How to Fix a Gas Oven That Isn't Heating

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Diagnose and repair your oven in no time
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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.
Section 1 of 5:

Easy DIY Troubleshooting Steps

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  1. If your oven is tucked against the wall, gently lift it up and slide it out. Your gas line (the yellow or black hose) should have plenty of slack, but take a look as you get a few inches of space just to confirm. Keep pulling the oven out until you have enough room to comfortably get back there. [1]
    • 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.
  2. Even if it’s a gas oven, your oven needs electrical power to turn on. Ensure the oven is plugged in. Then, use a lamp or phone charger to test the outlet and confirm it’s providing a current. [2]
    • 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.
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  3. The (usually yellow) tube at the back of your oven is the gas line. Confirm that there are no holes, knots, or kinks preventing the flow of gas. Then, try to turn the nut on each end of the hose by hand to confirm that they’re completely secure. [3]
    • 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.
  4. Look on the top of the valve where the gas line feeds into the wall or floor. On that valve there’s an arrow. The arrow points towards the flow of gas, so it should be pointing towards your oven. Confirm the valve is oriented in the correct direction. [4]
    • 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.
  5. If the gas valve on your oven is open, it’s still possible that your home isn’t getting gas. Go to your basement or the back of your home’s exterior and look for the gas meter. [5] On the pipe that feeds into the meter there’s a valve—this is your home’s main shutoff valve. Confirm that this valve is open by checking the direction of the valve. If it’s flush with the pipe, it’s open. If the valve is perpendicular to the pipe it’s on, the gas line is shut off. [6]
    • 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).
    • 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.
  7. Refer to your oven’s manual to locate the service cut-off valve. Inspect the valve on top of the shut-off dial to see which position it’s in. If the dial is set to “open,” it is in the correct setting and you do not need to adjust it. [7]
    • 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. [8]
    • 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.
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Section 2 of 5:

Advanced Checks and Repairs

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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.

  1. The oven igniter is the coil that heats up with electrical energy to ignite the bake or broil igniter. If it’s not working, your oven won’t get gas. To test the igniter, locate it by referring to your appliance’s manual. You may need to remove a metal cover to access it. Try to turn the oven on and look at the igniter. If it glows orange as it heats up, it’s working correctly. [9]
    • 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.
  2. Refer to your instruction manual to determine how to remove the side panel on whatever side the igniter is on. Locate the valve at the bottom of the oven where the gas line feeds into a small metal box with a warning sticker on it. Unplug the oven. Then, set your multimeter to the lowest setting for resistance. Touch the black lead to the metal terminal where the wire for the igniter connects. Put the red lead on the other terminal. If you get a reading of 0.01-5 ohms (Ω), the valve is working. [10]
    • 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.
  3. Refer to your appliance’s instruction manual to determine how you remove the control panel at the top of your oven. Typically, you take the burner panel off by pulling it out and up, then you flip a clip or slide out the top panel. Look at all of the wires, buttons, and switches at the top of the stove. If you see any cut, damaged, or unhooked wires, the problem is likely electrical. [11]
    • How to fix this problem: Contact a professional appliance repair person. They’ll rewire the board or install a new one.
  4. If your oven is getting hot but it seems to be the wrong temperature, pre-heat the oven to the lowest temperature setting and use a thermometer to confirm your suspicions. If the temperature is wrong but the oven is still getting partially hot, your oven temperature sensor needs to be replaced. [12]
    • How to fix this problem: Call a professional. This repair is relatively complicated and involves wiring a new sensor in the interior of your machine.
  5. When in doubt, just reach out to a pro. Appliance repair for gas ovens doesn’t tend to be super complicated or expensive, and it’s best to play it safe if you aren’t confident in what you’re doing or you aren’t sure what the problem is.
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Section 3 of 5:

Why is my gas stove working but not my oven?

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  1. 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. [13]
    • 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.
Section 4 of 5:

Why is the bake function not working on my gas oven?

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  1. 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. [14]
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Section 5 of 5:

Why is the broiler not working on my gas oven?

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  1. 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. [15]
    • When you’re done, let the broiler air dry and run the “clean” function to burn off any remaining residue.

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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.blockrenovation.com/guides/process/how-to-install-an-oven
      2. ↑ https://www.blockrenovation.com/guides/process/how-to-install-an-oven
      3. ↑ https://www.blockrenovation.com/guides/process/how-to-install-an-oven
      4. ↑ https://en.siovalve.com/how-to-tell-if-gas-valve-is-on-or-off/
      5. ↑ https://www.pge.com/en/outages-and-safety/safety/gas-safety.html
      6. ↑ https://www.pge.com/en/outages-and-safety/safety/gas-safety.html
      7. ↑ https://producthelp.jennair.com/Cooking/Wall_Ovens_and_Ranges/Product_Info/Oven_Installation_Support/How_to_Check_the_Gas_Regulator_Shut-Off_Valve_on_an_Oven
      8. ↑ https://producthelp.jennair.com/Cooking/Wall_Ovens_and_Ranges/Product_Info/Oven_installation_Support/How_to_Check_the_Gas_Regulator_Shut-Off_Valve_on_an_Oven
      9. ↑ https://diy.repairclinic.com/determine-why-your-gas-oven-isnt-heating-up/
      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/-RZtxSvOe-U?t=35
      2. ↑ https://www.geappliances.com/content/older-pdfs/49-89622.PDF
      3. ↑ https://diy.repairclinic.com/replacing-an-oven-temperature-sensor/
      4. ↑ https://youtu.be/7D01_7T5zC8?t=27
      5. ↑ https://youtu.be/7D01_7T5zC8?t=27
      6. ↑ https://www.homesandgardens.com/solved/how-to-clean-a-broiler

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