# Why do ovens have vents?



## 243Savage (Aug 8, 2009)

I just noticed I can peer through the rear burner on my kitchen oven and see through the vent into the actual oven itself. What's the point of that?  For airflow?  It seems like a waste of energy trying to bake something and it's just letting heat out.


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## contender* (Aug 8, 2009)

I think it has something to do with keeping the temp consistent in the oven????


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## boneboy96 (Aug 8, 2009)

if it's an older stove/oven, perhaps it's to let gas vent out in case the pilot light went out for whatever reason.  But I'm talking old...10+ years


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## 243Savage (Aug 8, 2009)

boneboy96 said:


> if it's an older stove/oven, perhaps it's to let gas vent out in case the pilot light went out for whatever reason.  But I'm talking old...10+ years



This is an electric, about 2 years old.  Contender might be correct about it helping to maintain a consistent temperature, although I don't see why the thermostat/burner wouldn't adjust for that.


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## redneckcamo (Aug 8, 2009)

the  excess heat has too have an outlet while the thermostat constantly adjusts itself too  hover at the desired setting .....


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## Twenty five ought six (Aug 8, 2009)

243Savage said:


> This is an electric, about 2 years old.  Contender might be correct about it helping to maintain a consistent temperature, although I don't see why the thermostat/burner wouldn't adjust for that.



You will develop hot spots in an oven under the best of circumstances.  A thermostat only detects the heat where it is located.  Just like a house, the thermostat in the front room doesn't mean the bathroom is heated.

The vents create convection currents to induce even temps, which is what baking is all about.  

Even so, most recipes for long baking recommend either turning the pan, or moving the pans if more than one is involved, about half way through the cooking period.


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## sparky (Aug 9, 2009)

*oven vent*

cooking will remove moisture from the food ,the vent allows the moisture to escape


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## germag (Aug 9, 2009)

I always thought that vent was to allow smoke and steam to escape so that you wouldn't get a buildup inside the oven. 

I wouldn't have figured it would have anything to do with regulating temperature or convection currents.


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## clown714 (Aug 9, 2009)

convection.

clown


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## Holton (Aug 9, 2009)

Got to be able to smell all that good cooking going on.


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## Bill Mc (Aug 9, 2009)

If I put something over the vent while my wife is baking something, I get "chastized."


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## contender* (Aug 9, 2009)

Bill Mc said:


> If I put something over the vent while my wife is baking something, I get "chastized."



True dat!!! Also get chewed pretty good if I open the oven to see what kinda cake it is...


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## crackerdave (Aug 9, 2009)

germag said:


> I always thought that vent was to allow smoke and steam to escape so that you wouldn't get a buildup inside the oven.
> 
> I wouldn't have figured it would have anything to do with regulating temperature or convection currents.



Same here.


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## JustUs4All (Aug 10, 2009)

I believe that all the reasons given above are valid and that the answer is a combination of all of them.  
We have a 1935 commercial gas range with lots of cast iron parts to hold and distribute heat including a 1/2 inch iron plate in the floor of each oven over the burner.  The ovens are vented to an actual stove pipe connection on the back.  They stay open while the oven burners are on.  When you turn the burners off a damper closes the vents so that the heat is held in  and the food will continue to cook.  It came with a cookbook for timing when to turn the gas off to the burners so that the retained heat would complete the cooking process.


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## crackerdave (Aug 10, 2009)

JustUs4All said:


> I believe that all the reasons given above are valid and that the answer is a combination of all of them.
> We have a 1935 commercial gas range with lots of cast iron parts to hold and distribute heat including a 1/2 inch iron plate in the floor of each oven over the burner.  The ovens are vented to an actual stove pipe connection on the back.  They stay open while the oven burners are on.  When you turn the burners off a damper closes the vents so that the heat is held in  and the food will continue to cook.  It came with a cookbook for timing when to turn the gas off to the burners so that the retained heat would complete the cooking process.



Now _that's_ cool!


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