Fall Check In: Spark Modules and Range Maintenance
With summer officially over, it wouldn’t hurt to check in with your gas range or stovetop to make sure that everything is in order. Today we’re going to check in with our spark module. What does it do? How do we know when it’s working correctly, and how do we know when it isn’t?
The spark module lives in the oven. It is the part responsible for controlling the spark that is used to ignite the burners on the stovetop. A single spark module is all that is necessary to control the spark for each burner on a gas range.
However, these parts can become damaged or worn over time, resulting in some strangeness with the spark module.
Case in point: if some burners are sparking, but one or more burners aren’t, it is most likely a problem with the spark module.
Testing the spark on your burners is easy: when you switch your burner knobs to ignite, the spark is easily visible when looking at the burner. Be careful to not get burned.
Now we know that we can see the spark, and we know that the spark module is responsible for generating the spark that lights the burners. So what happens when we can see the spark and hear the gas coming through the burner, but the burner still isn’t lighting?
Because we can hear the gas in this situation, we know that the range is receiving gas flow. So if one or more of the burners are not lighting, it could be that there is blockage.
It’s easy to remove blockages. Removing a burner is as easy as picking it up off the stovetop (make sure the flame is not on when you do this). You can find a hole for the has on the burner - make sure there is no blockage in this hole. It can be removed with a small, skinny object like a toothpick.
Underneath the burner you will see the gas valve. This can also become clogged, so inspect it and unclog if necessary.
The gas valve is pictured here - it's the center hole.
These are simple tips to help you understand more about why your burners might not be sparking or igniting. Of course this is a specific case and in other situations there might be more to consider - different parts might be affected and might need to be replaced.
In situations where you think that there might be other parts affected, or where there is additional troubleshooting or maintenance to be done, it is always strongly recommended that you do not attempt repairs, replacements, or even more involved inspection without the supervision or assistance of a trained professional.