A gas oven that won’t light is usually one cheap part. Replacing the igniter runs about $200 to $350 all in around the Bay Area, where labor and trip charges push jobs to the higher end of the national range. The igniter itself is only $20 to $60 on common brands. The rest is labor and the visit.
Here’s what the part does, why it dies, and how to know it’s really your problem.
Two jobs, one small part
The igniter glows hot enough to light the gas, and it draws enough current to open the safety valve that lets gas flow. Weaken it and the valve won’t open fully, or the gas never lights. Most are glow bars made of silicon carbide or silicon nitride, silicon carbide tends to be flat and rectangular, silicon nitride can be rod-shaped. Both are fragile and both fade with age.
Electric ovens don’t use an igniter this way. If an electric oven won’t heat, you’re looking at a bake or broil element, not this repair.
What usually fails, roughly in order
Weak igniter. The common one. It glows but can’t reach ignition temperature or pull enough current to open the valve. You’ll see it glow orange with no “whomp” of ignition, or the oven takes five-plus minutes to catch. A clamp meter confirms it.
Cracked igniter. Ceramic cracks from a dropped pan, moisture hitting it hot, or plain age. A cracked one usually won’t glow at all.
Wiring or connector. The harness near the oven floor sometimes burns or corrodes. Looks exactly like a dead igniter from the surface. A tech checks the harness before ordering.
Gas valve. Less common. If the igniter checks out electrically, the valve may be the fault. That’s a bigger job and costs more.
What the diagnosis looks like
The tech pulls the oven floor panel, eyes the igniter for cracks, then meters the current draw. Fifteen minutes, maybe. Out of spec, it gets swapped. Reading fine, the tech moves to the safety valve and the harness before recommending a different repair.
Most brands use widely available igniters. GE, Whirlpool, Frigidaire, Samsung, and LG all run flat-bar types that aren’t exotic. Premium ranges like Thermador and Wolf use similar designs but the parts cost more and sometimes need a special order, that’s the exception, not the norm.
What it costs, and what pushes it up
Parts are $20 to $60 on common brands. The swap is 30 to 45 minutes of labor. Add the $75 diagnostic (credited to the repair) and the all-in Bay Area number lands around $200 to $350. After we diagnose, you get a written repair-or-replace call and price before any work starts.
Things that bump it higher:
- Slide-in or built-in ovens that need more disassembly
- Double ovens (similar labor, but confirm which cavity is affected)
- Uncommon brands where the part is special-order
- A wiring harness that also needs replacing
Why it’s a pro job
The igniter’s accessible, but it’s bolted to a gas appliance. Any work there means a proper leak check before the oven goes back in service, and that’s not something you do reliably without the right tool.
The diagnosis matters just as much. A glowing igniter that won’t light looks exactly like a bad safety valve from outside. Without a clamp meter you’re guessing, and the wrong part leaves the oven dead and you out the money on top of a visit anyway. A tech confirms the cause, fits the right part for your model, and backs the work.
When it isn’t the igniter
- Oven lights but won’t hold temperature. Likely the sensor or control board.
- Cooktop burners fine, oven won’t light. The cooktop uses different ignition, so this narrows it to the oven igniter or valve.
- Error code on the display. Usually a sensor flag, not the igniter.
- Clicking but no flame on a surface burner. Surface burners use spark ignition. Constant clicking there is a separate issue.
Get a tech out
If your oven won’t light, the right move is a diagnostic visit so we confirm the fault before ordering anything. Bay Area Appliance Repair Service charges $75 to come out, credited to the repair, then a written repair-or-replace call and price. Schedule a visit and we’ll get someone out, often same or next day when we can.