Fix Old Oven: When to Repair, Replace, or Call a Pro

When you’re trying to fix old oven, a household appliance used for baking and roasting food, often with electric or gas heating elements. Also known as range oven, it’s one of the most used appliances in the kitchen—and one of the hardest to replace without breaking the bank. Many people assume that if an oven is over 10 years old, it’s not worth fixing. But that’s not always true. A worn-out heating element or a faulty thermostat can cost under £100 to fix, while a brand-new oven runs £500 and up. The real question isn’t just age—it’s what’s broken, how much it’ll cost to fix, and whether your oven still heats evenly.

Most oven heating element, the metal coil inside the oven that generates heat when electricity passes through it fails after 10–15 years. You’ll know it’s gone if your oven takes forever to preheat, heats unevenly, or doesn’t get hot at all. A simple visual check—looking for burn marks or breaks in the coil—can tell you if this is the issue. Replacing it yourself is doable with a screwdriver and a multimeter. But if the problem is deeper, like a oven control board, the electronic brain that manages temperature settings, timers, and safety features, the cost jumps. Control boards can cost £150–£300 just for the part, and labor adds another £80–£150. At that point, you’re getting close to the price of a new oven, especially if your unit is 15+ years old.

And then there’s the appliance repair technician, a trained professional who diagnoses and fixes broken household appliances like ovens, fridges, and washing machines. Not all technicians are the same. Some charge high fees just to show up. Others offer flat-rate repairs with parts included. In Taunton, local experts often know which brands are easiest to fix, which parts are still available, and which models are better replaced than repaired. Don’t just pick the cheapest quote—ask if they carry the part in stock, if they guarantee the repair, and how long they’ve been servicing your brand.

Don’t forget the hidden costs of keeping an old oven running. Older models use 30–50% more energy than new ones. That adds up over time. If your oven’s door seal is cracked, or the thermostat drifts by more than 20 degrees, you’re wasting money every time you bake. And if you’re cooking for a family, uneven heat means burnt food or undercooked meals—frustrating, and sometimes unsafe.

So when you’re trying to fix old oven, ask yourself: Is the repair cheaper than half the price of a new one? Is the oven still heating properly after the fix? Will it last another 3–5 years? If the answer is yes to all three, go ahead and repair it. If not, it’s time to think about replacement. The right technician can help you decide—not push you toward a sale.

Below, you’ll find real repair stories from Taunton homeowners—what broke, how much it cost, and whether they wished they’d replaced it instead. No fluff. Just what actually happened.