Any microwave could face a typical problem related to not heating capacities and needs for fixation efforts. The complete list of major reasons for the microwave failures includes: negligent attitudes to microwave maintenance and working requirement, problems with heating controlling elements like high-voltage capacitor, thermal protector, high-voltage diode and magnetron are a complete list of major reasons.
Microwaves are simple kitchen appliances that save our time and heat any meal without significant effort. According to the American retail forecast, the microwave market has had stable tendencies and permanent sales during the last five years. Such demand will increase interest in spare parts and consultations about technical failures.
In this guide we are going to sum up all detected breakdowns and ways to repair microwaves of any model and brand. Our specialists have rich experience and practical skills to determine the significant reasons for electric food cooking and heating devices.
How Does A Microwave Work?
Regardless of brand or set of customer-preferable options, this food heating gadget consists of a high-voltage capacitor, diode, thermal protector, magnetron, and other arti
. High accuracy to pre-repair investigation allows you to anticipate microwave maintenance activities.Their well-coordinated operation launches a heating mechanism splitted into the following steps:
- Upon the correct plug connection, the backend part containing all voltage regulating items begins to heat the microwave’s inner space.
- Under safe electromagnetic radiation waves, water elements of the alimentary products start to move and be heated.
- The reasonable condition to provide expected results of the microwave work is the food or liquid contained should be located in the central part of the device. In other words, put a dish in the middle of the moving transparent plate.
The perfect microwave work depends on external factors that also provoke food not heating effects. The technical formula for satisfactory microwave operational frequency stresses a directly proportional connection to light speed and inverse wavelength.
Anyway, all electric devices require careful maintenance and strict adherence to the relevant purchase guidelines.

The most common reasons for problems with microwave heating
Different triggers usually provoke this operation failure. Some are pretty minor, and any user can solve them by themselves following the qualified recommendations of the maintenance services. However, many cases concerning high-voltage capacitor omissions require a careful approach and professional examination of your kitchen equipment to keep its functionality and save your money.
So, minor triggers are pretty clear and appear due to the user’s insufficient attention to some important actions facilitating the regular operation of quickly heating devices:
- Incorrect heating period scheduled on a timer. Due to busy lifestyles and high tiredness, we may mistake hours and minutes to cook a favorite dish. In this case, you may wait for a long time if food is heated longer than it is usually set for a particular type of product or dish.
- Alimentary products used to heat are inappropriate for microwave ovens. The most frequent problem is inattentive attitudes to cooking recommendations described in the manufacturer’s guidelines, the recipe tricks, or packaging instructions for frozen products. All careless actions could be easily under fixation.
- A problem provoked by door switch disturbances. Sometimes you may shut the microwave door imperfectly and leave a narrow space. However, several situations qualify such problems as severe device breakdowns requiring a professional diagnosis.
Major reasons for a microwave not heating
The problems of higher difficulties requiring a special attention of the microwave owners and qualified service workers refer to key heating elements absence or lack performance of which significantly jeopardize the microwave oven goal:
- High-voltage capacitor. This facility is responsible for the accumulation of electrostatic fields. The microwave oven’s high-voltage capacitor failure will lead to the absence of waves generated and even buzzing.
- High-voltage diode. A diode is an element within the microwave case that transmits voltage in one direction and blocks reverse movements. The microwave not heating effect will be detected if the diode standard operation fails and the user hears the respective noise.
- Magnetron. In precise words, the magnetron is a basic microwave problem that demonstrates poor heating, buzzing, and roaring.
- Thermal protector. This element is important for safe microwave heating, and its repair should be accompanied by professional support. The work failure will become a kitchen disaster and intense buzzing, vibration, acid ash odor, or smoke.

How to fix a microwave?
The key rule you should remember is to call a service center once you notice signs of serious working omissions to your microwave because its repair is mostly related to specific troubleshootings actions or element replacement. Significant problems related to restrictions of heating functions for electrical appliances are subject to a qualified diagnosis of professional service centers. Such practical evaluation guarantees quick and qualitative repair resulting in a well-operating device.
Microwave not heating problems marks as serious could be solved via adjustment measures including:
- High-voltage capacitor. If a diagnostic confirms the capacitor inequalities, a repairman should examine it thoroughly, and the broken device should be replaced. However, before a specialist decides to make such a radical decision, he can examine the capacitor parts including diodes and small elements. He checks the failed capacitor functions and cleans it up from external pollution agents using special diagnosis tools.
- High-voltage diode. To renovate your microwave, which has a failed high-voltage diode, a repairman should apply technical knowledge and assume an easy solution for microwave renovation. Diode is a frequent reason of not heating consequences due to a high risk of this microwave element wearing. The solution is pretty simple and means completely replacing the broken element.
- Magnetron. The repair approach is similar to the two cases above and it is complemented by a full replacement of the failed part in most cases.
- Thermal protector. Its element structure is too complicated due to numerous tiny mechanisms and parts. So, if a manual diagnosis and multimeter verification stress a failed protector, this microwave heating-supportive part is replaced with a new one.
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According to voltage transition principles and radiation waves, these microwave ovens become dangerous for humans if they do not provide safe heating. However, knowledge about microwave structure and operation particularities does not empower you to solve all problems by yourself. Indeed, minor defects could be eliminated without external help and, otherwise, significant failures are under control by experienced specialists.
Never refuse an idea to call a repairman if you notice buzzing, strong noise, acid smoke or abnormal functions of your food heating device. A simple request to diagnose your microwave helps to save your time and device from unreasonable decisions of self-repair actions.
FAQ
A repair of your microwave does not depend on factors like time, maintenance center fee, and a damage degree. Anyway, fixing activities are worth implementing because they mostly require a replacement of the failed part.
Fixing microwave heating problems is a challenging task. However, there are cases related to primitive interventions to renovate the standard functions of your microwave.
The replacement costs of the broken magnetron vary between 100 to 200 USD. The precise value depends on the device brand and the damaged item’s state.
Causes for magnetron failure are diversified and correctly detected upon a proper qualified diagnosis. They include cracked magnetron provoking intense overheating, voltage pressure, damages of some smaller parts melted or burnt and magnetron terminals lost, etc.
A magnetron could be worn out when a set operation period is over. The performance capacities expire approximately every two thousand to eight thousand hours.