A dead electric burner in a Colorado Springs home is one of the most common stove calls we get. The good news is that one dead burner almost never means the stove needs replacing. It almost always means one component has failed, and that component is usually affordable and quick to swap. Here is how to work through the problem from the most likely cause to the least likely.
The short answer: a single dead electric burner is usually a failed coil element, a burned-out infinite switch, or a problem in the socket. You can test for the coil element yourself in under two minutes using the swap test.
Step 1: The Swap Test for Coil Burners
If your electric range has coil burner elements, start here. Coil elements plug directly into a socket on the cooktop. Lift the outer edge of the dead burner slightly and pull it straight back out of its socket. Now take a working burner of the same size from another position on the cooktop and plug it into the dead socket.
If the working burner now heats in the formerly dead socket, the socket and wiring are fine. The original burner coil is the problem and needs replacement. If the working burner also fails to heat in the new socket, the socket, switch, or wiring behind that position has failed. That requires a technician to diagnose further. This single test identifies the cause about 70 percent of the time and saves a service call when the burner itself is the issue.
FAQ: Are electric burner coils for Colorado Springs ranges sold at local hardware stores?
Standard coil elements in common sizes are available at hardware stores including Home Depot on Powers Boulevard. However, make sure you match the wattage rating exactly, not just the physical size. Using an element with the wrong wattage rating can overheat the socket and wiring over time. Check the old element for the wattage printed on the terminal block at the end, or look up your range model number online before buying.
Step 2: Check the Infinite Switch
The infinite switch is the component directly behind the burner knob. It controls how much power flows to the element by cycling the element on and off very rapidly. When the switch fails, the burner either does not heat at all, heats only on high regardless of the knob position, or heats only on low. If the swap test showed the socket is fine but the original element is also fine when tested in another position, the infinite switch is the likely cause.
Infinite switch replacement is a technician job. The switch is inside the control panel and requires disassembly of the range’s front panel or top deck to access. Our electric stove repair service in Colorado Springs covers infinite switch diagnosis and replacement for all major brands.
Step 3: Check the Breaker
Electric ranges use a 240-volt circuit that is typically served by a double-pole breaker in your main panel. If one leg of the 240-volt supply trips, some burners may work while others do not. This is more common in older Colorado Springs homes in neighborhoods like Downtown, Old Colorado City and the Patty Jewett area where the electrical panels are older and circuits are more sensitive to overload.
Open your breaker panel and find the stove breaker. It will be a double-wide breaker labeled for the range or kitchen. If it is in the middle position or slightly off-center, it has tripped. Reset it fully to off and then back to on. If it trips again within minutes of using the stove, the range has a short circuit that needs professional diagnosis before you use it again.
FAQ: Why would only some burners stop working at once on my electric stove?
Multiple burners failing at the same time points to a wiring issue, a partially tripped 240-volt breaker (one leg down), or a failing control board. A single failed burner is almost always the element or the switch behind that specific knob. Two or more burners failing simultaneously is a different category of problem that needs a technician. See our overview of common stove problems in Colorado Springs for more patterns to look for.
Glass and Ceramic Cooktop Burners That Stop Working
Smooth-top electric ranges cannot be diagnosed with the swap test. The elements are sealed under the ceramic or glass surface and are not accessible without disassembly. If a zone on your glass cooktop stops heating, the element under that zone, the relay that powers it, or the control board has failed.
According to a report from Consumer Reports, smooth-top electric ranges require professional repair for element failures because the glass surface must be removed to access the elements beneath. This is a mid-range repair cost that is almost always worth doing on a stove less than ten years old. Our glass cooktop repair service in Colorado Springs covers element replacement under the surface without damaging the cooktop glass.
FAQ: Can a cracked glass cooktop still work safely in Colorado Springs?
A hairline surface scratch is different from a crack that goes through the glass. A true crack in the cooktop surface is a safety risk. Electric current runs through elements under the glass and a crack that reaches the element zone creates a shock hazard. Stop using a cracked cooktop until a technician has assessed it. Our glass cooktop crack guide explains when repair is possible and when replacement is the right call. Call Stove Works at (719) 467-3100 for same-day electric stove repair in Colorado Springs.