Why the burner on a gas stove does not work: common reasons and ways to solve them

Regardless of the model and manufacturer, a gas hob may stop functioning properly at any time. The flame is the wrong color or not uniform, the ignition does not want to work as expected, the gas control solenoid valve closes - there are many possible problems. And, if the burner on the gas stove does not work, then, first of all, you want to contact the company with which you have a contract for the supply of blue fuel.

However, you must admit that paying a lot of money to call a specialist, when it is possible to solve the problem yourself, also does not make much sense. Why involve gas workers if you can restore the functionality of gas equipment yourself. This is a little against the rules, but with the right approach to repair work it is quite acceptable.

Finding out the causes of the problem

If a burner on a gas stove does not burn well or does not ignite, you must first disconnect the equipment from gas and electricity. Inspection and repair of the hob may only be carried out after shutting off the gas fuel supply.

Basic security measures cannot be neglected here.

Whether or not the smell of gas is felt in the kitchen after the burner goes out does not matter; any manipulations to maintain gas equipment should be performed only with open windows and good natural ventilation of the room

Many modern gas stoves are equipped with electronics and automatic ignition systems that require electrical power. Often, inexperienced home craftsmen, when working with a gas hob, forget about this feature of this device. As a result, methane vapors ignite from sparks. Therefore, before starting repairs, it is recommended to disconnect not only the stove itself, but also all electrical appliances in the kitchen.

Problems with gas stove burners arise due to:

• incorrect operation of the solenoid valve and/or thermocouple;
• nozzles clogged with grease and soot;
• faulty spark plugs;
• long break in gas equipment maintenance.

Owners of private houses and apartments where there is a gas stove are required to enter into contract for regular inspection of the equipment in question with a specialized organization. Without such an agreement, gas will not be supplied to the consumer.

And gas workers should come at least once a year, checking the functionality of the hob and, if necessary, immediately repairing it. All other calls are paid separately.

If problems with the stove arose during the period between routine checks, you will either have to call a technician again or carry out the repair yourself

Moreover, if during self-repair of burners and other hob devices they are damaged, then it is prohibited to turn on the faulty device without the gas technicians. Even if the stove is more or less operational, then during an annual inspection a gas company specialist will identify a breakdown and immediately shut off the gas until the defects are eliminated. And these are inevitable additional expenses. Plus, they may also impose a fine.

It is recommended to undertake the repair of a gas stove with your own hands only if you are absolutely sure that you will do everything correctly. There are no particular difficulties in this work, but you can break something through carelessness or ignorance.

The problems are the following:

1. The flame is not blue in color - there is not enough oxygen or too much gas is supplied to the injector.
2. The burner does not light - the spray holes are clogged with soot or thermocouple is faulty or a candle.
3. The fire goes out - the gas supply is cut off due to a faulty gas control or problems with the gas pipe.

You can clean or replace the burner on your gas stove yourself. But if the problem area is the meter, the gas pipe itself (cylinder) or an external gas sensor, then it is better to refuse arbitrariness.

In such a situation, you should seek help from the gas workers responsible for the serviceability of the VKGO and VDGO.

Self-repair instructions

According to the law, only a specialist from a service company has the right to replace burners and other elements in a gas stove, with which you must have concluded a corresponding agreement. However, if there is an urgent need, you can carry out minor repairs yourself, and say that this was done to avoid more serious problems.

If after such DIY work the stove works properly, then the gas workers will not be able to make any claims.

The first step before starting any inspection and/or repair of a gas hob is to disconnect the equipment from gas and electricity.

Before starting work, you should remove all sources of open fire from the kitchen and prepare a flashlight so that you can look into the farthest corners of the gas appliance.You will also need a wrench, a screwdriver and pliers.

If the burner does not light, you must first check the presence of gas in the pipe (cylinder). Perhaps the problem lies not in the gas equipment at all. Only after it is clearly determined that the problem point is the hob, should you begin to inspect and disassemble it.

Situation #1 – the flame is not blue

If everything is in order, then the gas above the burner should rise from all nozzles with an even blue flame. If there are pink or yellow shades in the fire, then methane (propane-butane) does not have enough oxygen for normal combustion.

State standards for kitchens with gas stoves set an air exchange rate of 100 cubic meters/hour - if the air supply or exhaust is less, then the gas will not burn completely

If the flame is not blue, then the reason for this must be sought in the ventilation. Methane simply does not have the required volume of oxygen for complete combustion.

