Why Is My Oven Not Heating Up: Bake Element, Igniter & Thermostat Fixes

You set the oven to 350°F, wait, and wait some more. Preheating that used to take about 10 minutes now drags on for 20 or 30, food comes out undercooked, or the oven never gets hot at all. If you’re asking why is my oven not heating up, the cause in most homes is one worn-out part: the bake element on an electric oven or the igniter on a gas oven. Both are inexpensive and, on most models, replaceable in under an hour.

This guide from the Repairior editorial team walks you through the seven most common causes, how to tell which one you have, and how to test and replace a bake element yourself. It’s based on manufacturer service guidance and the checks appliance technicians use every day, with clear signs for when the job is better left to a pro.

7 Reasons Your Oven Is Not Heating Up

Start with the cause that matches your symptoms. This table covers both electric and gas ovens.

Cause	Oven type	Typical symptom	DIY friendly?
1. Burned-out bake element	Electric	Bottom element doesn’t glow; slow preheat; only the top browns	Yes
2. Weak or failed igniter	Gas	Igniter glows but burner doesn’t light, or lights after a long delay	Usually
3. Faulty temperature sensor	Both	Oven heats but runs much cooler or hotter than the setting; error code	Yes
4. Power or gas supply problem	Both	Oven dead or partly working; one leg of the breaker tripped; gas valve off	Check only
5. Blown thermal fuse or high-limit	Both	Oven stopped heating suddenly, often after self-clean	Sometimes
6. Control board or relay failure	Both	Display works but no heat; clicking with no element power	Pro recommended
7. Settings, lock or door issues	Both	Oven in Sabbath, demo or lock mode; door not closing; worn gasket	Yes

1. Burned-out bake element (electric ovens)

The bake element is the heating coil on the oven floor (on some models it’s hidden under a solid floor panel). It does most of the work when you bake. Over time it can break internally, sometimes with a visible blister, split or burnt spot, and sometimes with no visible damage at all. With a dead bake element, the oven still warms slowly from the top broil element, which is why preheating suddenly takes 20–30 minutes and food cooks unevenly.

2. Weak or failed igniter (gas ovens)

Most gas ovens use a hot surface igniter, a glow bar near the burner. It has to get hot enough and draw enough current to open the gas valve. As it ages it weakens: it may still glow orange but never open the valve, so the burner doesn’t light, or it lights only after a long delay. This is the number-one cause of a gas oven not heating up but the stove works, since the cooktop burners use a separate spark ignition.

3. Faulty oven temperature sensor

The sensor is a thin probe on the back wall of the oven cavity. It tells the control board how hot the oven is. If it drifts or fails, the oven may stop heating early, never reach temperature or show an error code. A sensor problem often shows up as an oven that heats, but not to full temperature.

4. Power or gas supply problems

Electric ranges use a 240-volt, double-pole breaker. If one half trips, the clock and lights may still work while the oven elements don’t. For gas ovens, check that the shutoff valve behind the range is fully open and that the other gas appliances in the house work.

5. Blown thermal fuse or high-limit switch

Many ovens have a thermal fuse or high-limit thermostat that cuts power if the oven overheats. A self-cleaning cycle is a common trigger. When it blows, the oven stops heating entirely until the fuse is replaced and the cause is found.

6. Control board or relay failure

The electronic control board switches power to the elements or igniter. If a relay on the board fails, the display and buttons work but no heat reaches the oven. Boards are expensive, so rule out cheaper parts first.

7. Wrong settings, lock mode or door problems

Before taking anything apart, check that the oven isn’t in Sabbath mode, demo or showroom mode, or control lock, and that a delayed-start timer isn’t set. A door that doesn’t close fully or a torn door gasket lets heat escape and can make preheating slow.

How to Diagnose an Oven That Won’t Heat (5-Minute Check)

1. Check the settings. Clear any timers, lock or Sabbath mode, and make sure you selected Bake, not Warm or Proof.
2. Check the power or gas. Reset the range breaker by switching it fully off and on. For gas, confirm the valve is open.
3. Do the glow test. Remove the racks, set Bake to 350°F and watch through the window or with the door open briefly.
   • Electric: the bottom bake element should glow bright red within about one to two minutes. If it stays dark, it’s almost certainly the bake element.
   • Gas: the igniter should glow and the burner should light within about 60–90 seconds. If it glows but there’s no flame, the igniter is likely weak.
4. Check the broil element. Switch to Broil. If the top element heats but the bottom doesn’t, that confirms a bake element or circuit problem on the bake side.
5. Check the temperature. If the oven heats but food takes too long, put an oven thermometer in the middle of the oven. A difference of more than about 25°F from the setting points to the sensor or calibration.

