In most conventional ovens, the heating element is located at the bottom. Convection is the natural circulation of heat, where warm air rises, envelops the food, deflects from the oven's ceiling, and recirculates throughout the cavity by means of moving air currents.
The convection mode—more precisely termed forced convection—activates a fan that speeds up the movement of both air and heat. Consequently, food prepared with this setting generally dries out, becomes crisp, and develops a deeper brown colour more quickly than when cooked without it.
Even ovens that are brand new or have recently been recalibrated can still have areas that are hotter or cooler than others. To compensate for this, it is a good practice to rotate most items during cooking. When you are using more than one rack, it is equally important to exchange the positions of the dishes between the upper and lower racks about halfway through the bake or roast cycle, so that all portions receive similar heat exposure and develop an even colour.
Where you place your racks inside the oven has a notable impact on cooking results. The heat source is located at the bottom, which means that food on the lowest racks receives stronger direct heat from below. In contrast, items on higher racks are mainly warmed by heat that reflects off the oven ceiling and lands on the tops of the food. The middle rack offers a balanced condition, providing a moderate mix of both direct and reflected heat.
Using toasted bread slices as a simple indicator, you can chart the actual heat distribution in your broiler. In most models, the hottest zones tend to be the center and the back, while the sides and the front are noticeably cooler. 
A silicone baking mat offers a convenient, reusable option compared to parchment paper, though parchment can also be reused a few times. However, with repeated use, the mat tends to become stained or greasy. Rather than devoting considerable effort to scrubbing and soaking it by hand, you can simply place it in the oven and let the appliance do the cleaning work for you.
Before you even turn on the oven, be certain that the rack is already adjusted to the position specified in your recipe. Most ovens require about 15 minutes to reach the correct temperature. If you shorten or skip this warm‑up period, your dishes will end up staying in the oven for a longer overall time, which can negatively affect their final texture and doneness.
If your kitchen tends to be on the cooler side, you can place a cake pan filled with water inside the oven to create a warm, humid environment ideal for proofing dough. While a dedicated proof box is not a common fixture in most home kitchens—not even among avid sourdough bakers—your oven can function as a perfectly adequate substitute.
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