Cooking
Stove and Stovetop Burner Repair in Pittsburgh
Burners that won't light, won't heat or won't turn down are what bring most people to this page. Start by working out which type of stovetop you're looking at, because each fails differently.
Prefer to type? Put the stove's model number in the form, and we can look up parts ahead of time.
Two quick steps: what's wrong and where you are. We'll be in touch to set a time.
Which kind of stove do you have?
Gas stoves have grates over burners with flames you can see. Most newer ones use sealed burners with spark igniters that click when you turn a knob. Older stoves may have a standing pilot, a small flame that stays lit all the time and lights the burners. Coil electric stoves have spiral elements that plug into a terminal block. Smooth-top electric stoves have radiant elements under glass. Induction stoves look like smooth tops but only heat magnetic pans.
Each fails in its own way. On gas stoves, spark and flame problems dominate: wet or dirty electrodes, clogged ports, a misplaced cap, a failed spark switch or module, or on pilot stoves, a pilot that's gone out or a clogged pilot tube. On coil stoves, the element, its receptacle and its infinite switch are the usual suspects. Glass tops fail at elements, switches, relays and boards. Induction adds electronics.
A burner or element problem doesn't usually affect the oven below. If the oven or the whole range is misbehaving, the oven and range pages fit better.
- Gas, sealed burner
- Gas, standing pilot
- Electric coil
- Electric smooth-top
- Induction
- Dual-fuel
Burner symptoms and likely causes
Find your stove type and symptom below.
- Gas burner clicks but won't light
- Cap not seated, clogged ports, wet or dirty electrode, weak spark
- One burner keeps clicking
- Moisture in the spark switch, failed switch on that knob, spark module
- Yellow, lazy or uneven flame
- Clogged burner ports, misaligned cap, air shutter or orifice issue, food debris
- Pilot stove burners won't light
- Pilot out, clogged pilot or flash tube, pilot adjustment
- Coil element won't heat
- Burned-out element, burned receptacle, failed infinite switch
- Coil or glass element stuck on high
- Infinite switch or relay failed closed
- Glass-top element dead or intermittent
- Element, limiter, switch, relay or control board
Safe checks for stove burners
- Gas: remove the burner cap, clean it and the burner head, clear clogged ports with a straightened paper clip, dry everything and reseat the cap so it sits flat.
- If burners click nonstop after a spill or cleaning, turn off power at the breaker and let the stove dry thoroughly.
- Coil: once everything is cold and off, move the dead element into a same-size socket that works. Heats up in its new spot? Then the original socket or switch is the problem. Still cold? The element is.
- Look at the coil receptacle. Burned, loose or blackened terminals mean it needs replacing.
- Glass and induction: check whether control lock is on, and for induction, test the pan with a magnet.
Before you touch anything: If you smell gas, don't use the stove or switches: leave the house and call 911 or your gas utility from outside. Only relight a standing pilot if the stove's instructions tell you how, and never if you smell gas. Turn the breaker off before handling coil elements or their sockets.
When stove burners need a technician
- A gas burner won't light after cleaning and reseating the cap.
- Clicking continues after everything has dried out.
- A coil receptacle is burned, or an element stays on high.
- A glass-top or induction element is dead or erratic.
- You smell gas with the burners off.
What a stove burner repair looks like
Most burner repairs are done at the top of the stove without moving it: lifting the cooktop, testing switches, the spark module, the valves or the element circuits. Where a gas stove needs to be pulled out, we shut off the gas and check the connector when it goes back.
You get the diagnosis and a price first. For landlords, we can give the details over the phone before the work is approved.
Fix the burner or replace the stove?
Burner and element repairs are among the most affordable appliance repairs: caps, electrodes, spark switches, modules, elements, receptacles and infinite switches. Replacing a whole stove because of a burner problem rarely makes sense.
It becomes a closer call when a smooth-top glass has cracked on a basic range, or several problems stack up on an older model. We'll tell you when that's the case.
Why Book Us for Stove Repair
Burners and oven tested separately
Coil, glass-top and gas stoves each fail in their own places, and the burners and oven rarely share a fault, so each half gets its own checks.
