Oven and Stove Repair in Cape Town

Cape Town kitchens

Cape Town's kitchens range from compact apartment kitchens in Sea Point and Green Point, to older family kitchens in Rondebosch and Plumstead, to large open-plan kitchens with built-in ovens and induction hobs in Constantia, Durbanville and the Winelands estates. We repair freestanding stoves, built-in under-counter and eye-level ovens, ceramic hobs, induction hobs and solid-plate hobs.

Faults we fix most

Oven not heating

A burned-out bake, grill or fan element, a faulty thermostat or selector switch, or a clock that needs setting after a power cut. Many ovens will not heat until the clock is set.

Plates or hob zones not working

Failed elements, faulty simmerstats or switches, or touch control and power board faults on induction hobs.

Plate only works on high

Almost always a faulty simmerstat.

Tripping the earth leakage

Moisture in an element, a damaged element, or burned connections. In damp Cape Town winters, elements in homes that have been closed up can absorb moisture and trip the power when first heated.

Uneven cooking or burning

A drifting thermostat or failed fan motor.

Burning smell or scorch marks

Overheating connections at the terminal block or element terminals. Switch off at the isolator and call us.

Sea air and stove connections

In sea-facing kitchens along the Atlantic Seaboard, Blouberg and False Bay coasts, salt air drifts in through open windows and doors and settles on the connections behind the stove. Corroded connections overheat. If a plate works intermittently or you smell burning near the controls, have the connections checked.

Built-in ovens and induction hobs

Built-in ovens and hobs need careful removal from cabinetry and stone worktops. We protect your kitchen and refit units securely. For induction hobs, many apparent faults are pan-related: test the base of the pan with a magnet. If it does not stick firmly, the pan will not work on induction.

Winter cooking

Cape Town winters bring more baking, roasts and long, slow cooking. Weak elements and drifting thermostats show up then. If your oven has started burning the bottom of bakes or taking much longer, have it tested before winter.

Safety first

Ovens and stoves are high-power appliances wired to a dedicated circuit. We isolate the appliance before working, check connections for heat damage and test elements and wiring. If we find a problem with the household wiring or isolator, we recommend a registered electrician for that part. We work on electric appliances only; gas appliances should be handled by a registered gas practitioner.

Protecting your oven from surges

Ovens and hobs are hard-wired, so plug-in surge protectors do not fit. Surge protection at the distribution board, installed by an electrician, protects them. Switching off at the isolator during outages also helps.