Modern gas stoves use an electrical ignition system that creates a small spark to light the gas. The clicking sound is the ignition trying to create a spark. When the flame is lit, the ignition stops trying to make a spark, and the clicking sound stops.
Learn more about why is the gas stove clicking.
However, sometimes your stove doesn’t play ball, and you get a lot of clicking and not so much lighting.
Why does this happen, I hear you ask? Well, let’s take a closer look.
Why Does My Gas Stove Keep Clicking?
Before we look into why the ignition keeps clicking, rest assured that the clicking does not put you in danger.
A problem with the ignition system simply means that the gas won’t light with the press of a button. That doesn’t mean that gas is leaking or there is a problem with your gas supply.
Of course, if you do smell gas or suspect a leak, switch off your gas mains, leave the house and call your utility company.
Now, back to that annoying but not dangerous clicking noise.
Burner Cap
Most of the time, the reason you’re getting a clicking noise and no ignition is because the burner cap is misaligned.
The burner cap is the flat metal disk that sits on top of the burner but below the grate.
When it’s not centered properly it can interfere with the ignition system either by restricting the spark or causing the system to click and spark even when the gas is off.
Moisture
Moisture within the burner can reduce the effectiveness of the ignition system.
Moisture usually gets under the burner cap and into the burner when a pot boils over, or you clean the stovetop. Grease and oil can have a similar effect if they spit out of the pan.
Food Debris
Baked or burnt on foods can block or interfere with the ignition system. It’s important to check your burners after cooking to make sure food isn’t lodged into the gaps and holes of the burner.
It’s much easier to get rid of this food if you spot it before it gets cooked over and over again.
What to Do If Your Gas Stove Keeps Clicking
Before you rush out and book a repair, try checking for the issues above. If you spot those issues, here’s how to fix them.
Burner Cap
If your burner cap is out of alignment, wait until the grate and burner are completely cool to adjust.
Lift off the grate, so you have access to the burner and then lift up the burner cap. You’ll notice that the burner cap has some pins underneath.
You should also notice that these correspond with dips in the burner.
Place the burner cap onto the base making sure it is centered. When properly placed, the burner cap should be level and cover the whole base. It shouldn’t overhang on any side.
Moisture
If the problem is trapped moisture, then you need to dry off your stove top and burners.
The first thing you need to do is remove the burner cap and the grate. Dry both of those off with a kitchen towel or a cloth and leave them to air out.
You can also take a cloth or towel to the top of the range and remove any surface water or lingering moisture. Needless to say, this should only be done when the burners are off.
If there is a lot of moisture, you could consider using the extractor fan or a desktop fan to try and blow-dry the burner in question.
In general, you shouldn’t need to use a fan unless you’re in a rush. Your burners will dry out over the course of a few hours naturally.
Food Debris
If food debris is your problem, it’s probably time to give your burners a good clean.
You can use a 50/50 solution of water and vinegar as a surface cleaner for your burners. Spray them down and let the vinegar get to work for about 15-20 minutes.
Once you’ve let the burners sit you can take a scrubbing brush to them. This should shift any burnt-on food.
Try to avoid using steel wool as it can damage the enamel coating on your burner caps.
If food debris is stuck in the holes and gaps of the burner, use a metal pin to poke it out. Often, it is these blockages that cause your stove to click but not ignite.
Avoid using anything that could snap, like a toothpick, as this could cause further blockages!
Final Thoughts
As annoying as the constantly clicking sound is, you’ll be glad to know that it’s not a critical or dangerous failure.
Most of the time you can fix this issue with a bit of TLC and maintenance.
If the above fixes don’t help, you’ll need to call in a repair company. Don’t try fiddling about with the ignition or gas delivery system yourself. You could cause more damage and put yourself at risk of injury.
