5 Reasons Electric Oven Isn’t Heating Up and Tips to Understand Why

Technically Reviewed by Oleg Chudnovski, CEO on Apr 09, 2024 | Written by Olga Larina

In this article…

• The most common reasons why your electric oven doesn’t heat up
• Troubleshooting solutions when your electric oven is not heating up
• Why You Should Choose Repair Services From Fix Appliances CA

Ovens have been around forever, first invented in 1728. The gas models appeared at the beginning of the XIX century and were followed in 1891 by the electric ovens that most of us use today. Of course, they didn’t look and perform like the contemporary ones we use today. Many famous brands manufacture electric ovens for residential and light commercial use. Among the most widely used in Canada, we can admit LG, Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Kenmore, GE, Samsung, Bosch, Frigidaire and other makers.

When it comes to cooking a meal for your family, the oven is the heart of the whole process—no matter the type and model you use. Unfortunately, the latest ones are not guaranteed to break. And if the food won’t be cooked or even heated, you should find out why it’s happening. There can be several causes and solutions once an oven isn’t heating properly:

1. Bake or broil element burnout: Check for obvious breakage in the element or check continuity with a multimeter.
2. Loose or burnt wire connections: Check power supply wires for signs of burning or damage.
3. Blown thermal fuse: Inspect and test the fuse with a multimeter for continuity.
4. Faulty thermostat sensing bulb: Check the sensor for damage or calibration issues using a multimeter.
5. Malfunctioning oven control board: Look for visual signs of damage, such as burning or shorted-out components.

Do not give up if you cannot correctly identify the problem of why an electric oven isn’t heating up enough or not heating up and how to fix it. Our certified professionals at Fix Appliances CA will cope with it with ease.

The Most Common Reasons Why Your Electric Oven Doesn’t Heat Up

Despite the use of gas ovens, it must be mentioned that electric ones are no less popular, either for baking or broiling. And today, we should point out the top reasons why an electric oven won’t heat up. It is certain to determine the specifics of how an electric oven operates if you have decided to examine your home appliance properly.

As a rule, all types of electric ovens require 240V of alternating current, unlike gas ovens that require only 120V. The current runs through two legs of the voltage (carrying 120V each). The control board of the oven regulates the first leg, and the second leg can be regulated either by the control or it can constantly be present in the baking and broiling elements). Depending on your choice to bake or broil, the oven control allows either the first leg of voltage or both legs to move to the baking or broiling element. Then it closes the circuit and, thus, makes the element heat up.
An oven sensor, or a sensing bulb on the oven thermostat, controls the oven temperature. The oven control shuts off the voltage to a specified element once the chosen temperature is reached. Thus, this cycle is repeated throughout the baking or broiling process. It helps to keep the correct temperature in the electric oven.

It would help if you always remembered that the assigned temperature is only the average while the actual temperature fluctuates throughout the whole process. Convection ovens, on the contrary, reduce this fluctuation with the help of a fan with or without a heating element that makes the heated air circulate throughout the oven. If an electric oven is not heating up properly, many things could be faulty. The following common possible reasons can be faced:

1. The baking or broiling element is burned out. When you turn on the oven, bake or broil element doesn’t start glowing. In most cases, the element has burned out. You can determine this problem by yourself by inspecting for any visible breaks. Besides, you can use a multimeter to define the continuity of an electrical path.
2. The wire connection is loose or burnt. This issue is visually defined as the bake or broil element power supply wires probably burning near the heat source. You can check and confirm that the power supply wires are not damaged.
3. The thermal fuse is blown. You can face the issue with a thermal fuse when the electric oven becomes too hot (but this can be found only in some models). You can inspect it by yourself and test it with a multimeter for continuity.
4. The thermostat sensing bulb is faulty. The thermostat sensing bulb may be faulty as well. You can inspect the sensor and confirm it is not broken, leaking or just out of calibration. Here, you can use a multimeter to check the resistance, which should be approximately 1,100 Ohms.
5. The oven control board is malfunctioning. If you test the sensor and determine that the resistance is accurate, the problem can malfunction in the oven control board. Unfortunately, you can’t test the board at ease, but it is possible to inspect for the present visual damages, i.e. signs of burning or a shorted-out component.
   

Troubleshooting Solutions When Your Electric Oven Is Not Heating Up

Our electric oven is the heart of kitchen life and is very important when you decide to surprise your family. When you find out that it’s not heating up and your favourite dishes cannot be cooked, this makes you feel upset and angry. We suggest several solutions for troubleshooting the common issues with your oven.

There are many problems as to why your oven is not heating up or is slow to heat up. Suppose you notice that the heating or broiling element is cool instead of heating up, indicating that it’s hot. You can inspect the element itself and its surroundings once it is cool for the presence of visual damages, holes, scratches or others. If there is any, it should be replaced.

The same can be true if the temperature sensor doesn’t show the right temperature. You can check it and confirm it’s not touching the oven’s sides here. But the inspection should be made only when it’s cool. The replacement of this part can fix the issue.

Sometimes the reason for not heating can be a blown fuse. In this case, you should pull the fuses individually, take them to the light and examine whether the internal parts are united. Otherwise, they should be replaced. BUT never test or touch fuses when the electric oven is plugged in.

One more thing is using a multimeter when testing. This device helps to find damages to your electric oven if you need to check the alternating current for continuity or resistance. All these issues are connected with a specific electrical problem with your oven. Thus, don’t try to handle these problems by yourself.

Contact the professional electricians at Fix Appliances CA, who can solve all these issues of any complexity easily and in no time.

Why You Should Choose Repair Services From Fix Appliances CA

If you face any problem issues with your electric oven, don’t solve them by yourself. Trust the troubleshooting of the licensed experts at Fix Alliances CA. Our professional repairmen are ready to provide the best and highest-quality services for any electric oven or stove.

We are proud of more than 20 years of experience in fixing kitchen appliances. We are considerably confident in our work, and their numerous reviews can prove the complete satisfaction of our customers. Our licensed technicians provide installation, repair, and maintenance services for major popular brands such as LG, Whirlpool, Wolf, Viking, Thermador, Bertazzoni, Fulgor Milano, Electrolux, etc. Besides, it can’t help noting that we are an authorized repair service for Fulgor Milano, DCS Fisher & Paykel, Bertazzoni, LG and other appliance manufacturers.

Professional experts at Fix Appliances CA offer the following advantages of their services:

• 18+ years of experience in the repair, maintenance and installation of all types and
  models of electric ovens and stoves
• Same-day services when booking online
• Toll-Free calls with the maintenance, repair and installation
• Complete warranty on the repair and installation but the replacement parts as well

Don’t hesitate to immediately contact our professionals for any repair, maintenance and installation services at  888-242-0777. Fix Appliances CA is prepared to suggest the best services and handle any problems with such kitchen appliances as electric ovens. Contact us today, and you will enjoy a well-done job!
We are always as near as possible, and you can find our professionals not only in Barrie, Oshawa, Hamilton or Toronto but in any area of the GTA and southern Ontario. We are available seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., including weekends and holidays.