Oven Element Repair: Fixing Common Issues and When to Replace

When your oven element, the heating coil inside an electric oven that generates heat to cook food. Also known as a baking element, it's the part that glows red when the oven is on goes bad, your oven won’t heat up—no matter what setting you pick. It’s not a mystery, it’s not magic, and it’s not always a sign you need a whole new oven. Most of the time, it’s just a worn-out heating element, and replacing it is cheaper and faster than you think.

Fixing an oven element isn’t rocket science, but it does require a little care. You’ll need to unplug the oven, remove the back panel or access panel inside, disconnect the old element, and swap in a new one. It sounds scary, but if you’ve ever changed a lightbulb, you’ve got the right skill level. The real trick is knowing whether it’s the element or something else—like a broken thermostat, a faulty control board, or a tripped safety fuse. That’s why so many people call a technician when they should’ve just checked the element first. A visual inspection often reveals the problem: if the element is cracked, blistered, or has big gaps in the coil, it’s done. No amount of resetting will bring it back.

Related issues often show up together. If your oven heats unevenly or takes forever to preheat, that’s usually the element. If the oven turns on but doesn’t get hot enough, it could be the element losing power—or the thermostat misreading the temperature. You can test the element with a multimeter if you’ve got one, or just look for signs of physical damage. Most oven elements last 5 to 10 years, depending on how often you use the oven and how well you clean it. Grease and food splatter build up over time and can cause hot spots that burn out the coil faster.

It’s worth noting that oven elements aren’t all the same. They come in different shapes, sizes, and wattages. Your oven model determines what fits, so you can’t just grab any element off the shelf. That’s why having the make and model number handy is crucial when ordering a replacement. Many people waste time and money buying the wrong part because they didn’t check the label inside the oven or look up the part number online first.

And here’s something most guides don’t tell you: if your oven element burns out more than once in a few years, there’s probably a deeper issue. Maybe your home’s voltage is unstable, or the wiring to the oven is corroded. A one-time failure? Common. Two or three? Time to get an electrician to check the circuit.

What you’ll find in the posts below are real fixes from people who’ve been there. Step-by-step guides on testing the element, videos on how to replace it safely, and honest talk about when to call a pro instead of risking a shock or fire. You’ll also see how often other oven parts fail alongside the element—like thermostats and door seals—and what those symptoms look like. No fluff. No jargon. Just what works.