Range cooker servicing: Aga, Rayburn and more
Oil and gas fired range cookers kept clean, safe and hot
A range cooker that's left too long between services starts to tell you. Hotplates take longer to come up, the ovens run cool, there's a smell of oil or a sooty mark round the flue. We service and repair oil-fired range cookers through our OFTEC registered engineers and gas-fired ones through our Gas Safe registered engineers, including Rayburns that run the central heating and hot water as well as the cooking.
Which range cookers we look after
Most of what we see in the South West falls into a few groups: traditional oil-fired Agas, oil and gas Rayburns (many of them heating the house too), and similar oil or gas fired range cookers from other makers. Oil-fired models are often found in farmhouses and rural cottages with no mains gas, while gas-fired ones turn up everywhere from town houses to holiday lets.
Got an electric model? Those don't need combustion servicing in the same way, so give us a call and we'll point you in the right direction.
What a range cooker service includes
For oil-fired cookers, the burner is the heart of the job. Sludge and carbon build up, and the flue ways soot over, so we strip it down properly. Gas-fired models get a full combustion and safety check.
Typical work on a service:
- Burner cleaned and adjusted, with wick or nozzle replaced where fitted
- Flue ways and flue checked and cleared of soot
- Combustion checked and set for clean running
- Oil filter and supply checked, or gas pressures and safety devices tested
- Thermostat and temperatures checked against the cooker's settings
- Door seals, insulation and hotplate lids looked over
- Boiler side checked on heating models
How often?
It depends on the make, model and fuel. AGA says Rayburn service intervals vary by model, typically once or twice a year. Your manual sets the interval, and we'll tell you what we'd recommend once we've seen it.
One thing worth knowing: AGA's own guidance is that its cookers should be serviced by its appointed service company or an AGA Registered Engineer. If your cooker is still under an AGA warranty or service plan, check those terms before booking anyone, us included.
Repairs and common faults
Cookers running cool, burners that won't stay lit, smoke or a smell of oil on start-up, and soot round the hotplates are the calls we get most. On heating Rayburns, a fault can leave you without radiators or hot water too, so we treat those as heating breakdowns.
Range cookers are combustion appliances, so a carbon monoxide alarm in the kitchen makes good sense. For a separate oil boiler, see our oil boiler servicing page.
What is included
- Burner or gas burner strip-down and clean
- Flue and flue ways checked and cleared
- Combustion check and adjustment
- Fuel supply and safety device checks
- Thermostat and oven temperature check
- Written service record
Range cooker servicing FAQs
Do you service oil-fired Agas?
Yes, through our OFTEC registered engineers. If your Aga is under an AGA warranty or plan, check whether it needs an AGA Registered Engineer to keep that cover before you book.
My Rayburn runs the central heating. Is that a boiler service too?
In effect, yes. A heating Rayburn has a boiler built in, so we check the heating side as well as the cooking side. One visit covers both.
Why is my range cooker running cool?
Often a sooted-up burner or flue, a blocked oil filter, or a thermostat that's drifted. Sometimes it's just set too low after someone fiddled with it. A service usually sorts it, and we'll tell you if a part needs replacing.
Should I turn my range cooker off before you arrive?
Yes, for oil and gas models we need it cool to work on the burner. Range cookers take hours to cool down, so switching it off the night before is usually best. We'll confirm when we book.
Get a fixed price for your home
Tell us about the job and we will arrange a free survey.