The independent appliance repair shop across the Northeast
Gas Burner Won't Light
A gas burner that clicks but won't light is usually a dirty igniter or plugged burner ports, and both are cheap fixes you can start on yourself. You turn the knob, you hear gas, you hear clicking, and nothing catches. Or one burner runs fine while the other three tick forever. It's annoying, and you're standing there smelling gas while you guess. Here's how to sort it out.
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From the technicians at Elite AR
What the clicking (or silence) is telling you
A gas burner needs gas at the port, a spark at the igniter, and a clean path between the two. The sound tells you a lot. Steady clicking with no flame usually means the spark is fine and the problem is gas or blocked burner ports. No clicking at all points to the igniter, the switch under the knob, or power to the range. Clicking that never stops after the burner lights points to a wet or cracked igniter. One dead burner is almost always local to that burner, while all four dead at once points to power or gas supply to the whole range. Start with the cheap stuff.
Cause one: spills, food, and a soaked igniter
This is the most common cause we find, and it costs nothing to fix. Boil-overs run into the burner ports and into the little ceramic igniter beside them, where sugar and grease dry into a shell. Water from a spill or a heavy cleaning soaks the igniter, and it won't spark until it dries out. What you'll see: clicking with no flame, or a burner that lights slow and pops. If the stove was recently cleaned or something boiled over, give it a full day to dry with the knob off. Many stoves come back on their own. If yours doesn't, the ports are probably still blocked.
Cause two: blocked burner ports and an uneven flame
Each burner has a ring of small holes, and debris plugs them. Then gas only reaches part of the ring, so the flame won't carry around to the spark, or you get flame on one side only. You may also see a lazy yellow flame instead of crisp blue. Lift off the grate and the burner cap, which is the loose metal disc on top. Both come off by hand, no tools. Wipe the cap and the burner head with a damp cloth and a soft brush. Let everything dry, then seat the cap flat. A cap sitting crooked will stop ignition all by itself. Stop there. Don't poke anything metal into the holes or near the igniter.
Cause three: electrical and gas supply, not the burner
No click on any burner? Check that the range is plugged in and that the outlet has power. Gas ranges still need electricity to spark. Look at your breaker panel for a tripped breaker. If you have other gas appliances, see whether they work. If the water heater and furnace are also out, the problem is upstream of your stove. One more thing homeowners miss: after a gas shutoff or a new tank, air in the line can take several tries to purge. If you smell raw gas in the room, don't keep trying. Shut the knobs, open a window, leave, and call your gas utility first. Then call us.
What we do that you shouldn't
Past the cleaning stage, the work moves behind panels and into live gas. We test the spark module and each igniter for output, check resistance on the burner switches, and confirm the safety valve is opening. On sealed burner ranges we measure gas pressure at the manifold and adjust the air shutter until the flame burns blue. A lot of what we see in older Northeast housing is a range crammed into a tight kitchen with an old gas line and a shared outlet. We pull the unit safely, check the connection, and put it back. Call us and tell us which burners are dead and whether you hear clicking. That narrows it down before we arrive.
Gas Burner Won't Light — what people ask
Why does one burner click nonstop even after it lights?
Usually a cracked or wet igniter, or a burner switch that isn't releasing. It's not dangerous, but the constant sparking wears out the module. Dry it out for a day first. If it keeps clicking, the part needs replacing.
Is it safe to use the other burners while one won't light?
Generally yes, as long as you don't smell gas in the room. Keep the dead burner's knob fully off. If you smell gas at any point, shut everything off, ventilate, leave, and call your gas utility.
My electric igniter sparks but there's no gas smell at all. What now?
That points to the safety valve for that burner not opening, or a blockage further in. The spark is working, so the igniter is fine. This part sits behind the cooktop and needs a technician.
How it works
- Step 1
Tell us the symptom
Call us or fill out the form and describe what you hear, smell or see. Brand and rough age help. We ask a few questions first so the tech shows up with the likely parts already on the truck.
- Step 2
We come look
Pick a window that works for you. The tech tests the machine and checks power, water and drainage, then tells you what failed in plain words. No jargon. No guessing out loud at your kitchen table.
- Step 3
Repair or straight answer
Most jobs finish on the same visit. If a part has to be ordered, we tell you what it is and why. And if the unit isn't worth fixing, we say that, then you decide.
- A real person answers
- Open 7 days
- Written quote before work starts
Why homeowners call us
- Old houses don't scare usRowhouse kitchens, narrow cellar stairs, stacked units jammed into closets. We've pulled machines through doorways built long before these appliances existed. We protect floors and trim, and everything goes back where it stood.
- Symptom-first diagnosisA dryer that runs cold and a dryer that trips the breaker are two different problems. We test before we replace. That keeps us from swapping out good parts and handing you a bill for nothing.
- Independent, not a brand agentWe repair all major brands and answer to no manufacturer. So we recommend the fix that makes sense for your machine and your budget, and that includes telling you when replacement is the smarter move.
- All major brands, gas & electricIndependent service on Whirlpool, LG, Samsung, GE, Maytag, Bosch, KitchenAid and the rest.
- Straight answersNot worth fixing? We say that out loud, and often it saves you the visit fee.
About this guide
When the easy checks change nothing, it's time for a tech
Describe what you found and we'll take it from there. Booking takes about a minute.
- A real person answers
- Open 7 days
- Written quotes
- All major brands
- Gas & electric
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