Community Chat

[BlueFinch]

I have a sales contract on my mom's (now passed) home and just had the inspection. There were only three minor issues I was asked to correct by the buyer. Glad to do it. But...

One was that the new stove (hadn't checked it before myself) requires calibration, with the inspector saying it needs to be 25 degrees hotter.  So, I went to test it myself yesterday. When put on preheat for 350 degrees, it indeed was only 325, when the preheat buzzer went off. 

I've rarely found ovens to preheat to exact temp during the short preheat setting. I researched and full heating takes and electric oven 12-15 minutes, average, some even more. Some even report that if it's fine at 30 minutes leave it alone. Don't recalibrate.

This stove took 20 minutes, which is much like the time my own oven takes to fully heat. The pre-heat buzzer means nothing to me until my thermometer registers set temp.

In 20 minutes time, this new stove was right at 350 and held perfectly steady for a hour, while I kept checking it. 

I know how to calibrate, with fairly simple instructions online, but adding 25 degrees doesn't sound like it would heat the oven faster, but would simply raise the overall oven temp.

Should I really expect this oven to be at full heat the minute the preheat buzzer goes off? Seems that is what the inspector was expecting. Not sure how to accomplish this, or even if possible. 

Any thoughts, or suggestions would be appreciated. I'm heading there to do some work today, so if I get any comments I will check later. Thanks in advance.

Ops, sorry, meant to put this thread under kitchen. 

[PinkyPetunia]

That really sounds like nitpicking by the inspector. I wouldn't  mess with it. It is in good working order.  Tell them what you posted here.  Good luck.

[depglass]

All I can say is you have one picky inspector.  Around here a home passes if you can flush the toilet and the roof doesn't leak.  I have one of these tempermental electric ovens, I don't know what makes the time to pre-heat vary so much.  Anyone?  And who would re-calibrate the thermostat if that's the way you decide to go?

[CoffeeNut]

I would just print out the owners manual and also what you printed here and have your Realtor pass this info along to the buyer.  Tell them it's not wise to calibrate higher. 

By doing so when it comes to steady temp it will be 25 degrees higher than normal and their food will burn quicker.

[ECBG]

You can usually get visual directions on youtube.

You may also need a new thermometer.

[KingstonsMom]

I also disagree with automatically increasing your calibrated temp by 25 degrees, that makes no sense at all, your food would cook too quickly and too hot, risking burning over dried out.

Unless you're contractually bound to do what the home inspector 'suggests', I would do what another poster suggested, provide the new buyers with a copy of the instruction manual and they can take it from there.

I worked in real estate for 15 years and I also have never encountered a 'home inspector' that was this ridiculously nit-picking.

[LindaSal]

Why not just have it checked by an appliance company?   Then if they agree that the oven will get to temp and it's in good working order, then get it in writing from them and present it to the inspector or buyers,  and keep a copy for yourself until all is said and done.  

It will be worth your while to not lose a sale over something so small.   When we sold our home we had a fussy inspector too and you are pretty much held hostage by them in a way.  

[Kachina624]

If its a new stove, it must be under warranty.  I'd have a manufacturer rep come out and adjust it.  You'd have an invoice to show the buyer's realtor.

[Snowpuppy]

Give the buyer $XX of credit in the sales contract as a concession and let them deal with it.

By the time you get an appliance guy out, look at it, order parts, wait on parts, blah blah...you will have saved youself a bundle.

[AuntG]

I would calibrate it so it hit the right temperature after preheating. The new owners can back it off if they choose. That way, you can say you made the three changes requested by the inspector. Gosh, what would that guy find at my house?