An oven that will not heat is one of the most common appliance repairs. The fix is usually straightforward and affordable.
Electric Oven Troubleshooting
### Bake Element Not Heating
The bake element is the coil at the bottom of the oven. When working, it glows red. If it does not glow at all, it has likely burned out. Look for visible breaks, blisters, or holes in the element. Cost: $15-40.
### Broil Element Not Heating
Same diagnosis as the bake element, but it is the coil at the top. Test with a multimeter — you should see 15-30 ohms. Open loop means it is burned out.
### Oven Sensor or Thermostat
If the elements work but the oven does not reach the correct temperature, the oven temperature sensor (an RTD probe) may be faulty. At room temperature, it should read about 1080-1100 ohms. Cost: $15-30.
### Control Board
If neither element heats and both test good, the oven control board may not be sending voltage. This is a more expensive repair at $100-250 for the board.
Gas Oven Troubleshooting
### Igniter (Most Common)
Gas ovens use a hot surface igniter (same concept as a furnace). The igniter glows to reach a temperature hot enough to open the gas valve and ignite the gas. When igniters weaken, they glow but never get hot enough to open the gas valve. The oven may take 15+ minutes to ignite or never ignite at all.
The WB44T10010 is one of the most common GE oven igniters. Cost: $15-35.
### Gas Safety Valve
If the igniter glows bright but gas never flows, the gas safety valve may have failed. Cost: $40-80.
### Thermostat
Gas oven thermostats control the gas valve cycling. A failed thermostat will prevent the oven from heating or cause inaccurate temperatures.
Finding Oven Parts
Search your oven model number (found behind the storage drawer or on the door frame) on PartHawk to compare prices across all major suppliers instantly.