Conclusion. If you think your oven's heating element is broken, look for signs outlined above—dirty appliance, visible damages, an element that's no longer bright orange, uncooked or half-cooked food, and an increase in the electrical bill. All these indicate that it's time to have your oven's heating element replaced.
Inconsistent temperature: Fluctuating or inconsistent oven temperatures during cooking can be a sign of a failing heating element. Visible damage: Look for any visible damage such as cracks, blistering, or burn marks on the heating element. No heat: If the oven isn't producing.
Loss of Heating: The most immediate effect is that the oven will no longer heat up properly. If the element is the only source of heat (as in many electric ovens), the oven will be unable to reach the desired temperature.
The element is the most vital part of an electric oven. Without it, your food will remain uncooked and cold - so when your cooker element breaks, it's important to find the correct replacement quickly.
To test the element, you must measure its resistance. Switch the multimeter settings to measure resistance and place the nodes on the two screws. A functioning heating element should read between 10 and 30 ohms. The heating element is broken if the meter reads 1 or 0.
Most ovens have 2 heating elements—one on top for the broiler and one on the bottom for the oven. You can test either element, but you must remove it from the appliance. Elements may be shaped differently from model to model, but the overall process is the same for every element.
Replacing a broken element isn't too complicated, but it can be tricky working in such a small space. Before you begin, you'll need to turn the power off to your oven. Then, take out the old element by unscrewing it and detaching the wires running into it.
We recommend that you not use the oven if the bake or broil element fails. Failure of one or both oven elements will not affect the surface burners. You may continue using these burners as needed.
As well as being one of the easiest D.I.Y appliance fixes out there, fixing your oven element yourself can save you a lot of money compared to booking a repair or buying a new cooker.
The constant heating and cooling cycles cause the metal to expand and contract, eventually leading to fatigue and failure. If your oven element is several years old and used frequently, it may simply be at the end of its lifespan. Electrical problems are another common cause of oven element failure.
Inspect heating element (electric oven only)
Your electric oven's heating element (also sometimes referred to as a baking element) powers your oven's heating. If your heating element is not glowing red when you attempt to heat your oven, this can be a sign that it needs to be replaced.
You should measure about 10-15 ohms of resistance through the element if it's good. If the meter reading is infinite (indicating an open circuit) or much higher than the expected resistance, you'll likely need to replace the element.
Make sure the multimeter is calibrated and then turn the dial to the lowest ohm rating. Place the multimeter on the thermostat. If the thermostat has a reading of zero or as close to zero as possible, it is working fine. However, if it has no reading at all, your oven thermostat is faulty and will need replacing.
The most common problem with oven elements is when the oven light and fan come on but the oven element won't heat up at all. This is the classic sign that the element needs replacing.
If you have oven issues, it's worth investigating the heating element as a potential culprit, but a broken heating element doesn't always signal the end of your oven's life. Spotting the signs of a faulty element early allows you to fix the issue with a simple replacement, saving time and money.
Testing the Heating Element with a Multimeter:
Place one probe of the multimeter on the loosened screw and the other probe on the remaining screw attached to the face of the heating element. The multimeter should read between 10 and 30 ohms if the heating element is working correctly.
A common reason for this is that oven element burning has occurred. Due to the hot temperatures within the oven cavity, it isn't unusual for it to burn out while enduring the high temperatures. Without a fully functioning oven element, your oven will be unable to heat up and this means your oven is useless for cooking!
Place a small amount of granulated sugar in an oven-proof dish or on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. Place in oven for 15 minutes. If your oven is calibrated correctly, the sugar will melt. If your oven is running cold, the sugar will not melt.
Conclusion. If you think your oven's heating element is broken, look for signs outlined above—dirty appliance, visible damages, an element that's no longer bright orange, uncooked or half-cooked food, and an increase in the electrical bill. All these indicate that it's time to have your oven's heating element replaced.
Most oven heating elements last quite a few years, but just like any other appliance part, eventually they wear out or can break if something falls onto them. No need to panic. Thankfully, replacing your oven's element is a simple repair to make, as you only need a screwdriver.
This paper will expand on NFPA 921 (2014) Section 26.5. 7 describing various heating element failures as the root cause of not only fires but also personal injury (e.g., burns, electrocution) and water losses. Common causes and failure modes of heating elements, from case studies and literature, are presented.