As great as electric ovens are, there’s nothing quite like cooking on a gas burner. Not only is it cheaper than running an electric oven, but many professional cooks swear by it.
Whirlpool is one of the number one manufacturers of gas ovens thanks to their sleek and modern design that provides all the functionality a serious cook could want. But some users have run into trouble with their ovens where the gas will not light.
Not only is this troublesome, as you can’t cook your food, but it’s also a potential safety hazard as the gas enters your kitchen without being ignited.
So in this article, we’ll explain what causes this problem and how to fix it as quickly and easily as possible.
Why is your Whirlpool Gas Oven Not Lighting
Gas ovens light by generating a spark that ignites the gas supplied by your home.
If anything interrupts or disables this ignition process, you will not be able to light your oven. So let’s first go through what causes this problem.
1. A Burner Problem
For your oven to heat, gas is supplied through the burner, which is then ignited; a series of small holes or ports encircle the burner through which the gas is then passed.
Over time, these small holes can quickly become clogged up with food debris, oils, or spills, preventing the gas from flowing smoothly out of the burner.
In many cases, removing the burner and giving it a good clean is enough to restore gas flow.
2. Moisture has Entered the Burner Enclosure
There are many situations where excessive moisture can build up inside the burner. Perhaps you have just washed the dishes and put a pan on the stove, causing some excess water to drip down, or you’ve recently sprayed the oven with cleaner, which has entered the burner.
Whatever the reason, when there is too much moisture in the enclosure, the spark will not be able to ignite the gas.
The good news is this is usually a very temporary issue; once it dries out, it should work again. Plus, we have a few methods to help speed this drying process up a bit.
3. An Electrical Problem
Even though these are gas-powered ovens, they still utilize electricity for many of their functions, for example, from the front display screen or the inside lighting.
But most importantly, an electrical current is needed to generate the burner spark that ignites the gas. So when there is no electrical supply to the oven, this spark will not form.
Taking steps to restore the electrical supply should fix this issue.
4. The Gas Supply has been Interrupted
Of course, even if the burner is both working and able to generate a spark, without a steady flow of gas, the burner will not stay lit.
There could be multiple causes for this, including the gas supply to your home being shut off, or there may be something like a kink or blockage in the gas hose preventing gas from making it to the burner.
Once the gas supply has been restored, the oven should light again.
5. The Ignition Switch is Faulty
The ignition switch is the small component that produces the electrical spark that ignites the gas.
Sometimes these components can fail due to the electrical contact becoming corroded or moisture making its way inside, which stops it from being able to produce the spark.
It’s possible to clean the ignition switch out, but it is often easier to just swap it out with a new one.
How to fix a Whirlpool Gas Oven Not Lighting
As we can see, this problem is primarily caused by the burner or ignition switch not functioning well. So let’s walk through some easy steps to restore these components to working order.
1. Clean out the Burner
If the burner has gotten clogged up by old food debris and oil, we need to get it cleaned out before the gas will flow and ignite properly.
- Start by removing the ceramic disks from each burner and placing them in the sink.
- Fill the sink with hot/warm water and add regular dish soap.
- Mix the water around a bit to work the soap into the water and leave the burner disks to soak for about half an hour; this will help to loosen the burned-on dirt and oil.
- Take a toothbrush and scrub all the debris off the disks.
- If the dirt is too stuck, you can add some baking soda to strengthen the cleaning solution further.
- Once the disk is clean, rinse it off under some running water.
- Dry them off thoroughly before re-installing them back in the oven.
2. Remove the Moisture from the Burner
If excess water has made its way into the burner, it will not be able to ignite, and we need to dry it out before the oven will work again.
Of course, the easiest way to do this is by simply waiting for the water to evaporate. But if you’re in a hurry, you can use a hairdryer to help speed up the drying process.
3. Restore Power to the oven
Even though it’s a gas oven, it still needs a stable electrical supply to function. The first step here is to ensure it’s properly connected to a working power supply; you should also check the circuit breaker to ensure the line wasn’t tripped for some reason.
If this doesn’t work, you can also check if a multiplug or extension cord is being used; if it is, then we suggest moving it to a dedicated wall outlet, as sometimes extensions and multi-plugs don’t provide a consistent power supply.
4. Restore the Supply of Gas
As gas ovens rely on a steady flow of gas to function, if that gas supply is interrupted for any reason, the oven will not be able to ignite.
You should first check that the gas supply to your home is still being provided; if it’s not for any reason, you can call your gas supplier for further assistance.
You should also check the gas supply hose from your home to the Whirlpool oven. Inspect it visually to ensure no cracks, breaks, or significant kinks may hinder the gas supply.
If there looks to be any damage to the gas supply hose, you should immediately replace it with a working one.
5. Replace the Ignition Switch
While sometimes it’s possible to repair an ignition switch spark module by cleaning the electrical contacts out, it’s often easier to replace it with a new one as they are pretty cheap components that you can re-install yourself.
- Start by ordering a replacement ignitor from Whirlpool Customer Support.
- Turn off both the gas and electric supply to the Whirlpool oven.
- Remove the top oven racks which cover the burners.
- Remove the panel and screws that surround the spark module.
- You can then pull out the old ignition switch and discard it.
- Place the replacement switch in its place, ensuring it sits in the same spot and direction as the old one.
- Re-attach the panel and oven racks.
- Turn the gas and electricity supply back on and test that the new igniter is working.
Adrian is an ISCET licensed professional that has completed the National Appliance Service Technician Certification Exam and has the expertise to diagnose and repair any appliance. He is well-versed in the latest technologies and techniques and is always up-to-date on the latest industry standards.