To solve this problem you need to:

• provide additional air flow by opening the window or transom wider;
• check the hood for clogging;
• reduce the gas supply to the burner by closing the valve slightly.

If the air exchange is normal, but the fire is still not the proper color, then it is necessary to adjust the minimum flame level.

The flame level in the gas burner (1) is adjusted using a special adjustment screw (3) on the valve stem (2)

When the screw is turned inside the tap, the plate responsible for the mixing ratio of gas and oxygen shifts. It is necessary to set it to the desired position, and then light the burner to check the color of the flame.

Situation #2 – the valve opens with difficulty

If the gas control valve on the stove turns with difficulty, then inside its mechanism, grease has adhered to the rod, preventing the free movement of the handle. It is necessary to remove and clean it from dirt.

The handles are usually located on the front panel of the gas stove. To clean, repair or replace them, you don’t even have to lift the top panel of the stove

The handle is cleaned of grease using a regular soap solution and water. Afterwards it is wiped dry and dried, and then lubricated with a thin layer of lubricant and put back.

Situation #3 – burner nozzles are clogged

Grease and/or soot accumulated in the nozzle outlets is the most common reason why a gas cooktop stops working.

If the gas stove burner stops turning on and doesn't light up, then the root of the problems must first be sought in this place.

Each soup that escapes from the pan onto the burner is an additional drop of greasy dirt not only on the top surface of the stove, but also inside the burner

The design of the hob is such that most of the food debris that falls on it remains on top of the tile. Only its upper surface and the grate on which pots and pans are placed are dirty. However, even a small part of this fat still gets into the burner holes and under it into the gas supply channel. As a result, at some point, blue fuel simply stops being supplied for combustion.

To clean the burner nozzle, you must:

1. Remove the grate, divider and burner, and then lift the top panel of the stove.
2. Clean and rinse the burner in warm water and soap or detergent.
3. Clean the gas supply pipe under the nozzle.

It is recommended to clean the holes in the burner from dirt using wooden toothpicks.If you use metal objects for this, you can widen the holes too much. Then the flame will burn unevenly.

The internal pipe under the burner has a diameter of up to 1 cm. It can be cleaned using a thin metal wire. Toothpicks won't help here. They are too small and fragile. If cleaning the injectors does not help, you will have to resort to their replacement.

Situation #4 – incorrect ignition operation

Each burner has a flame sensor from a thermocouple and an electric spark plug (if this function is provided). Both elements are designed for long-term operation in burning gas at high temperatures. However, over time, even they burn out and fail.

When the flame goes out, the thermocouple uses an electromagnet to shut off the gas supply to the burner, thereby preventing its accumulation in the kitchen to explosive concentrations

If gas comes out of the burner when the valve is open, it hisses, but does not light up with automatic ignition, then the problem is in the spark plug. It is necessary to check the electrical wiring for breakdown multimeter, as well as the reliability of its connection to the terminals.

If the insulation of the wiring is damaged, it is best to replace the cable. Moreover, it must be exclusively in a heat-resistant braid. You cannot cover the damage with electrical tape. The metal body of the gas stove heats up to fairly high temperatures. Regular electrical tape will eventually melt.

The candle itself can only be cleaned of carbon deposits using sandpaper. If there is no scale, and the wire passes current properly, then the spark plug will have to be changed.

If, after ignition, the fire above the burner goes out, then the problem point is the thermocouple, which is responsible for monitoring the presence of flame in the burner

To restore the functionality of the thermocouple, it is necessary to clean its tip, which is on fire, with sandpaper to remove carbon deposits. Plus you need to check the wire connection contacts and the wiring itself. If this does not help, then only replacement will help.

If one burner on a gas stove does not work, then the cause of the problem should be sought precisely there. This may be due to clogging of the burner holes with grease, or to the combustion of a thermocouple or spark plug. But if all the burners do not work, then you first need to check the gas supply to the gas equipment.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

What to do if the burner on the gas hob does not light:

Why the burner on a gas stove does not light up or goes out:

A malfunctioning gas stove is not only an inconvenience with cooking, but also a possible fire due to the pop of gas. If a malfunction is detected, the hob should be repaired immediately.

You can clean and replace nozzles or thermocouples yourself, but in case of more serious problems you will have to call a specialist. And, before calling the gas workers, you should carefully inspect the equipment to identify the cause of the breakdown. It is likely that you will not have to pay for calling a specialist.

Has your gas stove broken down? Do you have experience fixing it yourself? Then share your knowledge with our readers. You can leave a comment under this article. Also comment below if you need any help on the above topic.