Oven Not Heating? What to Check on Electric and Gas Ovens

An oven makes heat in one of two ways. An electric oven passes current through metal elements, one on the floor of the oven for baking and one at the top for broiling. A gas oven uses an igniter to light a burner under the oven floor. Either way, a control board decides when the heat comes on, and several ordinary settings tell it not to.

That is why the settings come first. They cost nothing to check, and they explain many ovens that light up, beep and stay cold.

Settings that stop an oven from heating

1. Demo mode.Safe check

   In demo mode the display works but the oven does not heat. Whirlpool says the control may show a short presentation of the range's features. It can be switched on by accident or left on from the store. The steps to turn it off are in the owner's manual.

2. Control lock.Safe check

   Look for Control Lock or a padlock symbol on the panel. On Whirlpool ranges it is typically cleared by holding the button for 3 seconds.

3. Delay start.Safe check

   If a delayed start is set, the oven waits for the start time. Cancel and start a normal bake cycle.

4. Start was never pressed.Safe check

   Many electronic ovens need Start after you set the temperature. On LG gas ranges a temperature change is canceled if Start is not pressed within 25 seconds.

5. Sabbath mode.Safe check

   GE Appliances lists Sabbath mode among the things to rule out on models that have it. The manual's special features section explains how to exit.

6. Self-clean door latch.Safe check

   On ranges with a mechanical self-clean latch, the oven will not heat for baking unless the latch is fully in the unlocked position.

7. Knobs put back in the wrong place.Safe check

   If the oven has separate temperature and function knobs and they came off for cleaning, make sure each went back on its own shaft and is set to Bake.

8. An error code.Safe check

   A code on the display, often an F followed by a number, points to a specific fault. Look it up in the manual or on the maker's support site.

Power and gas

1. The circuit breaker.Safe check

   Check the panel for a breaker stuck in the middle between On and Off, and switch it fully off and on. GE Appliances suggests leaving the breaker off for one minute to reset the electronic control, even if the clock and oven light are working.

2. The plug.Safe check

   A range's power cord can work loose. On freestanding and slide-in ranges you can usually reach the outlet by removing the storage drawer. Turn the breaker off before you check it, and do not run a range from an extension cord.

3. The gas shutoff valve.Safe check

   On a gas oven, make sure the gas shutoff valve for the range is open; the installation instructions show where it is. LG notes that the gas is often shut off when a range is pulled out or moved for cleaning.

4. The door.Safe check

   On some models the elements will not come on with the door open, and a door that does not close fully or a damaged door seal lets the heat out.

Whirlpool points out that an electric oven needs 240 volts while a gas oven needs only 120 volts for its igniter and controls. A gas oven with no electricity will not heat.

If it is a part: electric versus gas

Electric: look at the bake element

Turn the breaker off, unplug the range if you can reach the plug, and let the oven cool. Then inspect the lower element along its whole length. GE Appliances says a bake element that is cracked or broken needs to be replaced. Whirlpool adds that an element that does not glow red while the oven is trying to heat can be a sign of the same thing.

Gas: look for the glow

Set the oven to Bake, open the door and look at the bottom of the oven toward the back. GE Appliances describes a red glow from the igniter there. If you see no glow, the fault may be the igniter, the oven controls or another electrical part.

If the igniter glows but the burner never lights, Whirlpool says the igniter needs replacement. Do not try to light an oven burner with a match unless your manual says the model is designed for it.

The temperature sensor

The sensor is a thin rod inside the oven, usually on the back wall. Whirlpool notes that it should sit at a 90-degree angle to the wall. If it is bent, or an element is touching it, the oven reads the wrong temperature. Do not bend it back with force; if it looks out of place, mention it when you book service.

When to call a technician

• The breaker trips again when the oven starts.
• An error code returns after a one-minute breaker reset.
• A gas igniter does not glow, or glows without lighting the burner.
• There is a burning smell, sparking or visible damage at an element or its connections.
• The oven heats, but far from the set temperature, after you have checked the door seal and sensor.

If the range is old and the quote is high, the repair or replace calculator compares the repair cost with the life the appliance has left.

Related guides: a microwave that is not heating and a breaker that keeps tripping.