I think my gas range needs repaired.

[Jerry1]

DW was cooking today and the range started acting up. My guess is that the gas regulator is going and I was hoping someone could confirm my suspicion. The oven was on (@ 350 degrees) and the soup pot was on a burner set to low. DW noticed an off smell and realized that the burner had gone out. I turned it back on but realized that opening the door to the oven seemed to create a suction and the burner would go out. It wouldn’t do it if the burner was turned up, but on low, it would go out when I opened the oven door.

I don’t know if the door was creating a vacuum or what but it seems like this indicates a problem with the regulator. In addition to today, a few weeks ago I noticed that the flames on the burner wasn’t pure blue (some yellowing). The oven was also on at that time. Hasn’t happened again but obviously I’m starting to sense a problem in the making.

Not trying to get a diagnosis over the internet, but I’d like to get my thoughts together before I call someone. Insight on this would be appreciated.

 

[calmloki]

Have you lifted the range top to expose the burners and plumbing to them? There are rotating covers around openings on the tubes to the gas burners that regulate the air/gas mix, any chance there is a bit of boiled zucchini over one of the openings or maybe a cleaner disturbed the location? Do all burners have yellow flame or just one? Big believer in percussive maintenance here - rap on regulators with screwdriver handle while burner is operating.

This guy and some others have different ideas which are probably as or more likely.

 

[frank]

you might want to ask the neighbors and see if the problem is in the main gas line. sounds like low gas pressure, which could be the regulator. it seems strange that more than one burner would run out of pressure at the same time if plugged. if there has been any construction in your neighborhood on the gas service there might be a wider problem. I would see if the gas company would come and check the gas pressure at the shutoff valve at your house and go from there.

 

[marko]

I'll usually tackle anything involving electrical or plumbing. Gas......I leave to the pros. I have no sense of smell so that would make things doubly dangerous.

 

[Jerry1]

I would see if the gas company would come and check the gas pressure at the shutoff valve at your house and go from there.

Good idea. Good first step. Thanks

I'll usually tackle anything involving electrical or plumbing. Gas......I leave to the pros. I have no sense of smell so that would make things doubly dangerous.

I’m just educating myself. There’s no way I’m messing with a gas line.

 

[calmloki]

Good idea. Good first step. Thanks



I’m just educating myself. There’s no way I’m messing with a gas line.

No sense of fun. playing with gas can be an uplifting experience. much as playing with electricity can put a sparkle in your eye.

 

[Sunset]

OP - did you test the other burners to see if they do the same thing ?

If you open the oven door really slowly, does it not happen ? Suggesting that the suction effect of opening the door is pulling more gas to the oven and the stove burner is deprived of gas for a second , allowing the flame to die.

Personally, I've thought of switch to an electric oven, (have used them before). I like being able to have a pot on the stove very low and know I can leave the house for an hour, or just have open windows and there is no flame to blow out. Plus now some folks say breathing the gas is bad for the health.

 

[f35phixer]

If you decide time for new stove, get induction!!!!! It is the bomb, you might need new cookware, you a magnet, it’s it sticks it’s able to be used with induction tech…

You’re welcome.

 

[Jerry1]

OP - did you test the other burners to see if they do the same thing ?

If you open the oven door really slowly, does it not happen ? Suggesting that the suction effect of opening the door is pulling more gas to the oven and the stove burner is deprived of gas for a second , allowing the flame to die.

That is what is happening. Not only does it happen with all the burners, it happens when the oven is off (re-tested this morning). I can’t imagine how opening the door (creating a suction) is pulling gas from the burner unless the valve from the oven is open - in which case, why wouldn’t I smell gas (plus I have a gas detector next to the range).

Either way, I’m working on getting someone out here. Looking at reviews this morning.

 

[frank]

probably the outside valve or the regulator is either defective or your mainline lost pressure somehow. best to have the gas company check their valve first so you know the problem is in the house. do you have any other gas appliances you are using that are having problems?

