Oven Not Heating – Why Your Oven Might Be Cold

When working with oven not heating, the situation where an oven fails to reach or maintain the set temperature. Also known as oven won’t heat, it usually points to a problem inside the appliance rather than a user error. Understanding this issue helps you decide if a simple part swap or a full service is needed. Oven not heating often involves the heating element, the metal coil that converts electricity into heat inside the oven cavity, the oven control board, the electronic module that tells the oven when to turn the element on or off and the temperature sensor, the probe that measures the oven’s internal temperature and feeds data back to the control board. If any of these components fail, the oven can’t generate or regulate heat, which explains why the problem shows up as "oven not heating".

What usually stops an oven from heating?

Most homeowners first suspect a blown fuse or a tripped breaker, but those are just the opening moves in a larger diagnostic game. The heating element is the most common culprit; over time the coil can crack or its connections can corrode, leading to an open circuit. A quick continuity test with a multimeter often confirms the fault. If the element checks out, the next suspect is the control board. Modern ovens rely on solid‑state electronics, and a faulty relay or burnt circuit can silence the element altogether. Finally, the temperature sensor might be sending wrong readings, causing the control board to think the oven is already hot enough and never activate the element. Each of these parts has a clear attribute: the element supplies heat, the control board manages timing, and the sensor reports temperature. When any attribute fails, the oven stops heating.

Knowing which part is at fault saves time and money. Replacing a heating element is usually the cheapest fix—often under £100 in the UK—while a control board can run several hundred pounds. A faulty sensor is cheap but tricky to locate without the right tools. For most DIY‑savvy people, swapping a heating element or sensor is doable with basic hand tools and a safety disconnect. However, working with the control board involves handling live voltage and delicate components, so calling a qualified technician from Wells Appliance Repairs is the safest route. Their technicians can run diagnostic tests, verify the exact cause, and recommend whether a repair or replacement makes sense for your specific oven model. Below you’ll find a range of articles that walk through each scenario, from diagnosing a bad element to understanding when a whole oven replacement is more economical.