Electric Oven Not Heating

If your electric oven isn't heating at all, the most common cause is a burnt-out bake or broil element, which is easy to spot if you can see a visible break or bright spot on the coil. A faulty igniter on dual fuel ranges, a failed temperature sensor, or a control board fault can also be responsible for the same symptom. Control boards are more likely the overall issue.

Common Causes 

• Burnt-out bake or broil element. These elements are the visible coils inside the oven, and they eventually wear out from years of heating cycles. A burnt element often shows a visible crack, blister, or bright orange spot where it failed, though sometimes the damage isn't visible at all until it's tested with a multimeter. 
• Faulty igniter (dual fuel ranges). Dual fuel ranges pair a gas cooktop with an electric oven, and some models still use an igniter-style component in the oven cavity rather than a purely electric heating setup. If this fails, the oven won't heat even though the stovetop burners work fine and light normally every time you use them. 
• Failed temperature sensor. This sensor, called a probe, it tells the control board what temperature the oven cavity has actually reached during a cooking or baking cycle. If it fails or gives an inaccurate reading, the oven may never signal the elements to turn on at all, or it may shut them off prematurely before reaching temperature. 
• Control board fault. The control board manages the timing and signals for both elements throughout the entire baking or broiling cycle. A fault here can prevent the heating cycle from starting at all, even when the elements themselves are in good working order and test fine individually. 

When to DIY vs. Call a Pro 

You can safely visually inspect the bake and broil elements for obvious visible damage like cracks or bright spots, and confirm the oven is set correctly and not left in a demo or lockout mode by mistake, which is an easy thing to overlook after cleaning the control panel or a recent power outage. Testing or replacing an element, sensor, or control board involves working with the oven's internal wiring, which is a job for a technician. 

FAQ 

How can I tell if the element is burnt out just by looking? 

A visibly cracked, blistered, or split section of the coil is a clear sign of failure that's easy to spot with the oven light on. Sometimes you'll also see a bright orange or white spot where the element arced before failing completely, which is another strong visual clue worth checking for first. 

Can I bake with just the broil element working, or vice versa? 

If only one element has failed, some ovens will still attempt to cook using the working element alone, though results will likely be uneven across the dish and take longer than a normal cycle to finish. It's best to treat this as a repair need rather than a workaround for regular cooking and baking. 

Why does my oven take much longer to preheat than it used to? 

A gradually weakening element, rather than a fully failed one, often shows up first as slower preheating and less consistent temperatures before it eventually stops heating altogether and needs full replacement. 

Is a control board fault expensive to fix? 

It varies quite a bit, but a control board is generally one of the pricier single components in an oven repair job. A technician can confirm whether the issue is actually the board before ordering the part, since sensor and element issues are often mistaken for board problems and cost less to resolve. 

Will my oven display show an error code if the sensor fails? 

Many models do show a temperature sensor fault code, though the exact wording varies by brand and manufacturer, so it's worth mentioning any code on the display when you book a repair, since it can help the technician arrive prepared with the right part. 

If the elements look fine and undamaged, Boreal can diagnose the sensor or control board and get your oven heating properly again, backed by a 90-day warranty on parts and labour for every job.