 

[REWahoo]

probably the outside valve or the regulator is either defective or your mainline lost pressure somehow. best to have the gas company check their valve first so you know the problem is in the house.

^ This.

Call the gas company first rather than be on the hook for what could be an unnecessary service call to an appliance repair company.

Many years ago I had a problem with our gas furnace and it turned out to be due to low gas pressure at our house.

 

[jim584672]

If you decide time for new stove, get induction!!!!! It is the bomb, you might need new cookware, you a magnet, it’s it sticks it’s able to be used with induction tech…

You’re welcome.

Nobody says, "Now you are cooking with induction". Gas is the best.

 

[Jerry1]

do you have any other gas appliances you are using that are having problems?

Interesting, I did notice that my water heater (40 gal gas) started making a knocking noise a few weeks back. I was ready to replace it but it’s a 6 year warranty appliance and looking at the tag, it was built 10 years ago, so still relatively new and not leaking.

The furnace seems to be working fine.

I’ll call the gas company. Thanks all for that advice.

 

[freedomatlast]

First thing to check is whether there's a regulator outside the house where the gas line enters the house and whether that's working correctly. Hard to believe, but in some municipalities they don't have regulators at each house and just depend on system pressure (which is very low) for everything to work properly. In these types of systems variation in pressure can be substantial.

 

[frank]

most meters have ports where they can check the pressure going into and out of the outside meter that way the gas company can eliminate themselves as the problem or fix it. it is not uncommon around my area to have gas meters leak and loose pressure.

 

[Jerry1]

most meters have ports where they can check the pressure going into and out of the outside meter that way the gas company can eliminate themselves as the problem or fix it. it is not uncommon around my area to have gas meters leak and loose pressure.

My meter definitely has ports that they can check. They put in a new line a few years ago and a new meter and I saw them test it then.

 

[jsncpa]

Post title immediately reminded me of a joke...
“Hey, you know anything about gas stoves?” “No, you know anything about parachutes?”

 

[frank]

any updates on how this turned out?

 

[OldShooter]

Nobody says, "Now you are cooking with induction". Gas is the best.

Sorry, no. My guess is that you have never spent any time cooking on an induction stove. We put one in at our new lake home and almost immediately replaced the city home gas cooktop with an induction cooktop. Induction heats faster and reacts to settings faster while concentrating the heat in the cooking utensil rather than wasting it heating the air over the stove.

The only issue with replacing gas with induction is that induction needs much more electricity than gas, so a heavier circuit (like 40 amps) must be installed.

 

[f35phixer]

Thanks OldShooter, Saw this ridiculous statement and was getting ready to reply...

 

[f35phixer]

Another fun TRICK with Induction, here on the bay we fry fish, oysters, soft crabs....

Put down a couple pages of newspaper down and then put cast iron skillet on top, fry away and clean ups a cinch.... Do that with gas, have to move grates, clean both grates and under grates...

 

[MC Rider]

A bad pressure regulator killed the burners in our gas furnace with soot, and the water heater too. We were told if pressure is too low the flame is weak and sooty and ruins things. That was over $2,000 when it was fixed and done with new water heater, new regulator, new furnace burners.

 

[Jerry1]

any updates on how this turned out?

No, sorry, I’m just not using the range at the moment. Got distracted by some other issues. I will call the gas company on Monday and report back once I have their findings.

 

[More Cowbell]

No, sorry, I’m just not using the range at the moment. Got distracted by some other issues. I will call the gas company on Monday and report back once I have their findings.

So what did the gas company say? Or have you been grilling/microwaving/eating out all this time?

There was a 30s house in my community that was destroyed by a gas explosion in the 70s. The 80s German movie “Marriage of Maria Braun” made an impact on me as well.

 

[indiajust]

i made it a practice to clean the burners. Regulators are passive, so if you lost pressure you will need to swap the orifice if the pressure delta is permanent.