Property Manager’s Corner: Sensi temp coil elements 

Ottawa Community Housing has been installing new stoves in some homes with “sensi temp coil elements.” 

The elements sense the cooking temperature on your stove to keep it at a safe range. This reduces the risk of cooktop oil and grease fires.  

Each element has a silver medallion in the middle. This button must contact the bottom of the cookware for the coil to work properly. Power to the surface unit will be interrupted when the sensi-temp coil detects an unsafe temperature. 

How does it work?  

The element will then begin cycling power off and on to maintain a safe cooking temperature. It may take seconds to minutes for the temperature to cool. It depends on the cookware and the food being heated.  

What works best? 

• Pots and pans with a flat surface on the entire bottom of the cookware work best because they make solid contact with the coil and improve the elements performance.  
• Match the bottom of the cookware to the size of the coil.  
• Ensure the cookware is evenly weighted. 

• If the cookware is too light or the food is not evenly distributed the sensor might not be working properly. 
• If the food is light, use heavier cookware and reduce power to the element.  

How can I tell if the cookware is flat? 

With a ruler pressed against the bottom of your pot or pan, try to pass a nickel underneath. If it can go under the ruler – then the cookware is not flat.