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In most cases, it can be pretty scary to hear odd noises like a whining noise from your gas cooktop or gas burner, not knowing the most likely cause behind it. You don’t know where the problem is, whether in the gas connections or your gas appliance, like in the burner head, regular vent, or the stovetop. And it could have been going on for a few hours. No matter what kind of sound it is coming from your gas burners or gas appliances, whether a continuous clicking sound or something else, it’s daunting, mainly when it depends on a gas supply. In many cases, you can get anxious too turning or even being near the spark ignition switch in your gas stoves, you don’t want too much gas used, or you don’t want to use the gas supply anymore. And it’s understandable since you might not know the most likely cause of the other noises you hear in your appliances.
Like most other appliances at home, gas cooktops have distinct sounds. You can always hear the initial hiss of gas after turning on the burner or the clicking sound made by the igniter.
There’s no need to worry if you’re concerned about them, as most gas cooktops emit these sounds. Things can take a turn for the worse when the hissing or clicking sound doesn’t seem to stop. Instances exist where the noises persist even when you aren’t cooking anything.
Imaginations are bound to run wild with the stories you’ve probably heard about a gas leak, faulty spark electrode, natural gas without a distinct smell to warn you of gas leakage, and many more. Therefore, to put your mind at ease, we have created this guide to explain what might cause these noises in your gas cooktop. We have also tried to provide the best possible solutions to your issues. Please remember that you must practice caution when dealing with gas appliances.
So, let’s get started!
Is a hissing sound coming out of your gas cooktop? If yes, it might be because of an imbalance in the fuel-to-air ratio. As you may know, the fuel needs to mix with the air for the burners to ignite, giving rise to the initial hissing sound we hear after turning on the burner.
However, this sound shouldn’t be too irritating or last a long time. The incorrect fuel-to-air ratio might be very prominent when the cooktop starts making a louder hissing noise. An imbalance in the ratio often gives flames yellow tips instead of the typical blue hue.
You don’t have to worry much about this loud hissing sound, as you can quickly fix it with a few things. Even though you won’t need to work with the gas line, it is always recommended that you turn off the fuel supply before working on the cooktop.
All that needs to be done is to remove the burner caps, heads, and even the top cover of your stove until you expose the air shutter. If you haven’t tried to adjust the air shutter before to shut the weird noise the gas stove makes, look at your gas cooktop’s manual if you aren’t sure where the air shutter is situated. The air shutter is usually close to the burner tube, and you’ll notice a screw nearby.
To expose the air shutter, use the screwdriver to adjust this screw near the burner tube and make the slot smaller or larger. When you notice yellow-tipped flames accompany the hissing sound, make the slot smaller, as it’s usually a sign of too much air in the gas. And you don’t want that too much air as your goal is for the flame to be bluish.
One thing to note is that you might need to make adjustments a couple of times to finally get the hang of it. Be patient and check the flames for a bluish hue after the adjustments to ensure the perfect ratio.
As we already said, a typical sound associated with a gas cooktop is the clicking noise the igniter makes. It should last for about three seconds after you have turned the knob to ignite the burner because it lights the burner with a spark.
However, many people complain that the igniter may make a clicking sound for a long time without turning on the burner. This might be due to a faulty switch or a broken spark electrode that helps the igniter light the gas.
The igniter may also start clicking if something boils over and spills on the burner. As a result, the igniter will attempt to start the burner but will not succeed due to the excess moisture. Due to this problem, an igniter may still make a clicking noise when the knob is turned off.
When the burner is wet because you spilled something over it, you only need to let it dry out for a few hours. Make sure to turn off the igniter’s electricity before you leave the stove to dry. If there’s too much spillover liquid on the cooktop, try switching on your oven at 175°C for 30 minutes to help it dry out.
In other cases, you may remove the burner cap and clean the igniter by rubbing some alcohol on the dirty area. Ensure the liquid has dried off completely before putting back the burner cap, and it should be good to go.
One sound that does call for trouble is when the gas cooktop makes a whining sound due to a problem maintaining proper gas pressure. The problematic gas pressure usually points to a fault in the gas regulator, and in most instances, it needs to be fixed by a professional.
Even without the sound, you may notice issues with the regulator, as the burners give out a weak flame. We recommend contacting the brand’s customer care to book an appointment to have your gas cooktop fixed. They usually replace the faulty regulator with a new one to ensure no gas leakage while maintaining uniform pressure.
That’s everything we had to tell you about why your gas cooktop might be making noises. As you can understand, most problems are easy to resolve if you’re attentive to them.
However, as gas is highly combustible, you should always be careful while working near it and turn it off before cleaning the cooktop. We would also recommend calling for professional help if the smell of gas accompanies the weird noises or other noises and you suspect a leak in the pipeline.
If the clicking stops and yet, after a while, the clicking issues return, or you have a continuous clicking sound, and you’ve tried everything, or you’re facing other problems concerning your gas stoves or gas ovens, you can always contact a professional technician. It’s understandable to be cautious and not want to tinker with gas cooktop burner heads, gas ranges, or anything related to gas flow and supply.
At Gold Coast Plumbing Company, we have licensed, qualified, and experienced gas fitters. If you hear a strange noise coming from your gas stovetop or suspect a problem in your gas line, give us a call. We offer same-day service for any gas plumbing emergencies.
We have reached the end of this guide. Hopefully, you will be able to eliminate the noises in your gas cooktop as soon as possible.
