How to Clean & Fix a Faulty Gas Burner
It can be quite common for people who own gas stoves, at some point, to face the problem of an individual burner not working. In the vast majority of cases, this is due to the burner being too dirty to operate. Cleaning the burner should allow you to get the faulty burner working again. Let's look at the process of cleaning a gas burner.
Safety
You can perform these tips without having to shut the main gas supply off to the unit. However, take care not to accidentally knock a burner on so that it releases gas. To access the burners, you need to lift off the top of the stove; this allows you to properly access the individual burners underneath.
In most cases, you can knock the side of the stove with the palm of your hands, and this will usually loosen the top enough to enable it to be lifted up and off. Some gas stove tops are secured by small screws located around the perimeter of the top itself. Remove these and lift the top off.
Use a Needle
Once you have access to the burners, take a small needle and push it into the hole in the igniter. It is common for soot and other debris to block this hole, preventing the burner from igniting. Make sure that you are careful, you don't want to make the hole any wider than it already is. Once clean, use the needle to remove any other dirt you see in and around the burner. Sometimes food or liquid can get into these places. Finally, take an old toothbrush and wipe the burner so the last of the debris has been removed.
Clean the Burner Assembly
The second part of this clean and repair job is cleaning the burner assembly itself. In most cases, the burner assembly can simply be slid away from the port and removed, as it sits on a kind of arm support. If your assembly is screwed in, remove the screws and slide the assembly away from the port.
Take a small brush and clean the holes in the burner. A brush with a head that is small enough small enough to fit in the holes can easily be bought from hardware stores. Once the burner is clean, replace it onto the stove and slide it back in place.
If you have a gas stove which has a faulty burner, there is a good chance that it can be fixed by following these cleaning steps. For further tips or assistance, consult resources like John Hull Electrics.