In the vast majority of cases, fixing a gas oven that isn’t producing heat is very straightforward and easy—especially if you’ve just installed the oven or moved. However, there are a few potential scenarios where the work required to fix this will fall under the realm of difficult for a DIY gig. Still, we’ll walk you through all the easy troubleshooting steps so that you can fix your oven if it’s something straightforward causing your oven to malfunction. Since gas ovens can be a fire or explosion risk if the repair isn’t carried out correctly, do not hesitate to contact a professional appliance repair company if you need help.
What to Do If Your Gas Oven Won’t Heat Up
- Confirm the gas supply line is hooked up and the gas supply valve is open all the way.
- Check the gas shutoff for your home to ensure that your building is getting gas.
- Inspect the shutoff repair valve at the back of your oven to see if the dial is pointed to “on.”
- Call a repair company if you’re uncomfortable checking on more complex issues since gas ovens can be a health and safety risk if you aren’t careful.
Easy DIY Troubleshooting Steps
- If you have a built-in wall oven: See if there is a panel in the cupboard above or below the unit to access the back panel of the unit. If there isn’t, you’re probably best off hiring a pro.
- How to fix this problem: If your outlet simply wasn’t plugged in, plug it in. If your outlet isn’t providing power, confirm the circuit is working by checking the fuse at the electrical box. If it’s working but your oven won’t power on for some reason, contact an electrician.
- How to fix this problem: If the hose is damaged, shut the gas off and replace the hose. If the hose is just kinked or knotted up, unravel it gently by hand and test your oven again. If the nuts are loose, use a wrench to tighten them all the way.
- What if there’s no arrow (or you can’t seem to tell which way is on)? Turn the valve all the way in one direction. If you hear a hiss or cracking noise once you turn the valve, the gas line is open. If you don’t hear anything when you turn the valve, the gas is likely off.
- How to fix this problem: Simply open the valve, let the gas fill the lines in the oven, and test your oven again to confirm it works.
- The main shutoff valve may also have an arrow on it. If the arrow points towards the word “on” or the arrow is pointing towards the gas meter, it’s on.
- How to fix this problem: Use a crescent wrench to open the valve. As a note, if you do not know why your gas is shut off, contact your landlord and gas company first before opening it. Your gas was potentially shut off for repairs and opening the gas may cause a leak (or larger issues).
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What does the gas meter look like? Gas meters are typically very close to the ground since they connect to the gas lines buried underground. The face of the meter usually has 3 or 4 dials that rotate to display gas usage, although newer meters have digital displays.
- Pro-tip: if the meter is around eye level and it has wires that run up to the electrical pole, it’s your electrical meter, not the gas meter.
- The shut-off valve is typically located just below the burners on the back of the range, and it normally has a red valve that points to the current setting.
- The service cut-off valve shuts the entire oven off so repairmen can work on the oven. If you recently had your oven serviced, they may have simply forgotten to flip the valve back off.
- How to fix this problem: If the valve is set to “off” or “test,” turn the valve by hand so that it points to “open.” Then, re-test your oven.
Advanced Checks and Repairs
Safety Warning: The following repairs and diagnostic steps involve fiddling with your oven’s components. This could potentially void your warranty if the oven is new. Beyond that, you may accidentally damage your oven if you aren’t careful. If you smell gas at any point when you shouldn’t or you smell gas in the future after you’ve made any of these adjustments, shut the gas off and call an appliance repair specialist. Try these repairs at your own risk.
- Alternative: You can also test the igniter by turning the dial on the multimeter to the lowest setting for resistance. Touch the black lead to the igniter’s power terminal on one side and touch the red lead to the other terminal. If you do not get a reading between 80-180 ohms (Ω), the igniter is bad.
- How to fix this problem: Purchase a replacement igniter for your oven’s make and model. Then, follow the instructions that come with the igniter to replace it. Typically, you need to hook two wires together with ceramic nuts and screw the igniter into place.
- How to fix this problem: If the valve isn’t working or the resistance is too high, replace it. It is highly recommended you consult a professional for this repair.Safety gas valves perform a key safety function, and wiring it incorrectly could lead to an electrical fire in the future.
- How to fix this problem: If the valve isn’t working or the resistance is too high, replace it. It is highly recommended you consult a professional for this repair.Safety gas valves perform a key safety function, and wiring it incorrectly could lead to an electrical fire in the future.
- How to fix this problem: Contact a professional appliance repair person. They’ll rewire the board or install a new one.
Why is my gas stove working but not my oven?
If the burners work, your oven’s igniter is the problem.The igniter is responsible for igniting fires in your oven while the stovetop heating element is responsible for lighting the burners. So, if the burners work just fine your igniter is likely to blame. Either replace the igniter yourself or contact an appliance repair company to help you with the job.
- It’s possible the safety valve is to blame, but a locked-out safety valve will normally keep gas from coming for the burners as well.
Why is the bake function not working on my gas oven?
The igniter or safety valve is to blame if the bake function won’t work.If the stove and broiler are working properly but the traditional “bake” function isn’t making your stove hot, you have a bad igniter. If the broiler and the stove don’t work, it’s probably your safety valve. It is highly recommended that you consult a professional to have this issue diagnosed and repaired.
Why is the broiler not working on my gas oven?
If the burners are working, the broiler is dirty and requires cleaning.The broiler element is at the top of your oven, so any smoke, dirt, or debris that burns inside of the oven will end up floating up to the element. As years pass, that kind of gunk will build up on the broiler. If it gets bad enough, the broiler won’t work properly. With a cold stove, scrub the cover of the broiler with soapy water. Use a stiff wire brush to scrape off any solid debris.
- When you’re done, let the broiler air dry and run the “clean” function to burn off any remaining residue.