Has your cooker igniter stopped working? Our appliance engineers offer cooker repairs at low prices and are here to help fix and service your appliances.
Common gas cooker igniter solutions
A gas cooker is an essential appliance in your home; after all, you cook your favourite dishes on it. But a gas cooker can quickly develop problems and most of them are related to the igniter. The igniter is the component that is used to combust the gas coming in from the main gas pipeline. Nowadays, gas cookers have three types of ignition systems:
- Pilot ignition: This type of igniter has to be lit in a manual manner.
- Hot surface ignition: This system uses electronics and consists of a coil that glows and produces heat when an electric current passes through it.
- Spark ignition: This is also an electronic system, but unlike a hot surface ignition, it generates a spark that combusts the gas.
Of course, problems with the igniter vary from cooker to cooker, but there are some solutions that are common to all gas cookers.
1. Inspect the Burners
Before you do that, turn off all the burner dials and close the gas supply. To take a closer look at the burners, lift the top part of the cooker. This is hinged and you can easily lift it. Check for any food particles and grime that might be present around the burner. If there are any, use a soft damp linen-free cloth to clean the burners.
Additionally, take a needle, and with the aid of a magnifying glass, clean any remaining muck between the gas supply and the igniter. Furthermore, don’t ignore the valves, tubes, and holes; clean them as well, but with a cloth lightly soaked in vinegar. Remember that these are sensitive jobs and you will need to be careful while doing them.
To be on the safe side, clean all the burners. Then switch on the gas supply and try again.
2. Check the Gas Supply and the Oven
Have a look at the main gas supply pipeline; make sure there is no leak in the pipe. Furthermore, check the gas valve whether it is operating normally or not. In a few cases, if your cooker’s ignition system is working, then there might be an issue with the oven’s system. You can inspect the gas tank to ensure that the gas levels are optimum.
3. Examine the Electronic Igniter
If your gas cooker has a spark igniter and no spark is produced, when you press the ignition button, there might be a fault with the electric circuit. Ensure that the plug is plugged into the socket and that you are receiving electric power. Sometimes, the plug might have loose wire connections, so you will need to open it up and tighten them.
If everything is fine and the circuit breaker trips, there might be a loose wire between the burner and the igniter. These wires will need to be replaced or tightened, depending on the situation. All in all, if this doesn’t work, the igniter switch is bad and will need to be replaced.
4. Check the Igniter
The igniter might have developed a fault, so there is a way you can perform a diagnosis on it. Turn off the gas supply, press the ignition button and you should be able to hear a ‘clicking’ sound. You will also be able to observe a spark, if it is working correctly. If not, a new igniter will need to be purchased.
But before you do that, clean the igniter; sometimes, it is just clogged with muck and dirt. Take a toothbrush and scrub the igniter’s surface gently and blow on it, when you are done. It is usually located near the burner.
Fast & reliable gas cooker igniter repairs
If you are unsure as to how to proceed with any of the above tasks, then do not fret. It could be a safer bet to call in a qualified service engineer for all your cooker repairs.