Hartville Gas Range Repair, With a Close Look at Broilers

Two Kinds of Gas Broilers

Older and budget ranges often have a drawer broiler: a shallow compartment below the oven where the food sits under the oven's bake burner flame. Most current ranges instead have a broil burner mounted at the top of the oven cavity, with its own igniter and valve circuit. Knowing which one you have explains a lot about repair options.

With a drawer broiler, if the oven bakes, the broiler usually works too, since they share a burner. With an in-oven broiler, the broil burner can fail on its own while baking still works fine. That is the most common broiler call we get.

Why a Broiler Will Not Light

On an in-oven broiler, the broil igniter works like the bake igniter: it must heat up and pass enough current to open the gas valve for the broil burner. Because broilers run less often, homeowners usually do not notice the gradual slowdown that warns of a worn bake igniter. The broiler simply works one month and not the next.

• Broil igniter glows but no flame: the igniter has weakened and should be replaced
• No glow at all: igniter open, a wiring connection loose from heat, or a control issue
• Clicking sound but no flame on some models: a spark module or electrode problem
• Flame lights but is uneven or yellow: dirty burner ports or misadjusted air shutter
• Broiler and bake both fail: look at power, the shared safety valve or the supply

Cycling Flames and Using the Broiler Safely

On many ranges the broil flame shuts off and relights as the oven reaches a set temperature. That cycling is normal and keeps the oven from overheating. Leave the door position as the manual directs, since some ranges are designed to broil with the door closed and others with it slightly open.

Keep the broiler pan clean. Grease buildup is a fire risk, and smoke from old drippings can trip smoke alarms and coat the oven ceiling. If you see heavy soot on the oven roof or the broil burner flame is yellow and tall, stop using the broiler and have it checked.

Rural Outages and Range Choices

Hartville's surroundings include plenty of rural properties, and storms can knock out power for hours. Most modern gas ovens and broilers will not work during an outage because their glow-bar igniters need electricity to open the gas valve. Surface burners can often be lit carefully with a long match, but check your manual first, and never try to light the oven or broiler by hand.

If your home cooks on propane, the range must be converted with the manufacturer's LP kit. We confirm that on every Hartville install, along with a new connector, accessible shutoff, leak test, anti-tip bracket and a lighting check of every burner, the oven and the broiler.

Getting Help in Hartville

Call for a free estimate on broiler or oven repair or a new range installation. For an overview of range types, conversions and clearances, visit our gas range installation and repair page. If you are also weighing a separate cooktop, see our Hartville gas cooktop service, and for piping from a tank or meter, our Hartville gas line team can help.