Gas Burner Won't Light
You turn the knob. Click, click, click. No flame. Maybe you smell a little gas, maybe nothing at all. One burner is dead while the other three light fine. Or the whole cooktop clicks and nothing happens. This is one of the most common calls we take across LA, and the fix is often smaller than you think.
- Safe checks only
- All major brands
- Written quotes
- A real person answers
- Open 7 days
- Written quote before work starts
Taking calls until 5:00 PM PT
What the clicking actually tells you
That click is the spark igniter firing. If you hear it, the electrical side is doing its job. The gas side is the suspect. If you hear nothing at all on one burner, the igniter for that burner is likely dirty, cracked, or wet. If every burner clicks nonstop even when the knobs are off, a switch or the spark module is stuck. Take ten seconds to note which pattern you have. Clicking with no flame, no click at all, or clicking that won't stop. That single detail tells us where to start before we ever open the truck.
Cause one: a clogged or wet burner (cheapest fix)
Boil-overs are the most common culprit. Pasta water, marinara, bacon grease. It runs into the burner ports and hardens. Gas can't get to the spark. In coastal homes, salt air adds corrosion around the igniter tip. In valley kitchens, baked-on grease is the usual story. The tell: the burner lights weakly on one side, or lights after a long delay with a small pop. Cleaning the cap, the ring of ports, and the area around the igniter solves a surprising share of these calls. It costs you a little scrubbing and no parts.
Cause two: igniter or spark module trouble
Igniters are ceramic with a metal tip. They crack. They get soaked when you wipe the cooktop. A wet igniter won't spark until it fully dries, sometimes a full day. If one burner never clicks but the others do, that igniter or its wiring is the issue. If all burners click continuously, the spark module or a shorted knob switch is sending a constant signal. That one is worth shutting the cooktop off at the breaker and calling. Continuous sparking with gas flowing is not something to live with while you wait.
Cause three: gas supply and the safety valve
Some ranges have a safety valve behind each burner that only opens when it senses heat or spark. If that valve fails, you get a perfect spark and zero gas. You may also have a supply issue. Did the gas company do work on your street? Is the range shutoff valve behind the unit partly closed after someone slid the range out? In condos and older LA apartment buildings, we sometimes find a building shutoff was touched during other work. Do not chase gas fittings yourself. That's the line where homeowner checks stop.
Safe checks you can do right now, and what we do next
Safe: pull off the burner cap and ring when the stove is cold, wash them, dry them completely, and reseat them square. Clear the little ports with a paperclip, never a toothpick that can snap off. Check the igniter tip is dry. Confirm other burners work. Unsafe: opening the range body, touching gas lines, or bypassing a valve. If you smell gas, leave and call the gas utility first. We arrive with a meter, test spark voltage and valve continuity, verify gas pressure at the manifold, and swap only the failed part. Call us and tell us the click pattern.
Gas Burner Won't Light — quick answers
One burner clicks but won't light. Is that dangerous?
Gas is releasing while it clicks, so don't let it run. Turn the knob off, air out the kitchen, and stop using that burner. Clean the cap and ports first. If it still won't light, get it looked at.
Why do all my burners click even when the stove is off?
Usually a stuck knob switch or a failed spark module, often after a spill soaked the control area. Shut the range off at the breaker and call us. Constant sparking near gas isn't worth waiting out.
I cleaned it and it lights slowly with a pop. Still a problem?
Yes. Delayed ignition means gas pools before it catches. That's usually partly blocked ports or a weak spark. Clean again and dry fully. If the pop returns, have the igniter and burner checked.
How it works
- Step 1
Tell us the symptom
You call us or type it into the form. Leaking, buzzing, not draining, blinking code. We ask a few questions and note your brand and model so the van is loaded right.
- Step 2
We pick a window
Arrival windows get built around real traffic, not wishful thinking. Tell us about gate codes, HOA elevator hours, or a tight parking situation and we plan the route around it.
- Step 3
Diagnose, then repair
Our tech opens the machine, tests the part that failed, and explains what he found in plain words. You approve the work before anything gets ordered or replaced. Common parts ride along.
- A real person answers
- Open 7 days
- Written quote before work starts
Questions worth asking any repair company
Ask these of anyone you let into your home — us included. Call and we'll answer all five before you book anything.
- 1Ask for their license numberThen verify it with your state licensing board rather than taking it on trust.
- 2Ask for proof of insuranceLiability cover protects you if something goes wrong in your home.
- 3Get the quote in writingIncluding the trip fee, whether it's credited against the repair, and parts.
- 4Ask how they handle callbacksIf the same fault returns, what happens? Get the answer before work begins.
- 5Check their own reviewsLook the business up independently — their Google profile, not just what they tell you.
Why homeowners call us
- Stacked units and tight closetsApartment and condo laundry lives in a closet with two inches of clearance. We pull, service, and reset stacked washer-dryer sets without wrecking drywall or the drain pan underneath.
- Coastal air, valley heatSalt air rusts hinges and control boards near the water. Inland heat cooks compressors and dryer vents. We check for the wear your zip code causes, not just the part you called about.
- HOA-aware visitsBuildings have rules. Loading dock windows, service elevators, insurance paperwork, quiet hours. We work inside those limits so your manager stays calm and the repair still happens on schedule.
- Four states, one callCalifornia, Nevada, Arizona, and Oregon. Same intake, same questions, same plain talk about the repair. One number to remember when the second home or the rental unit acts up.
- All major brands, gas & electricWhirlpool, Samsung, LG, GE, Maytag, Bosch, KitchenAid and more — as an independent repair company.
- Straight answersIf it isn't worth repairing, we'll say so — often on the phone.
About this guide
If the safe checks didn't fix it, the fault is real
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
Rather not call? Get a free quote →