Does a Electric Stove Need a Back Cover?

Back Panels

• Depending on the model and the manufacturer, an electric kitchen stove might have one or several back panels, each serving an important purpose. A large metal panel encloses the back of the range top and oven area, and other panels might shield electronic controls, power connections, wire harnesses and storage areas. Electric stoves do work without back panels, but operating without them reduces the lifetime of the appliance and puts owners at risk of accidental electric shock. Users will not always know or remember that the stove lacks basic safety features. Anyone reaching behind the appliance could contact unshielded 240-volt power terminals.

Controls

• Electronic circuitry controls many features of a modern electric kitchen stove and requires a stable, clean environment to work properly. Leaving the back off the control console exposes contacts and components to dust and oil vapors as well as steam. Circuits corrode and electrical contacts tarnish if unprotected. Push-buttons on control panels might develop intermittent faults as residues accumulate. Active parts of the circuitry, such as transistors and integrated circuits, can't shed heat efficiently when coated with oily grime. Semiconductors that run at the high end of their operating temperature range fail faster than semiconductors that run cool.

Efficiency

• Leaving the back panel off the oven compartment removes important support for the blanket of insulation that surrounds the oven. If insulation sags and shifts, parts of the oven leak heat and the appliance uses more energy to reach the desired baking temperature. Heat leaking from insulation faults can overheat wiring in other parts of the stove and cause other electrical problems, including fires. Over time, exposed insulation collects oil and moisture and loses some of its insulating potential. With the back off the stove, insects and rodents have better access to attractive parts such as nesting material and chewable electrical wiring.

Missing Parts

• If you purchase a used electric stove without a back panel, contact the manufacturer and order a replacement. Without the stove's model number, finding the part might be impossible. Manufacturers stamp model numbers on permanent parts of appliances or rivet numbered plates to essential parts. Look for the model number on the frame of the stove in the back. Replace back panels with approved parts, since only properly-shaped and vented panels provide the original level of protection. Use approved fasteners, since fasteners longer than necessary can damage oven insulation and wiring when tightened. Any hardware store can match a sample. Do not operate a stove that is missing the back panel.