How To Fix Yellow/ Orange Flames On A Gas Stove?

By Consumer Advise Team
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Gas stoves use flammable gases like Liquid Petroleum Gas, Propane, or Butane as fuel. These gases undergo complete combustion which causes little to no pollution and produces blue flames.

However, in some cases or due to some issues in the stove, the gas doesn’t undergo complete combustion and produces yellow and orange flames instead of blue. Yellow flames can turn your cooking pans or other utensils black and may also deal some damage to them.

It’s an issue that needs to be resolved as quickly as possible upon occurrence. But we first have to understand what causes yellow flames, in a worse situation, the orange or red flames. Then, it will be easier to understand how to fix them.

What’s Wrong With Having Yellow Flames On The Stove?

Imagine yourself getting some new shiny utensils for your elegant kitchen.

What if your new and shiny cooking utensils turn black?

That’s right, no one likes that.

We guess you got our point; yellow flames can turn your cooking utensils black which is so hard to clean, and also somehow reduces the overall strength of the utensil. Yellow flames are caused when the fuel undergoes partial combustion which is known to cause more pollution than blue flames or complete combustion.

How to fix yellow and orange flames on gas stove burner

How To Fix Yellow and Orange Flames on Gas stove burner? 

Seeing your gas stove produce yellow flames is a serious sign and needs fixing as soon as possible. Fixing yellow flames might initially seem like a lot to do but in reality, it isn’t. Going forward, you don’t need to panic if you see yellow flames on your gas stove, just a little cleaning and repairs will fix that. Here are the reasons for yellow flames and the best way to fix them-

Your Burner Needs More Air

Getting blue flames is a sign which means the supply of air to the fuel is adequate. Yellow flames mean the burner is not getting enough air to undergo complete combustion. Burners come with an air shutter which maintains an adequate supply of air to the burner. One of the reasons you’re encountering yellow flames could be due to some kind of slight blockage in the air shutter.

The Fix:

Adjust the air shutter accordingly and see yourself if there is any blockage. If there is, remove it. This should fix the yellow flames most of the time.

Your Gas Stove Requires Maintenance

Gas stoves require occasional cleaning and maintenance. Maybe some of the screws need tightening or replacement. Dust can also block the proper supply of air to the burner. Mostly the air shutter of the burner is present just behind the burner gas valve to keep the air supply maintained. A sliding plate covering the air vent of the burner (air shutter) can have problems that need fixing.

The Fix:

Open the stove up. Loosen a few screws and clean all the dust. As for the air shutter, you may need to loosen some of the screws on it that are hindering the air shutter’s movement. Turn on the burner, slowly and carefully open the air shutter so that the burner starts getting adequate air again, do this until the flame turns blue again. Knowing how to clean a clogged gas stove burner will help to solve this problem.

Different Types Of Flames Generated During Cooking

1. Blue Flames

The blue flames are ideal for cooking, it means your stove and fuel both are in good condition and have no problems whatsoever. These flames are generated when the flammable gas LPG, Propane, or Butane undergoes full combustion.

In the case of blue flames, the burner is getting enough air (oxygen) to keep the flame burning at an optimal temperature without any sort of air pollution or turning the pan dark. These flames have the highest temperature so the cooking is faster on blue flames than on any other.

types of flames on gas stove burners

2. Yellow and Orange Flames

As said, blue flames are ideal for cooking as it undergoes complete combustion or enough air is supplied to the burner. In the case of yellow flames, the fuel doesn’t undergo complete combustion due to some kind of issue in the burner or the stove.

Unlike blue flames, yellow flames can turn your cooking utensils black and may also cause air pollution. These flames also have a lower temperature than blue flames which may sometimes hinder the cooking time.

Everything needs oxygen to burn through a process called combustion, if the supply of oxygen, or simply air, is rich, then the flames will turn out to be blue.

Similarly, if the air supply is not enough, the flames will be yellow.

In other words, combustion with the full supply of air(oxygen) is called full combustion and produces blue flames. Combustion with a meager supply of air is called partial combustion and produces yellow flames. Excessive lack of oxygen can cause the flame to show orange color.

3. Red Flames

The ed flames are the worst of them all, it’s also rare to see them. These flames are caused when the fuel undergoes partial combustion and a very little amount of air is supplied to the burner. Seeing red or even orange flames on your gas stove’s burner is a sign you shouldn’t ignore. It means your stove needs replacement or a few repairs here and there.

Conclusion

It’s your utter responsibility to maintain your gas stove’s health to keep the yellow flames away. Yellow flames indeed are not bad just for your gas stove but also for your utensils. No one wants their shiny utensils to turn black and ugly.

Keeping the yellow flames away is not a tedious task to do either. You just have to keep an eye on your stove and burner’s health, especially the air shutter. Yellow flames are caused by a scarce supply of air(oxygen) and the function of an air shutter is to maintain just that.

So, the major and most common cause of yellow flames is some hindrance in the working or movement of an air shutter. Issues related to the air shutter lead to a slight blockage of air which causes yellow flames as said before. So, keep the screws in, and check and clean your gas stove occasionally, that’s the only way to make your gas stove live a healthy life.


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