There’s nothing worse than a cold meal. You spend all that time cooking a delicious meal, and then because the oven is broken, your food doesn’t heat up! This is a frustrating situation, but with a little knowledge and a few tips, you can get your oven working again in no time. Here are some of the most common reasons why Whirlpool oven not heating up, along with some steps you can take to get it working again.
You love this Whirlpool oven so much, yet when you turn it on, nothing happens. Your heart sinks when you think there must be something wrong with the oven. But all it needs is troubleshooting! Although this oven has only one problem, each problem has its own solution. We’ll take care of everything by teaching you how to troubleshoot your Whirlpool oven won’t heat.
Whirlpool Oven Not Heating Up – Troubleshoot and Diagnosis
Why won’t my Whirlpool oven heat up? First, there are a few common scenarios that are easy to fix. Before panicking (and before calling an expensive repairman), you’ll want to try adjusting the temperature setting on your oven, as well as double-checking that it’s plugged in and turned on.
Here are something you can do before checking the internal parts of the oven:
- Ensure that Oven is Getting Power
If a fuse is tripped, replace it. If a circuit breaker has been tripped, reset it. If the oven doesn’t work, try plugging it into a different outlet or test the outlet with a multimeter to be sure you have the right voltage for your oven. - Ensure that Gas Supply is ON
If your oven doesn’t heat up, try testing the gas supply. Turn on a range burner and see if it functions normally. If it does, it means your gas supply is sufficient. Your oven will not light if the gas cutoff valve is closed. If it is, contact your local gas supplier to assess the problem and make repairs to ensure your safety.
Here are some of the parts you should look at:
Faulty Igniter
The igniter is the most important part of your oven. It draws in current from the main power supply and heats up enough to ignite the gas from the burner. The igniter is also one of the most commonly-faulty components, may be because it is exposed to high heat from the burner and can wear out faster than other parts of your oven.
The igniter can be replaced if it is damaged. A bad igniter will not ignite the gas quickly enough and heat will not be created. To find out if the igniter is malfunctioning, check to see if the igniter glows for more than 90 seconds without starting the gas burner. To check whether or not your gas oven igniter is working, you can use a multimeter to test the continuity. If there’s no continuity, it means the igniter is broken and needs to be replaced.
Burnt Out Bake Element
An oven’s heating element may glow red hot, but if it doesn’t, that might not mean anything is wrong. If you notice that your oven’s bake element isn’t heating up as it should, check for signs of damage, such as discoloration or cracking in the insulation surrounding the element. If you find any damage, stop using the element for heating and contact a professional for inspection of your oven.
Inspect the bake element for burn marks or holes, and test the element for continuity with a multimeter to determine if it’s burned out. If the bake element is bad, replace it.
Bake or Broil Spark Electrode
Bake and broil burner ignition is achieved using a spark electrode. The spark electrode sits right next to the burner and ignites the gas when it receives power from the ignition unit. When you press the ignite button, electricity flows through the electrode’s center wire to the electrode tip, producing a powerful spark.
If you see dark brown stains around the oven electrode and the heating elements, or if the electrodes are broken beyond recognition or have been worn down, it’s time for a replacement. The electrode control is a safety device that, once ignited, will turn off the burner if the burner does not have a flame within 1-2 seconds. The device also monitors for proper polarity of the incoming voltage to the range to ensure that it will work properly.
Defective Broil Element
If the oven isn’t heating up properly, inspect the broil element for damage. The broil element will be on your oven’s lowest rack and will glow red when it is heating. You should see glowing red in a circular pattern if the broil element is functioning; if the element does not glow red or has any holes or blisters, there might be a problem.
There are a few ways to test the oven broil element. You can use a multimeter, which is a common electrical testing device, to test whether or not there is continuity between two points on the broil element. If the device doesn’t light up, it is not functioning and should be replaced.
Blown Thermal Fuse
The fuse will blow if the oven gets too hot, preventing it from burning anything — but this only happens if the oven is used incorrectly. To test for a blown fuse, use a multimeter to check if the fuse is still live.
Hi there! I’m Sam Hendricks, and I’m a repair technician and expert. I created this website to help people like you save money and time by fixing your own appliances.
Over the years, I’ve seen people spend a lot of money on unnecessary repairs or replacements. That’s why I decided to share my expertise and create easy-to-follow guides for fixing appliances on your own.