31 December 2005

Thermostats

In the past month or so, I've burnt or overcooked roasts, blacked the top of a chicken casserole, charred a pizza. I thought it was the oven's bottom element overheating, burning up. Was hoping that it might mean a new stove to replace the 35-year-old McClary Easy that was the original stove installed in this apartment. No such luck.

I called the building manager who called the appliance service centre who called me to ask what I though the problem was. Then they sent buddy over. He said that bad elements simply don't work, don't heat up. Overheating likely means the thermostat had died. We pulled the stove out and tripped the circuit breaker OFF because the stove is hardwired. Below is the dead thermostat.

dead thermostat from oven
Funny thing is that when I called the building manager I also told her the building's back stairwell radiator was overheating. Thermostat was set at 15 C but the temperature was over 40 C /100 F. I know because I tested the heat with my photo developing thermometer. After the oven was repaired I went down the hall to find that the wall-mounted thermostat had also been replaced.

Funnier still is that under the parent's tree was a digital meat thermometer for me. No batteries though. Need two AAA.

t: long-sleeve burgandy
loc: conCtr
temp: -13 C
sound: The Cars, Greatest Hits

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