Gas Oven Not Heating Up: Common Problems, Simple Solutions

Cooking an evening meal after a hard day at work or looking after the family can be frustrating when there’s a problem with your appliances. One of which is your gas oven not heating up!

Having appliance cover can make that kind of challenge a thing of the past, and within hours you will be up and running. 

But what happens if your gas oven is not heating up? What are the common problems and more importantly, some simple solutions! 

Join us in our problem-solving article to find out. 

Let’s hit the brief answer first before we find out some of the most common gas oven problems and how to get them solved swiftly.

If your gas oven is not heating up properly it could be the circuit breaker has tripped, the oven gas ignition might be failing or broken, there may be an issue with the mains gas supply to your home or it could be the temperature sensor.

So with the short answer in mind, let’s start to troubleshoot why your gas oven is not heating up by finding out if there’s a problem with electrics.

Problem: Gas oven not heating up…

First of all, we’ll consider some of the more obvious problems that can occur with appliances that involve some home circuit electrical components.

Gas ovens may not heat up if the circuit breaker has tripped 

Although some gas ovens are purely run on gas, others are ignited by the use of a power supply. 

The gas is lit by an electrical spark. So if you notice a problem with the gas oven not heating up adequately or at all, it could be the circuit breaker has tripped. 

A circuit breaker is designed to protect any electrical circuits from being damaged if there is too much current or a short circuit. It works by stopping the flow of electricity to protect equipment like your gas oven and prevent fire risks. 

Most gas ovens are usually connected to a 15 to 20 amp breaker, which is less than electric ovens mainly as there is usually less electricity used to power gas ovens. Electricity is generally required only to operate the timer and ignition. 

You might find when looking in the fuse box that your gas oven is connected to its own specific breaker, or it may share one belonging to another small appliance in your home. 

If the breaker has not tripped, then the problem with your gas oven not heating up, and not even lighting, could very well be a problem with either the gas ignition or it may be an issue or problem with the gas supply.

“Although some gas ovens are purely run off gas, others are ignited by the use of a power supply”

The ignition on a gas oven may be faulty

One of the most common problems that cause a gas oven to not heat up is the ignition in the gas oven may have broken or is faulty. 

Depending on the model you may either have manual ignition or an automatic one. 

Automatic ignition for a gas stove is usually integrated into the burner and when you turn a knob on your cooler. It automatically lights the gas burner via an electrical spark 

With the manual ignition of a gas stove, you need to turn the knob yourself on the ignition to start the flow and either it will then light with a pilot light or you’ll need a match to start the heating up process.

If it lights automatically it could be a problem with the electrical supply, so you would need to call out an electrician, but in the meantime, you could try lighting the ignition manually with a match. 

However, if the burner isn’t lighting properly even when trying with a match you will need to call in someone trained in oven repairs. 

There are a few things you can do if you are qualified and skilled enough however to troubleshoot it. 

“One of the most common problems that cause a gas oven to not heat up is the ignition in the gas oven may have broken or is faulty.”

Troubleshooting the gas ignition

Before you start, always ensure all electrical and gas supplies to the oven are turned off. 

• Using a screwdriver remove the igniter or heating element. You can usually find heating elements inside the oven but igniters are usually inside the oven. You might find the ignition is located inside a grill drawer. If you can’t access your igniter then you will have to call in a specialist oven repair engineer 
• Firstly remove the burner grate, cap and base 
• Give it a good clean and remove any food with either a toothpick or if you have any kind of appliance that blows out compressed air, that might help remove any debris. 
• Give the cap, grate and case a good clean with a mix of washing-up liquid and vinegar 
• Check any wires connecting the igniter to the controls. If there are any loose connections you could try tightening them. 

If it still won’t, it could be another problem or your igniter might be broken and needs replacing. 

“Before you start, always ensure all electrical supplies to the oven are turned off”

It could be the gas supply 

If you notice that not only your gas oven and the burners on the stove have stopped heating up, it could be that there is a problem with the gas line to your home and it may need a professional gas repair. 

If you have recently had some work done on your gas oven or had a new one installed, it could be that the gas valve that is on the supply pipe has been left in the off position in error. 

Another issue with the supply that might mean your gas oven won’t heat up is there may be a problem with the propane or natural gas supply. 

Although it’s fairly uncommon, it could be there is some maintenance being carried out where the main gas valve has been shut off and may not have been turned back on again or other works being carried out. 

If you suspect this may be the problem, then check if the main gas valve is switched to the ON position, along with any other valves along the branch line.

If all seems to be well with the gas supply then it could be a problem with your temperature sensor. 

“There may be a problem with the propane or natural gas supply.” 

Is the temperature sensor working properly?

If you find your gas oven is heating up to the right temperature it could be a problem with the temperature sensor. 

Whether your oven is electric or gas, it will have a thin tube around a few inches long usually at the upper back of the oven. 

You might find the reason it’s not working is that you may have dislodged it when either cleaning or during cooking time. It could be that it has moved and if it is touching the wall of the oven, it could be that the oven won’t perform properly temperature-wise.

Try simply bending the sensor away from the wall to put it back into the right position. If this still doesn’t work, it could be that the sensor is faulty.

This can be replaced fairly cheaply and easily. A new one will cost around £12 to £20 and they can usually be ordered directly from the manufacturer’s website. The manual will give instructions on how to remove the faulty sensor and replace it with a new one.

And finally… 

Gas and electrics can be dangerous and you should never attempt any kind of repair if you aren’t trained or don’t have the necessary skills. If you are confident working with gas or electric, then always ensure you have turned off the gas and electric at the mains and follow all necessary safety guidelines. 

To make sure your gas oven is up and running as soon as possible, don’t forget to check out our appliance plans.

Of course, the most simple solution is to give us a call. A nationwide team of fully trained appliance engineers and plumbers are always on hand for specialist advice and usually with no extra costs outside of your appliance plan.