If you smell gas at any point, stop, turn off the oven, leave the house and call your gas utility from outside.

How to Test and Replace an Oven Bake Element (Step by Step)

If the bake element doesn’t glow, this is the repair most homeowners can handle. It takes about 30–45 minutes on a typical electric range with an exposed bottom element.

What you’ll need

• Phillips screwdriver (most elements use two Phillips screws)
• Nut driver, if your model uses hex-head screws
• Needle-nose pliers for tight connectors
• Multimeter with a continuity or ohms setting
• Replacement bake element that matches your model number
• Your phone, to photograph the wiring

Step 1: Turn off the power

Switch off the oven’s breaker at the electrical panel, or unplug the range. Never work on the element with power on. The terminals carry 240 volts.

Step 2: Remove the oven racks

Take out all racks so you can reach the floor and back wall. If your oven has a hidden element under a smooth floor panel, remove the panel screws and lift the panel out.

Step 3: Remove the element mounting screws

Find the two screws holding the element’s mounting plate to the back wall of the oven. Remove them and set them somewhere safe, such as on the open oven door glass.

Step 4: Pull the element forward

Gently pull the element straight toward you a few inches. The terminals and wires will come through the hole in the back wall with it. Don’t yank: the wires need to stay long enough to slip back through the insulation.

Step 5: Note the wire positions and disconnect

Take a photo before you disconnect anything, or note which color wire goes to which terminal. Pull off the two spade connectors by hand, or use pliers on the metal connector (not the wire) if they’re tight. Don’t let the wires fall back through the hole; bend them slightly so they stay put.

Step 6: Test the old element with a multimeter

Set your multimeter to continuity or to the lowest ohms range. Touch one probe to each terminal of the element.

• Good element: the meter beeps for continuity, or reads a low resistance, typically about 15–45 ohms on most household bake elements.
• Bad element: no beep, or an “OL”/open reading, meaning the coil is broken inside.

Also check that neither terminal has continuity to the element’s metal sheath. Continuity there means the element is shorted and must be replaced.

Step 7: Find your model number and get the right part

The model and serial tag is usually on the oven frame just behind the door, on the side of the door opening or behind the storage drawer. Search the model number to find the exact bake element part number. Matching the part to your model ensures the terminals, mounting plate and wattage are right.

Step 8: Test the new element before installing

Run the same continuity test on the new element. It should beep or show low resistance. This takes a few seconds and confirms you’re not installing a damaged part.

Step 9: Install the new element

1. Push the spade connectors firmly onto the new terminals in the same positions as before.
2. Carefully feed the terminals and wires back through the insulation into the hole. Handle the element gently, since a crack in the coil can cause it to fail again.
3. Seat the mounting plate against the back wall and let the element’s feet rest flat on the oven floor.
4. Line up the holes and reinstall the two screws.

Step 10: Restore power and test

Turn the breaker back on, reinstall the racks and set Bake to 350°F. The new element should glow bright red or orange within a minute or two. Let the oven preheat and confirm it reaches temperature in a normal time, ideally checking with an oven thermometer. A faint smell the first time a new element heats up is normal as manufacturing residue burns off.

If the new element still doesn’t heat

If a new, tested element doesn’t glow, the problem is upstream: a thermal fuse, wiring, the temperature sensor or the control board relay. That’s the point where most homeowners should call a technician.

What to Do When a Gas Oven Is Not Heating Up

Gas ovens follow the same logic, with a few important safety differences.

• Watch the igniter. If it glows for more than about 90 seconds without lighting the burner, the igniter is probably too weak to open the safety valve. Replacing a weak igniter fixes most gas oven heating problems.
• If the igniter doesn’t glow at all, check power to the range (gas ranges still need electricity) and then the igniter itself, the wiring, the control board or the thermal fuse.
• If the burner lights then goes out, look for a weak igniter, a dirty burner or a low gas supply.
• Gas safety: turn off the gas supply before replacing any gas oven part, check connections for leaks afterward with a soapy water solution, and leave gas valve or regulator repairs to a licensed professional.

Oven Not Heating Repair Costs

Repair	DIY part cost	Professional repair
Bake element	$25–$80	$150–$350
Broil element	$25–$90	$150–$350
Gas oven igniter	$30–$90	$150–$300
Temperature sensor	$20–$60	$120–$250
Thermal fuse / high-limit	$10–$40	$120–$250
Control board	$150–$400	$300–$600+
Service call / diagnosis	–	$75–$150, often credited to the repair

These are typical national ranges, not quotes. Premium and wall-oven brands usually cost more.

Repair or replace your oven?

