The Most Likely Causes
Listed in rough order of how often they turn out to be the culprit — not a diagnosis of your specific machine. Work top-down: the cheap, free checks first, then test before you buy anything.
Failed bake element (electric)
The lower element should glow bright red. If it stays dark, has a break, or is blistered, it's done. This is the most common electric-oven no-heat fix and one of the easiest.
Weak gas oven igniter
On a gas oven the igniter both lights the gas and tells the valve to open. When it weakens it glows but never gets hot enough to open the valve — so no flame, no heat.
Bad oven temperature sensor
If the oven heats but runs cold, hot, or throws a temp error, the sensor (a probe inside the cavity) may be out of spec. Cheap and quick.
Failed broil element (broil only dead)
If bake works but broil doesn't (or vice-versa), the other element is out. Same swap as the bake element, up top.
Control board / relay
Less common: the board that switches power to the elements fails. Suspect it only after elements and sensor check out.
Test → Estimate → Test
Good techs don't swap parts and hope. They test, price it out, then confirm. Do the same and you won't buy the wrong part — or pour money into a machine that isn't worth it.
1 · Test before you buy
Confirm the suspect part is actually bad — a multimeter continuity check, or a clear visual like a split element or a cracked gasket. Never replace on a guess; that's how the returns pile up.
2 · Estimate honestly
Add up the parts plus your time and compare to a new unit. A cheap part in a well-built machine is a yes. A pricey control board in an old one may not be. Be honest with yourself here.
3 · Test again after
Once it's installed, run a full cycle and confirm the fix before you button everything back up. Two minutes now beats taking it apart twice.
The Tools to Test + Fix With
You don't need a shop full of tools — you need these. The multimeter is the one that pays for itself the first time it stops you buying the wrong part.
Digital multimeter
Test a suspect part for continuity BEFORE you buy — the single best way to avoid replacing the wrong thing.
🔎 On Amazon →Nut driver set (¼" + 5⁄16")
Most appliance panels are held on with ¼" and 5⁄16" hex screws.
🔎 On Amazon →Screwdriver set (Phillips/flat/Torx)
Covers the odd panel screw and Torx fasteners many brands use.
🔎 On Amazon →The Likely Parts — Test First, Then Buy
These are the usual suspects for this symptom, cheapest-and-easiest first — not a diagnosis of your exact unit. Test to confirm the part's actually bad first. For each one you get both options: the genuine OEM part sourced through us and shipped to your door, or a budget aftermarket part you grab on Amazon. Your call.
Oven bake element
Usually two screws inside the oven + two wires. Cut power first.
Gas oven igniter
Gas job — if you're not confident, get a pro. Shut off gas + power.
Oven temperature sensor
Unclips inside the oven and unplugs behind the back panel.
Oven broil element
Match the wattage/model — top-mounted version of the bake element.
Oven control board
Pricier and model-specific — confirm before buying.
Prices shown are typical aftermarket ranges and vary by brand and model — genuine OEM is priced by quote when you request it. Amazon links open a search so you can match your exact model number before buying; as an Amazon Associate, Appliance Ant may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Always confirm the part fits your model.
Safe to Try · Know the Risk · Call a Pro
General guidance, not professional advice. Always unplug the appliance (or shut off the gas/water) before you check anything. If it feels beyond you, that's exactly when to get a pro.
✅ Safe to try yourself
- Watch the element: does the bake element glow fully red? A dark or split element is the answer.
- Check for a tripped breaker (electric ovens are 240V).
- Confirm the oven isn't in a delay/timer/Sabbath mode.
⚠️ Doable — know the risk
- Electric bake/broil element or temp-sensor swap — beginner-friendly, but cut power at the breaker first (240V).
🛑 Call a pro — don't touch this
- Anything on a gas oven — igniter, valve, or a gas smell.
- The 240V terminal block, cord, or internal wiring.
- A control board diagnosis you're not sure of.
The Honest Call
Worth it for elements and sensors — $15–60 in parts and 20–30 minutes turn a dead oven into a working one versus $700+ for a new range. A gas igniter is cheap too but a gas job. Only a pricey control board on an older range tips toward replacement.
In Middle Tennessee or Louisiana?
Don't want to DIY it? Our own family of technicians will come fix it — honest flat pricing, usually same-day, 4.5★ from 1,000+ neighbors.
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