Check the painted stove bodywork finish

Most modern stoves are finished in high-temperature stove paint rather than enamel, and that finish is easy to refresh. Over years of heating cycles the paint dulls, and you'll often see faded patches or light surface rust starting to show through, particularly on the top where it runs hottest.

Surface rust is cosmetic and easily dealt with. Wait for the stove to be stone cold, brush the affected area back with a wire brush or fine emery to remove loose rust and flaking paint, then wipe it down. Mask off the glass, handles, and any trim, and apply stove paint in thin coats. It comes in aerosol or brush-on, matt black being the standard.

The first couple of fires after repainting will smell and possibly smoke a little as the paint cures. This is normal. Open the windows, run it at low heat for the first hour, then build up. Once cured, the finish is tough and heat-resistant. Don't use ordinary household paint on a stove under any circumstances. It will smoke, smell, and eventually burn off.