Does your pizza come out of the oven just as frozen as it went in? Then you have a problem. Fortunately, there are some relatively simple fixes that could save you a few bucks. In this guide, we’ll take a look at three common causes of an oven that won’t heat up and the steps you can take to fix it.
The Fault: The oven won’t heat up
Cause: If your gas oven just will not heat up, it’s often the result of the igniter. If that’s the case, you’ve got pretty lucky because it’s a relatively cheap and easy problem to fix. Similarly, if you have an electric oven, then the heating elements may have worn out, which again is something you can replace yourself.
The Fix (Gas Oven): If you have a gas oven, you need to determine whether it’s the igniter that’s causing the problem. To do that, set the temperature on your oven and you should be able to hear some faint clicks followed by the telltale whoosh sound of the gas igniting. If there’s no whoosh or the click stops, turn the oven off immediately to avoid releasing more gas.
The process of replacing the igniter will vary slightly depending on the make and model you have. However, you should always disconnect the oven first. Then you’ll typically need to remove a handful of screws and disconnect the quick release wiring connection to remove the old igniter. Then replace it with a new igniter that you’ll be able to buy online and reconnect the wiring.
The Fix (Electric Oven):If one or more of the heating components on your electric oven are not glowing red, they need to be replaced. To do this, simply disconnect the oven from the mains and remove any covers and screws that hold the heating components in place. Then replace the heating components, put any covers back on and screw it all in. Universal heating elements will be fine for some ovens but others do require specific elements, so make sure you check that before ordering your replacement.
The Fault: The oven won’t heat to the correct temperature
Cause:If you notice that food is taking longer to cook or it’s coming out of the oven underdone, the likelihood is that your oven isn’t reaching the desired temperature. This could be caused by a faulty temperature sensor or a sensor that’s in contact with the wall of the oven.
The Fix: Resolving this issue could be as simple as checking whether the temperature sensor is resting against the oven wall, and if it is, repositioning it so that there’s a gap. If you have done that and the oven still isn’t heating properly, the next step is to use an ohmmeter, if you have one, to test whether the sensor is working. The resistance of the sensor should increase as the oven heats up. If it doesn’t, you’ll need a replacement. This is a simple and easy fix you can manage yourself by replacing the faulty sensor with a new one that can be ordered at very little cost online.
Other issues that could prevent your oven from heating up
Although a faulty igniter, heating element, or issues with the temperature sensor are the most common causes of an oven not heating up, there are also several other potential issues you may have. For example, there could be damage to the wiring in an electric oven or an issue with the thermostat, calibration dial, or the relays.
Whatever the fault, at Go Assist, you’re in safe hands. Just get in touch and our appliance repair engineers will be with you quickly to put a lasting and cost-effective fix in place that’s backed by a full guarantee.