Common Cooktop and Oven Problems and How to Solve Them

Our ovens and cooktops are vital elements in our kitchens, but they are often overlooked until a problem develop. While your first instinct may be to call in a repair specialist, when you notice your cooktop or oven is not working properly, there may be some ways you can solve the problems yourself. So, here we’ll explore some of the most common problems and how you can solve them.

Image of a kitchen

My Electric Range Won’t Switch On

When you start to try to prepare a meal and find that your electric range won’t switch on, it can be very frustrating. Fortunately, you may not need to call for takeout. There are some quick troubleshooting points that could fix the underlying issue. The first thing to check is that the child lock is not engaged. This safety feature prevents electricity from reaching the unit. If the child lock isn’t on, check your circuit breakers. If you still can’t resolve the issue, it may be due to a faulty electronic control board. This may have been caused by a bad transformer, shorted element or power surge and it will need to be replaced to restore functionality.

The Top Burners Won’t Work on a Gas Range

Gas burners are generally very easy to use and maintain, so if your burners aren’t working, it is likely due to failed spark ignitors. If the ignitors have failed, they won’t be able to light a flame and will need to be replaced.

The Top Burners Won’t Work on an Electric Range

The burners on an electric range are a little more complex, but you can still determine the issue with a bit of troubleshooting. If one of your burners is not working properly, test with another burner. If the burner now works, you’re likely to need to replace the surface element.

My Gas Range Won’t Bake

If you’re struggling to bake in your gas range, it could be that the oven ignitor has burned out. Ignitors do not have an unlimited lifespan, and they often burn out due to aging. In this scenario, the ignitors will need to be replaced before functionality is restored.

My Electric Range Won’t Bake

If your electric range is not baking, you’re likely to need to call in a repair technician. The problem is likely to be due to a burned out bake element or that your control board is not supplying the necessary voltage to heat the element. If you’ve already checked that the appliance has electricity supplied to it and it is still not working properly, call in a technician.

There is an Error Message on the Clock

If you can see an error message displayed on your range clock, it may be due to a power failure, or it could be in Sabbath mode. Many range models have different error codes, so you’ll find a full list in your owner’s manual. This will provide details as to whether you can resolve the issue yourself or if you need a technician to replace a faulty component such as an electronic control board. So, be sure to keep your owner’s manual handy in case any error messages appear on your clock.

There are a number of issues that can impact your oven or cooktop performance, and educating yourself on the most common problems will help you to obtain maximum functionality of your appliance. For practical guidance and advice, you can rely on a professional home appliance repair technician to assist you.

For help with all of your appliance repair issues, ensure that you speak to a professional appliance repair service.