How to Fix a Gas Stove That Won’t Light Leave a comment

A gas stove or gas cooker, in some quarters, makes the job of whipping up meals super convenient. And with different models and types, you get to choose the one that works best for you.

Aside from cooking food pretty fast, gas stoves are ideal for cooking even when there’s a power outage and they also help save costs in the long term.

However, unlike electric stoves which instantly turn on when you hit their switch, gas cookers require ignition.

Once the burners are ignited, you can use a gas stove to start cooking. Unfortunately, certain situations may arise where the ignition fails and the light just won’t come up no matter how many times you twist and turn the knobs.

The good thing is that the issue is, more often than not, something you can resolve on your own. We will discuss how to fix a gas stove that won’t light in this article.

 

Possible Causes of a Gas Stove that Won’t Light

 

• There’s a loose connection
• It’s clogged with food debris
• The igniter is faulty

 

There’s a loose connection

 

In truth, a stovetop hardly comes with several moving parts but regardless of this, there’s still a chance for certain connections to come loose, especially during the cooker’s installation or cleaning.

Thus, if the wires that connect the control apparatus to the igniter aren’t properly connected, you will not get the required spark needed to ignite or light up the burner.

 

Solution

 

The first thing you should do is to switch off the power to the appliance and unplug it from the wall. If its breaker switch is on, you should flip it to turn it off too.

Now, take out the grate and burner cap from the erring burner. Also, remove the sealed burner case. While at it, be sure to check for any loose connections or disconnected wires.

If you see any, try to secure and reconnect them properly. Now, reinstall the burner base along with its cap and grate and restore power to the stove before testing the connection.

 

It is clogged with food debris

 

Sometimes, the connection may not be the cause of the gas cooker not igniting or lighting up. It could be something as little as food particles.

Since your gas stove is used for nearly all of your cooking, there’s likely going to be a buildup of grease or food crumbs on the cooktop.

This is a rather common cause of gas burners that are unable to ignite as debris is likely blocking gas flow to the igniter.

 

Solution

 

To resolve this, take out the grate covering the affected burner. Now, remove the burner cap which should easily come off easily.

If the sealed burner base doesn’t lift off easily, you may need to unscrew the coupling with a screwdriver.

Afterward, clean the surrounding area with a warm, soapy piece of cloth. Take the sealed burner base and soak it in vinegar or warm water.

With a stiff brush, gently scrub off any particles or debris. Furthermore, clean any remaining food particles out of the burner holes using a sewing needle, toothpick, or compressed air.

Finally, reinstall the burner, cover, as well as its grill, and try to ignite it once again. If the light still fails to come up, then it’s possible there is a puncture in the gas supply line or a much bigger issue. In rare cases such as these, you will need to call a professional to have a look at the unit.

 

The igniter is faulty

 

After securing any loose connections and scrubbing off debris from the burner base, if your gas cooker still doesn’t light up, then you may have a faulty igniter on your hands.

One quick and easy way to tell if your igniter needs replacement is by turning off the lights in the kitchen or room and turning the gas stove’s knob to ignite it.

If the sparks from the igniter show as yellow or orange rather than bright bluish-white, then it is time to get a new igniter.

 

Solution

 

You should start by disconnecting the gas and power to the cooker first. Next, take out the burner cap, and with the aid of a hex driver or screwdriver, remove the burner base.

The wires coming from the igniter should be disconnected next. Generally, igniters utilize a quick disconnect system which basically means you will not have to cut or splice wires.

Check the model number of your gas stove to know the exact replacement igniter you will buy. After getting it, install the new igniter and put the burner base, cap, and grate back in their rightful positions.

Lastly, reconnect gas and power to the cooker and try out the new ignition by turning the knob on. If for some reason, none of these solutions fixes a stubborn burner, you will probably have to get a replacement for the igniter switch and or the igniter control module.

To make things easier, get in touch with an experienced professional for a more in-depth diagnosis of your gas cooker.

 

Last Words

 

Trying to cook your favourite meal during your free time and your gas stove just won’t turn on can be annoying.

If after trying the remedies discussed in this article and your cooktop still won’t light up, then we recommend calling a professional for help.

However, if you’re using a very old gas stove, you should probably consider changing it to a new one altogether.