will Moisture Cause A Clicking Sound In My Oven?

Yes. Excess moisture will cause a clicking noise on your oven. For instance, if there is excessive moisture in the oven,your oven might not stop to make the clicking sound.

When moisture travels down the igniter, a repeated clicking noise might be heard.In this case, the oven may produce this clicking noise even after turning it off before it cools down.

Fortunately, this situation is harmless and does not require a technical solution.

To address this situation, you will need to heat the top burner or the oven and then wait for the moisture to evaporate completely.

Alternatively, you can unplug your oven and give it enough time to dry up. This may take several hours and is not recommended if you want to use your oven immediately.

As soon as the moisture evaporates, any clicking noise produced by moisture will evaporate. However, if this does not stop the clicking noise, then there is another cause.

Can A Clicking Noise Be Heard In My Oven When Control Relays Cycle Between Elements?

An oven has both broil and baked elements. The function of the broil setting is to heat the upper element, leaving the bottom in its off position.

On the other hand, the bake setting heats both the lower and the upper element and therefore distributes heat in an even manner.

During the cycling between the two elements, the control relay generates a clicking noise when the oven is used.

During use, elements are turned on and off to regulate and maintain the temperature in the oven. When elements are being turned off and on, they produce a clicking noise.

However, excessive production of this noise may signal a faulty board of another problem.

If I Left My Oven Unused For Long, Will It Produce A Clicking Noise?

Yes. When an oven is left idle for extended periods, it produces more clicking noises when it’s being used.

Since the airlines inside the pipes in the oven may not be clear, there will be a clicking sound as they clear.

If this is the case, turn the ignition on and wait for half a minute. But if the ignition is turned on, turn it off and wait for some time before starting it again.

This should reduce the clicking to the minimum, even as it clears the pipes.

Will A Stuck Ignition Switch Cause A Clicking Noise In My Oven?

Yes. In instances where the ignition switch is stuck, the ignition function is disabled completely. This case calls for an authorized expert to address the problem.

Can The Convection Fan Impeller Cause Noise In My Oven?

Yes. Sometimes the convection fan impeller can make a clicking noise in your oven. Never ignore the clicking noise since there are several causes of such noise.

An oven has rotary blades attached to a fan. The function of the fan is to absorb air that is heated by the heating elements in the oven and distribute it evenly throughout the oven.

This is the mechanism responsible for consistent and even cooking in your oven. Held at the center by a screw, the impeller can become loose and produce a loud vibrating noise.

You can check if this is causing noise in your oven by accessing it from the oven’s back wall.To access it, loosen bolts that hold the back wall in place.

On the other hand, the convection fan mechanism may be faulty and cause noise in your oven.

As the convectional fan in an oven circulates heated air in the oven by rotation, its spindle or bearings might become damaged. This could cause a considerable amount of noise in your oven.

To establish if your oven’s noise emanates from the convection fan, ensure your oven is not powered by disconnecting it from electricity.

Proceed to disconnect the fan connectors, insulating them with electrical tape. After this, turn your oven on and listen.

Peradventure there is no noise more noise, you will need to replace your fan.

Can A Faulty Cooling Fan Cause Noise In My Oven?

An oven’s cooling fan can be found at the top interior of your oven. With time, much noise can come from such fans. The application of grease will certainly reduce the noise or stop it altogether.

The application of grease on a cooling fan’s spindle has been known to work well in ovens. If there is no change in such noise, it means that there is a need to replace your cooling fan.

However,if your fan is persistently noisy and you have got no idea what to do before you think of replacing it.

You will be better off consulting a professional oven repair engineer for the sake of confirming that there is a need for a replacement.

When checking the fan, the professional technician removes the oven’s inner panel to check if the motor is stiff. Mostly, they recommend a replacement if the fan is rigid.

Can A Mechanical Timer Cause Noise In An Oven?

Yes. When a mechanical timer is broken, it will definitely cause noise in an oven.

But before I explain how a mechanical timer might cause noise in your oven, let me start by explaining what a mechanical timer is.

Modern ovens come equipped with a small motor and cogs.

This is the mechanical timer that can wear out with usage because there is much heat and fat in the oven that works against its components.

This results in chirping and whirring sounds in starts and fits. Should this be the case in your oven, there is no other way to go but to replace your mechanical timer.

Although cleaning and cleaning, and lubrication can salvage some malfunctions of the mechanical timer system, this level of breakdown only calls for a replacement.

Can A Loose Metal Body Panel Cause Noise In My Oven?

Yes. Since the interior body and interior of your oven are made of metal panels, if any get loose, there will be a sympathetic noise in your oven.

These metal panels are fixed by either screws or bolts and may get loose with time due to the vibration in the oven.

If you regularly check the bolts and screws to ensure they are tight and stay in place, you will have eliminated the possibility of the panels ever making noise.

The application of some thin strips of rubber tape at the external panels’ edges before tightening is recommended.

Only ensure that rubber tape is never applied to flammable materials in the oven.

Will The Door Lock Safety Or The Oven Main Circuit Cause Noise In The Oven?

Yes. A faulty door safety lock and main circuit board will cause noise in your oven. During self-cleaning, your oven door is kept securely closed by the door safety lock.

Some modern door safety locks come fitted with a small coil. If the PCB (circuit board) or door lock is faulty, the coil may produce strong vibrations. This can only be solved by a replacement.

Will Food Debris Cause Clicking In My Oven?

Yes, But not on all ovens. On the part of gas ovens, food debris is a major cause of clicking noises.When food debris gets stuck in the ignition system, clicking noises are common.

Most of this slicking will happen when the igniter is turned off and may therefore be confused with the presence of moisture which also causes the noise when the oven is turned off.

The system is thrown off by the food lodged in the ignitor. This can only be rectified when the dirt is cleaned.

To clean the ignitor, start by unplugging your oven’s power source before cleaning the cooktop ignitor.

After you turn off your power source, the burner cap can be removed with a small brush or a toothbrush used to dislodge the food debris.

Ensure that you clean around the burner comprehensively and thoroughly.

Since oils might not be removed this easily,you will need to use some alcohol on a cotton swab to ensure all the leftovers are cleared.

Can I Repair My Oven?

Electric and gas ranges and ovens operate in a fairly simple way. In addition to operating fairly simply, it’s easy to repair these appliances since the components are easy to disassemble.

With regard to gas ranges, most of their malfunctions involve the ignition of gas and its supply on the burners and in the oven.

On the other hand, most malfunctions affecting electric ranges revolve around faulty heating elements.

Therefore, to avoid such malfunctions, it is advisable to ensure regular maintenance to prevent more significant and more expensive problems.

Before you do any work on either an electric or a gas range oven, it is important to ensure that it is unplugged to avoid accidents.

When handling a gas oven, ensure that the gas supply valve has shut the gas supply.

If you are handling an electric oven, unplug it and ensure that the earthling is also disconnected.

Alternatively, you can use the tripping function in the circuit breaker, but you will still need to disconnect the earthling system in the oven. 

After you do this, it will be time to open your oven using appropriate screwdrivers and identify the faulty area.

Once you identify the faulty area, remove the part that needs to be replaced and replace it with another one.

Ensure that you install the new one the way the old one was installed. Do not swap the connectors.

Conclusion

The importance of servicing appliances can hardly be overemphasized. Servicing your appliance should be in tandem with the manufacturer’s recommendation.

In this endeavor, you will find the product manual to be of immense use.

Although your oven might be performing optimally, there is still a need to have it service regularly to ensure the longevity of your device.