Last Updated on January 24, 2023 by Claire
Sometimes you may notice orange flame on gas stove all burners as opposed to the usual blue flame. You must have also noticed that whenever orange flames coming out of your gas stove burner there is an unusual amount of soot (a sticky black film) built up and transferred to your pots and pans that darkens them, and other effects like reduced efficiency of your gas stove resulting in longer cooking times and gas wastage which can increase your bills by a considerable margin.
Well if you’re worried about why there are orange flames coming out of your gas stove burner, then worry no more! This article is meant to address the issue of orange flame, its causes, how to fix this problem, and answers to some frequently asked questions relating to this topic.
Orange flame on gas stove all burners
An orange flame is simply a result of an imbalance or incomplete complete combustion process (fuel/gas – oxygen mixture imbalance). Per ScienceDirect, incomplete combustion takes place when there isn’t enough oxygen to allow the fuel to react completely with the oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water.
Scientifically, a balanced mixture of oxygen and natural gas will give off the usual “hissing” blue flame which indicates that your gas stove is functioning properly and efficiently. This means that the color of the flame is a good indicator of the amount of heat produced during the combustion process, and it’s also an indicator that the combustion process is balanced and complete.
What causes orange flame on gas stove all burners?
An orange flame on a gas stove may be due to food spillage, a clogged burner orifice, incomplete or imbalanced combustion, increased humidity, or even an incorrect installation of the gas stove.
Clogged burner orifices
Incomplete combustion produces soot which blocks the gas stove burner orifices and inhibits the proper flow of air causing an imbalance in the “fuel/natural gas – oxygen” mixture. The radiant orange glow results from burning soot.
Check the orifices for any clogs that may arise from the soot buildup as it might result in an uneven fuel supply to the burners.
Damaged air shutter
Since not all types of gas stoves have orifices you might be wondering where to look in your particular model. The culprit might be the air shutter.
A damaged air shutter would result in an imbalanced gas supply, thus resulting in orange flames coming from your gas stove.
Wrong type of orifices
One of the issues that could be causing an orange flame is you are using a propane outlet for natural gas or vice versa.
Gas stoves that use propane or natural gas require different air and fuel mixture ratios for complete combustion to occur. If you observe an orange flame, you may need to check the owner’s manual of your gas stove to see if you are using the correct outlets for your type of gas source.
Food spills
Orange or yellow flames may be caused by food (and drink) residues resulting from spillages being burnt on your gas stove burner. Per the Study, “The Na+ ions are responsible for the yellow flame color, and it emits a characteristic yellow color light when we heat food on a flame.”
How to fix orange flame on gas stove
Notice orange flames on your gas stove? You don’t need to get apprehensive, there’s an easy fix for it.
Clean burners
Double-check and ensure that all the burners on the stove are thoroughly cleaned and correctly positioned while making sure that you don’t leave any clogging in the holes or igniter.
Correct orifices
Make sure that your burners have the correct orifices suited to the type of fuel your gas stove uses. To make things even better, you can adjust the brass aperture and change the valve that controls gas pressure.
Humidifier
While humidifiers are beneficial to human health, it’s not advisable to use one alongside a natural gas stove as it inhibits proper combustion. So it’s important to turn off the humidifier when using a gas stove to ensure a balanced combustion process to prevent any orange flames from turning up.
Proper ventilation
Poor airflow inside the kitchen may limit the amount of oxygen accessible to the stove, leading to incomplete combustion and the danger of suffocation due to the competition for oxygen between the gas stove and humans in the kitchen.
Opening all air inlets, such as doors and windows will allow sufficient airflow.
Dismantling and proper reassembling
You need to be handy with tools and have your gas stove owner’s manual on hand to do this.
- Remove the stove’s top grate and lift the top to access the burner piping.
- Find the air shutter (depending on the model, it’s usually located behind the gas valves, plate, or tube covering the burner’s air vent).
- Loosen the air shutter with a screwdriver.
- Then light the burner and regulate the air shutters slowly until you observe a full blue flame.
- Tighten the screws back in place properly.
- Switch off the burner, and replace the stovetop and top grates.
Check your gas stove installation
If none of the other methods work, check your gas stove installation to make sure every connection is done right. You can call an expert to help you in case you’re unsure of what to look out for.
Nothing is working, what do I do?
If you’ve tried all the tips above and none worked for you, then you shouldn’t get too worked up.
You should call in the experts to check out your gas stove and find a solution to your problem for you.
Tip: It’s important not to tamper with anything you’re unsure of to avoid any type of hazards or dangers associated with leakages from gas stoves.
Is the orange flame dangerous?
Yes, orange flames are dangerous. This is because “hissing” blue flames denote proper combustion and consequently the production of normal carbon monoxide levels, while orange flames are usually associated with an increased level of poisonous carbon monoxide gas, which is not safe for human health, utensils and home in general.
The fact is proper ventilation is extremely important when it comes to using gas stoves. Carbon monoxide can prove to be lethal when ventilation is poor as it possesses invisible, colorless, and odorless qualities that enable it to kill.
Even the supposedly healthy blue flame produces some amounts of carbon monoxide which can be lethal to human health if they accumulate in an area without proper airflow. So you must remember to never use gas stoves to warm your home as they lack a vent.
If you notice the orange flames color, then watch out for the following signs of carbon monoxide poisoning:
- Drowsiness
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Flu
- Nausea
- Convulsions
- Dizziness
- Chest pains (for angina patients)
- General achiness and weakness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Impaired judgment
- Hallucinations (arising from the deprivation of oxygen to the brain in severe cases)
- Heightened irritability
- Shock
- Low blood pressure
- Breathing problems
- Hyperactivity
To avoid any of these scenarios, then it’s best to keep the level of carbon monoxide in the home under control.
How to control the level of carbon monoxide
You can easily control or monitor the level of carbon monoxide in your kitchen by installing carbon monoxide detectors in them.
A CO or carbon monoxide detector is a device that detects and measures the amount of gas in a room and lets you know if the gas level is beyond the normal limit to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my gas stove flame orange on all burners?
Yellow or orange flames indicate an improper ratio of the fuel-oxygen mixture, which results in imbalanced or incomplete combustion. Cleaning or a few simple adjustments may be all that’s needed to get rid of this problem.
Can a gas stove flame be totally orange?
Yes, they can. This means you need to thoroughly clean or make some needed adjustments and repairs to the stove immediately.
Can I use my stove if the flame is orange?
Although your stove will come on, it’s not advisable to use it as orange, yellow, or red flames usually mean:
- There is an unusual amount of soot buildup transferred to your cookware that darkens them,
- Reduced efficiency of your gas stove results in longer cooking times and gas wastage which can increase your bills by a considerable margin,
- An increased amount of carbon monoxide is poisonous and can cause severe health problems if accumulated in an area with poor ventilation.
Conclusion
While the blue flame portrays a healthy signal that your gas stove is functioning properly and efficiently, the orange flame is a red flag.
Regular cleaning after meals or deep cleaning once a month will ensure your stove orifices are unclogged and free of dirt or food residues.
Also, keep in mind that orange flames tend to have a rather dangerous influence on our health as they are associated with higher-than-normal levels of carbon monoxide production. So you must ensure you protect yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning and keep an eye out for any gas leaks or breakage.
Lastly, remember to call an expert immediately if you’re unsure of what to look out for or do in case you notice orange flames coming out of your gas stove.
