GE Profile Oven Will Not Heat Up Past 100 Degrees? (Fix It Now!)

There are few manufacturers out there that have the credibility and history that GE does. The mega-conglomerate makes appliances of a wide variety, including ovens. Their ovens have come a long way, too, with some of their latest offerings of the smart variety.

That said, they are not immune to experiencing issues. One such issue that you may face is your GE Profile oven failing to heat up past 100 degrees. The most common reason for this is that the gas regulator switch has been deactivated. The solution is simple. Flipping the regulator switch is a quick fix, too.

In most range ovens, there is a regulator switch located on the underside of the stove. It can be called by any number of names: a simmerstat, infinite switch, infinite controller, energy regulator, or regulator switch depending on the model and make.

The role of the switch is to allow variable power output into the heating element within your electric stove. When that switch is flipped off, then the necessary power cannot relay into the heating element and it fails to heat up past that 100-degree mark.

Just about any modern stove will come with a broiler/storage rack at the bottom of their oven. The rack slides in and out with ease, making for a great place to store baking sheets and other items that would be used in the oven.

Simply grab the rack on both sides and pull it out towards you. The rack should slide smoothly before ultimately coming to a stop when you have reached the end of the bracket arm. From here, angle the rack upward and continue pulling. The rack should pop out entirely, giving you access to the underside of the oven.

Now it is time to locate the regulator switch so that it can be flipped on, giving you the ability to use your oven at normal temperatures. For a GE Profile oven, the regulator switch will be at the bottom back left of the oven.

The regulator switch is attached to an assembly at the back of the oven. There is a tube that runs to the left of the cabinet and a large, bronze-colored component sitting just above the regulator switch. You should also see a series of wires running into this assembly and a safety warning to the right of the assembly.

Depending on the age of your oven, there may or may not be a cover protecting the assembly. Simply unscrew the cover and remove it to access the regulator switch. The switch itself is at the bottom of the assembly and will look like a translucent-colored switch.

Simply flip it on to allow your oven to regulate the power to the heating element. This is not some complicated endeavor. It could be a matter of the installer having accidentally hit the switch or forgetting to turn it back on upon completing the installation.

With the switch flipped, it is time to put everything back in its place and test things out. You will have to angle the rack back in to start, otherwise, it will not sit on the brackets. Even if it doesn’t just fall to the floor, you won’t have any mobility in opening and closing it without being on the brackets.

Finally, plug your oven back in and give it a shot. More often than not, that switch is the difference standing between you and a fully functioning oven.

Some of you have no doubt continued to this point because you tried the regulator switch to no avail. So, does that mean that your GE Profile oven is simply bad and needs replacing? Well, not necessarily.

The next place to look is the heating element. When the heating element is worn, damaged, or broken, your oven will not be able to generate the heat necessary to get to appropriate cooking temperatures. Whether that means topping out at a certain temperature or not working at all depends entirely on the condition of your oven’s heating element.

If you are certain that the regulator switch is no longer the issue, you can troubleshoot the heating element to determine if it is the reason behind your lack of heating. The good news is that heating elements can cost as little as $25 (more if you have someone else install it), so replacing it is not some earth-shattering endeavor.

But how can you tell if the heating element has gone bad? Recognizing the signs can help you effectively troubleshoot the issue and come up with a fix sooner rather than later. And if the heating element is fine, then that at least allows you to move forward with your troubleshooting efforts.

One of the most obvious signs that your heating element is defective or bad is that it is not bright orange when fully heated. For most heating elements, it can take about 10 minutes or so to reach the 350-degree mark.

If you don’t see a bright orange color, or only some of the heating element is showing that hue, then the heating element is damaged or burned out. A heating element cannot be repaired, it has to be replaced entirely. You can always run a continuity test with your multimeter to determine whether or not the heating element works.

Another telltale sign that your heating element is on the outs is to look for visible damage. When you see cracks, burns, or blistering in the heating element, that is as clear a sign as any that it is no longer functioning properly.

Try removing the heating element to get a better look. In some cases, the element can become caked in dirt and grime, limiting its effectiveness. But more often than not, the aforementioned signs are at play, resulting in the need for a new heating element.

Having an excessively dirty oven is bad news for more than just the heating element. For one, it is just gross to look at. Food can look and taste less appealing when it is being pulled out of a grimy, disgusting oven.

Furthermore, when the oven becomes excessively dirty, it can impact the various components within. If you notice thick, embedded grime, try giving your oven a thorough cleaning first. That might clear up any existing issues and get your oven back into working order.

Related Questions

How Much Does it Cost to Replace the Heating Element in an Oven?

Like any of the other internal components of an oven, the heating element can wear out or break over time. For the most part, you can perform the replacement yourself although that all depends on the level of comfort that you have in DIY projects like this.The heating element itself typically costs in the $20 to $30 range. If you do the work yourself, the cheap is quite cost-effective. That said, you may feel more comfortable bringing in a professional to tackle the job.With labor involved, you can expect to spend about $200-$225 to replace the heating element. That can be about a third or even half of the cost of a lower-end oven. Depending on the age of your oven, you may want to look into replacing the unit entirely for that cost.