Can I use the broiler to cook in the meantime?

If it works, yes, but keep an eye on it.

Is a weak igniter dangerous?

It's a common part to fail. If you smell gas, turn the oven off, air out the kitchen and call the gas company.

Oven Not Heating

On an electric oven, the bake element is the most common cause. On a gas oven, it’s usually the igniter. A bad temperature sensor or control board is next.

Common causes

Bake element. Look for a break, a blister or a burnt spot.
Gas oven igniter. It glows, but too weakly to open the gas valve. The oven takes forever or never lights.
Temperature sensor. The thin probe inside the oven reads wrong.
Control board or relay. The display works but nothing heats.
Thermal fuse. Often after self-clean.

Checks you can do safely

Turn off power (and water or gas where it applies) before you reach inside any appliance.

Check the breaker. Electric ovens need both halves of a 240-volt breaker.
Make sure the oven isn’t in delay-start or a lock mode.
Look at the bake element for a visible break.
On gas, watch the igniter. If it glows for more than a minute or two with no flame, it’s likely weak.

When to call us

Call if the display works but the oven won’t heat, the gas igniter glows with no flame, or the element is damaged. We work Monday to Friday, 8 to 5, across Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton, Rockwall, Ellis and Johnson counties. The service call is $150 and we waive it if you go ahead with the repair. Parts and labor are covered for 90 days.

Service page: oven repair.