Q: Oven doors: Open or shut after use?

My father-in-law says that it is better to leave the door to the electric oven open after its use. (As usual he gives no reason...)

I am thinking that actually it could be bad for the oven to cool down rapidly.

If it matters, we are talking about an older oven here, circa early

1960's.

What do you think experts?

Deguza

Reply to
Kompu Kid
Loading thread data ...

quoting:

It shouldn'r matter. The heat escapes anyway.

Reply to
JM

Hi,

On a hot summers day we leave the door closed. On a cold winters day we open the door and welcome the rush of the added heat.

Should matter either way to the range/oven.

jeff. Appliance Repair Aid

formatting link

Reply to
jeff

In the winter, it helps heat the house. In the summer, leave a window open.

My mother has been doing this for 45 years..Couldn't change her ways and wouldn't want to.

She's had 4 stoves in her life..Three she gave away upon buying a new one. Cleaned every 3 months. I suspect they are still working as good as they were when we had them...Yes, Kenmores.

Reply to
Gene

Correct, fast or slow the same amount of heat has to leave. I like to open it in cold weather to get a noticeable benefit from the heat, close it in summer as the slow cool down isn't really felt as increased heat in the house.

Harry K

Reply to
Harry K

Leave it open in the winter, close it in the summer.

Reply to
Lawrence Wasserman

In the summer, make sure the exhaust fan is on high and leave it open. You will get much of that heat out of there that way.

In the winter turn off the exhaust fan and if you feel like a little extra warmth right now in the kitchen, leave it open and enjoy. Otherwise leave it closed. In either case all the heat will enter the home and contibute to the total heating.

I can not think of any difference it might make to the operation or life of the oven

If you have pets or small children, then keep it closed. Any savings due to leaving it open is not worth the possible accident.

NOTE: open or closed all the heat in the oven is going to go into the room. You only control the amount of time it is going to take.

NOTE2: There would be a slight difference if the oven was on an outside wall, but I suspect the difference is far too small to worry about. Leaving it open will during the winter result in a slightly greater heat loss (a plus for the summer) but again so little that it can be ignored.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan
040907 0241 - JM posted:

I always open my oven to the first notch to let the heat out after using it.

Reply to
indago

Heat is heat and you will get the disadvantage (summer) or benefit (winter) either way. Faster with the door open. Should make no difference in the life of the oven. Ed

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

Never heard of that. Leaving the door open may cause the legs to get banged up. (But it is better to leave the washing machine lid open after its use.)

Reply to
Phisherman

Unless you have a cat that likes to jump up on the washer. :-)

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

I don't think the oven cares one way or another but from a safety perspective it is better closed or left open to the first notch only. Children or animals could easily get burned on it if it is all the way open (and you have either) or if you are clumsy like me you could get hurt on it.

Steve B.

Reply to
Steve B.

For an older stove, it may not make a difference.

Many newer stoves have a lot of electronics. I would think that getting rid of the heat at the fastest possible rate would be best for protecting the electronic controls. On a newer stove I would open the door and keep the exhaust running so it cools down as fast as possible.

Roland

Reply to
Joe Doe

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.