If your home has a gas oven and it fails to work for any reason, it's usually best to call a repairperson so that you ensure your own safety. You don't want to damage a gas line and cause a leak in your home, as this can be dangerous if not downright deadly. However, if you have an electric stovetop and oven, you may be able to manage a few simple repairs on your own, or note what repairs may be needed so you know what to expect from a contractor. Consider a few simple troubleshooting and repair tips.
1. If it fails to work altogether
The most obvious thing to first check is if the oven has tripped a circuit in your home. You then also want to ensure it's plugged in properly, and note if an additional circuit has tripped on the outlet itself. Most kitchens are fitted with outlets that have a secondary ground fault interrupter; this is a little button between the outlet openings that works as an additional safety feature for electrical surges. Try pushing this button and see if that fixes the problem.
If the problem is not the electricity in your home, lift up the stovetop and note if you can find a small switch inside. This switch is the oven's own circuit breaker and this may have tripped. You can also remove the back panel of the oven and check if there are frayed or loose wires. Electrical tape may be able to protect them so that they function again, but it might be good to call a contractor to replace those wires altogether.
2. When one burner fails to work
Usually this is either the coil part of the burner itself or the connector into which it slides. You can test the burner by pulling it out of the connector and sliding it into another burner's slot, and seeing if it then works. If so, you know it's the first connector and not the coil burner itself. You can typically just pull the connector out of the stovetop and then replace it.
3. The oven doesn't get hot enough
If the oven gets warm but not hot enough, the first thing to check is the gasket surrounding the door. This is a rubber piece that helps to create an airtight seal, keeping in heat. If it's cracked, shrunken, or has come loose, your oven will be allowing heat to escape. You may need to replace the entire oven door. If this is not the problem, the thermostat in the oven may be broken. Call a technician like John Hull Electrics to test and replace it as necessary.