Gas connections leak-checked
Any gas fitting we disturb is tested before the stove goes back into use, and we'll point out an old connector if we see one.
Older kitchens taken into account
A stove in an older house may sit on dated wiring or gas lines. If the supply is part of the problem, we say so instead of replacing a good part.
Check the neighborhoods and boroughs we cover, or request a stove repair.
Stove Repair in Houses, Apartments and Rentals
Pittsburgh's older housing stock means a wide mix of stoves: gas ranges in rowhouse kitchens, basic coil-top electrics in student rentals around Oakland and the South Side, and a few older gas stoves that still use standing pilot lights. For a landlord, a burner repair is usually quicker to arrange than a replacement stove.
How a Stove Repair Visit Works
Describe the Problem
The brand, the model number if it's handy, and what the appliance is doing. A photo of the rating label is a bonus.
Diagnosis On Site
The technician tests the appliance and its power, water, drain, gas or vent until the failed part is found.
Explanation and Quote
You hear what failed and what the repair costs, then decide. Nothing starts without your OK.
Repair and Test
The part goes in, the appliance runs a cycle, and you see that it works before we leave.
Related Services
Other appliances, brands and places we cover.
Stove problems we repair
The full list of stove problems we diagnose, from burners and igniters to controls.
- Not Igniting
- Burner Not Heating
- Gas Odor from Stove
- Uneven Heating
- Gas Burner Not Lighting
- Oven Section Not Heating
- Surface Element Not Heating
- Clock / Timer Not Working
- Control Panel Not Responding
- Oven Temperature Inaccurate
- Broiler Not Working
- Self-Clean Not Working
- Storage or Warming Drawer Not Working
- Stove Not Level
- Anti-Tip Bracket Not Installed
- Oven Door Problem
- Stove Moving When Using Oven Door
- Power Cord or Terminal Block Issue
- Burner Weak on One Side of Grate
- Oven Baking Lopsided
- Burner Indicator Light Stuck On
- Wrong Burner Igniting
- Yellow Flame on One Burner Only
- Oven Takes Long Time to Ignite
- Burner Cap Misaligned After Cleaning
- Broil Element Incorrect Position
- Gas Regulator on Stove Failing
- Pilot Light Out (Older Standing Pilot Stove)
- Thermocouple Failure
- No Power for Electronic Ignition
- Stove Top Porcelain Discolored
- Oven Temperature Knob Not Controlling Oven
- Burning Smell from Storage Drawer
- Burner Cap Cracked or Damaged
- Stove Top Surface Chipped or Cracked
- Broil Drawer Issue
- Gas Stove Will Not Self-Ignite at All
- Oven Not Responding to Controls
- Low Gas Pressure Affecting Stove Performance
Stove brands we service
Notes on the stove brands we're asked about most, followed by every brand we cover.
- GE Appliances stove repair
- Whirlpool stove repair
- Frigidaire stove repair
- Samsung stove repair
- LG stove repair
- Maytag stove repair
- Amana stove repair
- Kenmore stove repair
More reading on stoves
Stove Repair: Questions We Hear
Quick answers to what people ask most. If yours isn't here, bring it up on the phone or type it into the notes box when you book.
Something else on your mind?
Reach out with the brand, the symptom and a model number if you have one. Some questions we can answer on the spot; the rest a technician can check in person.
For most people, yes: they're two words for one appliance that has a cooktop and an oven built together. On this site, the stove page focuses on burners and elements, and the range page covers problems with the whole appliance, installation and specialty models.
If the others light, the gas supply is fine. The cause is almost always that burner: a cap not sitting flat, clogged ports, or a wet or dirty electrode. Clean and dry it. If it still won't light, the spark switch, electrode or valve may have failed.
Trade places with a working element of the same diameter. If the suspect one heats in its new socket, the problem is the original receptacle or the infinite switch. If it stays cold, replace the element. Look for burn marks on the receptacle too.
Yes. Standing-pilot stoves are still in some older homes and rentals. Common repairs include clogged pilot and flash tubes, pilot adjustment and thermocouples. If you smell gas, leave and call your gas utility first.
Yes. Landlords and property managers can book and approve repairs remotely. Tell us who'll let us in.