Gas oven repair in Ottawa

Turn the oven on and three things happen in order. The control sends power to the glow-bar igniter, which heats to a bright orange. As it heats, its electrical resistance drops, letting enough current flow through the safety valve to open it. Gas then flows to the bake burner, the hot igniter lights it, and the burner runs until the oven reaches temperature. The cycle repeats every few minutes to hold the heat.

Almost every gas oven complaint is one of those steps failing: the igniter does not glow, the igniter glows but never gets hot enough to open the valve, or the valve opens but the burner does not stay lit. The diagnostic times each step with a meter rather than guessing.

Oven will not light at all. No glow, no heat. Usually an open igniter, a blown fuse or thermal fuse, a failed oven control relay, or a door lock that thinks the oven is in self-clean. The first checks are on oven not igniting.

Igniter glows but the oven never heats. The classic weak-igniter fault. The bar glows orange but no longer draws enough current to open the safety valve, or takes so long that the oven bakes at half power. On many models an igniter that needs more than about 90 seconds to light the burner is at the end of its life.

Oven takes forever to preheat. A weak igniter cycling slowly, a burner that lights along only part of its length because its ports are blocked, or a temperature sensor reading high so the control thinks the oven is hotter than it is.

Bakes unevenly or burns at the back. An uneven burner flame, a convection fan that has stopped turning, or a door gasket letting heat out at the front. See oven temperature problems for how we test this with a reference thermometer.

Broil works, bake does not (or the reverse). Each burner has its own igniter. When one works and the other doesn’t, the fault is almost always the igniter or valve for the dead burner rather than the control.

Gas smell when the oven lights. A short puff as the burner catches is normal on older ovens. A smell that lingers, or a whoomph when the burner finally lights, means gas is pooling before ignition. That is a weak igniter and it shouldn’t be left: delayed ignition can crack the burner or the oven floor.

Self-clean problems. A gas oven that won’t start self-clean, or won’t unlock afterwards, usually has a failed door-lock motor or a high-limit thermostat that tripped during the cycle. See oven self-clean not working.

Control panel dead or error code. F-codes on a gas oven point toward the sensor, the door lock, the control board or a stuck key. The board is tested before it is replaced; see oven won’t turn on.

The gas rate reflects certified gas handling, the leak test and the timed ignition check that every gas oven call includes. The technician:

• confirms the gas supply and shut-off valve, and leak-tests the connector and accessible joints;
• starts the oven and times the igniter with an ammeter, checking that the safety valve opens at the right current;
• inspects the bake and broil burners for full-length ignition and flame colour;
• checks the temperature sensor against a reference thermometer;
• tests the convection fan, the door gasket, the hinges and the lock;
• reads any stored fault codes from the control.

On a gas range the surface burners are checked at the same visit. Nothing is replaced until you have a written quote in plain language.

The gas oven diagnostic is $129 + tax; electric ovens are $89 + tax for residential customers. Typical gas oven repairs, parts and labour: an oven igniter, thermostat or safety valve typically $180 to $350; a temperature sensor typically $150 to $280; a door hinge, gasket or glass typically $180 to $350; a control board or clock typically $250 to $500. Our oven repair cost in Ottawa page lists every range.

Visits between 9 PM and 7 AM add a $100 flat after-hours fee (see emergency appliance repair), and addresses more than 30 km from downtown Ottawa may carry a travel charge, confirmed when you book. Every repair carries a 3-month warranty on parts and labour; ask for the written terms.

Most gas ovens in Ottawa homes are the oven half of a freestanding or slide-in gas range, and everything above applies to those. Built-in gas wall ovens, single and double, use the same igniter-and-valve system inside a cabinet, and their door and hinge work is the same as on an electric unit; see wall oven repair.

Dual-fuel ranges pair gas burners with an electric convection oven, so an oven fault on those is an element, relay or sensor rather than an igniter; see oven not heating. For the burners on top, see gas stove repair and gas range repair; for gas dryers and other gas appliances, gas appliance repair. Every type of oven and stove is covered on our main stove and oven repair page.

Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Samsung, LG, GE, Frigidaire, Bosch, Viking, Jenn-Air, Electrolux, Kenmore, Inglis, Amana, Blomberg and Fisher & Paykel. Model-specific notes: KitchenAid oven repair, Bosch oven repair, Samsung stove repair and GE stove repair. We have been in business since 1995; tell us the model when you book so we can check which igniter it uses.

A gas oven under twelve years old with an igniter, valve or sensor fault is almost always worth repairing: the parts are modest and the rest of the appliance is simple and durable. The cases that favour replacement are a control board on a model with no parts supply, a cracked oven liner, or an oven where the door, hinges, gasket and igniter have all worn out together. Our repair or replace an oven guide has the decision table by age. If you replace, stove installation in Ottawa covers the gas hook-up and leak test.

Ottawa-wide, including Kanata, Barrhaven, Nepean, Orléans, Gloucester, Stittsville, Bells Corners, Centretown and Blackburn Hamlet. Across the river, see oven repair in Gatineau, our Gatineau appliance repair page, Hull and Aylmer (gas visits in Quebec are confirmed when you book); en français, four qui ne chauffe pas à Gatineau.