Using oven after winter

[bpizza]

Hi, we live in the Northeast and haven't used our oven since October. My husband started a fire last week to dry it out and made pizzas Sunday but said the oven wouldn't get hot enough. I'm wondering if there is anything we need to do to prepare to use our oven again after the long winter? And is there anything we need to do in the fall once we close it up for winter? Thanks so much!

[UtahBeehiver]

It may take several fires to dry out the floor insulation if it got wet. Is the oven out in the open or under cover or enclosed? Wet insulation is one of the more common problems with ovens out in the open.

[fox]

My own oven is well painted and covered with a plastic cover over winter but I still have to dry it out over several weeks before it is back to max performance.

I think the problem is the refactory material are very porous and love to suck up moister from the atmosphere.
Next winter I will be putting more effort into sealing up the whole thing!