How To Fix An Uneven Cooking Oven

Despite your best efforts, an uneven oven can cause your baked goods to come out uneven on top. This is especially noticeable when you bake cakes. There are two main reasons for an oven being out of level. Either the floor is not level, or the leveling legs on the bottom of the stove need to be adjusted. Leveling legs, standard equipment on large appliances like stoves, refrigerators and washing machines, can be adjusted to compensate for a non-level floor.

Step 1

Place a carpenter's level on the stove top to determine which side of the range is the lowest. Recheck to determine if the range is unlevel side-to-side, front-to-back, or both. Pull the range away from the wall. If possible, move other furniture or appliances to gain access to the range. Tip the range forward to access its bottom.

Step 2

Turn the threaded leveling legs clockwise to shorten or counterclockwise to lengthen. Some may be turned by hand. If the leveling legs are difficult to turn, use adjustable pliers to get a better grip. Lengthen the legs on the lowest side of the range by 1/4 inch. Set the range upright.

Step 3

Recheck the range to determine if it is level. Readjust the leveling legs, if necessary, until the range is lelel. The leveling process is a matter of trial-and-error, but your effort will pay off with even-topped, professional-looking baked goods.