Oven Not Heating Up? A Simple Guide to Diagnosing the Fault
An oven that won't heat is usually one of three things: a failed heating element, a faulty thermostat, or a broken igniter on gas models.
On an electric oven, turn the oven on to 400°F and look through the door. The bake element at the bottom should glow bright orange within a few minutes. If it doesn't glow, or glows only in patches, it needs replacing.
If the element looks fine but the oven still doesn't reach temperature, the thermostat or temperature sensor is the likely culprit.
On a gas oven, you'll hear the igniter click. If it clicks but no flame appears, the igniter has weakened and isn't drawing enough current to open the gas valve — it's a common part failure and a quick swap.
Don't try to bypass or short a thermostat yourself. Ovens run at high temperatures and faulty wiring is a real fire risk.