A bake element, igniter or sensor repair is almost always worth it, even on an older range. Replacement starts to make sense when the control board fails on an oven more than about 12–15 years old, when parts are discontinued, or when the repair estimate reaches half the cost of a comparable new range.

How to Keep Your Oven Heating Properly

• Don’t line the oven floor or cover the bake element with foil. It traps heat and can burn out the element.
• Wipe up spills before they bake onto the element or igniter.
• Use self-clean sparingly. The extreme heat is a common trigger for blown thermal fuses and failed boards.
• Avoid hitting the element or temperature sensor when sliding racks and pans.
• Check the door gasket yearly and replace it if it’s torn or flattened.
• Use an oven thermometer now and then to catch temperature drift early.

When to Call an Oven Repair Technician

• You smell gas, or the gas oven needs a valve or regulator repair.
• A new element or igniter didn’t fix the problem.
• The oven shows an error code tied to the control board or sensor circuit.
• The breaker trips when the oven turns on.
• It’s a wall oven, a double oven or a high-end brand where access is difficult.
• The appliance is still under warranty.

Find Oven Repair Near You

If you’d rather have a pro handle it, compare local appliance technicians and request free quotes. Mention your brand, model number, whether it’s gas or electric, and what you’ve already checked, so you get an accurate estimate.

Browse oven repair companies · Get free oven repair quotes · Same-day and emergency oven repair · Oven repair service guide

Oven Not Heating Up: Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my oven not heating up but the stove works?

The cooktop and oven use separate parts. On an electric range this usually means a failed bake element, and on a gas range a weak oven igniter. A tripped thermal fuse or a bad oven relay on the control board can also cut oven heat while the burners still work.

Why is my oven taking so long to preheat?

A slow preheat, especially 20–30 minutes instead of about 10–15, is a classic sign of a dead bake element. The oven is warming only from the top broil element. A weak gas igniter or a faulty temperature sensor can cause the same symptom.

Why is my oven not heating up to full temperature?

Common causes are a drifting temperature sensor, a weak bake element or igniter, a worn door gasket letting heat escape, or a calibration offset. Check the actual temperature with an oven thermometer before replacing parts.

How do I know if my oven element is bad?

Set the oven to Bake. A good bake element glows bright red within a minute or two. If it stays dark, has visible blisters or breaks, or shows no continuity on a multimeter, it needs replacing.

Can I replace an oven element myself?

Yes, on most electric ranges. Turn off the power, remove two screws, disconnect two wires, and install the new element in the same positions. It usually takes under an hour.

How long should an oven take to preheat?

Most ovens reach 350°F in roughly 10–15 minutes, depending on the model and whether it uses convection. If it suddenly takes twice as long, something is wrong.

Why did my oven stop heating after self-cleaning?

The high heat of a self-clean cycle can blow a thermal fuse, damage a control board relay or burn out an element. Check the bake element first, then call a technician for the fuse or board.

Is it worth fixing an oven that won’t heat?

Usually yes. The most common fixes, a bake element or igniter, cost far less than a new range. Replacement makes more sense for older ovens with control board failures.

Related Guides

• Oven Repair Houston
• Stove Repair Houston
• Gas Appliance Repair Houston
• How to Repair Glass Cooktop
• Appliance Repair Houston

Conclusion

If your oven is not heating up or takes forever to preheat, start with the simple glow test.

• Electric oven: no glow from the bottom element almost always means a bad bake element, a $25–$80 part you can usually replace yourself.
• Gas oven: an igniter that glows but doesn’t light the burner is the most common cause.
• Check settings, the breaker and the gas supply before buying parts.
• Use a multimeter to confirm a bad element and test the new one before installing it.
• Call a pro for gas valve work, control board faults or problems that persist after a new part. Get free quotes from local technicians.

About This Guide

Editorial policy

This guide was written by David C and reviewed by the Repairior Editorial Team using manufacturer service guidance and standard appliance repair procedures. We update repair guides when guidance changes. Businesses cannot pay to be featured in our how-to content.

Content transparency

The steps describe a typical electric range with an exposed bake element. Your oven may differ, so follow the instructions included with your replacement part. Costs are typical national ranges, not quotes. Working on 240-volt and gas appliances carries risk; if you’re unsure, hire a qualified technician. Repairior earns revenue from optional business plans, which do not affect this guide.

About the author

David C is part of the Repairior Editorial Team, which researches home appliance repairs and works with local repair businesses across the US. Our guides explain what homeowners can safely do themselves and when to call a professional.

Helpful official resources: GE Appliances service and support, Whirlpool manuals, Frigidaire owner center and CPSC recalls.