I understand that both the bottom AND top burners should be used for baking, but it seems like our Frigidaire gas range (FGGF3054MWE) uses only the bottom burner for baking. It has a top burner, but it seems like it uses that only for broiling. Is this normal for a decent oven? Should the top burner be coming on when we use the "bake" setting? Are we going to need to buy a new oven for baking?
Your home oven is operating properly. I don’t know who told you that both heating elements were supposed to be on when you bake. But that is incorrect.
The top heating element is for broiling only. That’s the standard for all home ovens.
The heating element in the oven floor is for baking and roasting.
You need to understand the basics of thermodynamics.
There is MATTER, which is has mass and occupies volume. Air is matter.
There is ENERGY, which has no measurable mass. Heat, light, and sound are all energy.
Since heat is energy it cannot rise.
The way an oven works, is the heating element heats the air around the element.
Air is matter. When the temperature of the air increases, it rises. As it rises, it displaces the cold air at the top of the oven chamber, forcing the cold air down. Over a period of time all of the cold air in the oven chamber is replaced by hot air in this way.
This is the process of preheating your oven before you bake.
Commercial ovens operate differently because of the large volume of product and multiple racks.
Commercial ovens have fans, revolving racks, steamers, vents, and other features that you don’t find on home ovens.
