Stovetop habits like lining drip pans with foil, using pans much wider than the burner and cleaning gas burners carelessly can overheat the cooktop around a coil or keep a gas burner from lighting. Bare drip pans, pans sized to the burner, and gas parts washed gently and dried completely keep both kinds of stovetop working as designed.
Mistakes at a glance
| Habit | What it leads to | Do this instead |
|---|---|---|
| Lining coil-burner drip pans with foil | Extra heat sent into the cooktop around the burner | Leave drip pans uncovered, and clean or replace them when stained |
| Using a pan far wider than the burner | Heat trapped between the pan and the cooktop | Keep overhang to about an inch on each side |
| Covering gas grates or lining the cooktop with foil | Blocked airflow around the burners | Keep foil off the grates and cooktop entirely |
| Letting boilovers dry in gas burner ports | Clogged ports and slow or uneven lighting | Clean spills once the burner is cool |
| Cleaning burner heads with ammonia | Discolored burner heads | Use mild dish soap and hot water, with a soft brush or plastic pad |
| Putting burner heads back while still wet | Moisture in the ignition and flame ports | Let every part dry completely first |
| Setting burner pieces back crooked | Uneven flames and ignition trouble | Seat every piece properly and level |
The ones that matter most
Foil in the drip pans
Foil-lined drip pans look tidy, but they change where heat goes. GE Appliances says not to use aluminum foil to line drip pans, and on gas cooktops not to cover the grates or line any part of the cooktop. GE's coil burner guidance explains that covering drip pans with foil transfers more heat to the cooktop, and says to keep the drip pans under the burners uncovered.
Pans much larger than the burner
A wide pan on a small coil holds heat against the cooktop around it. GE says oversized pans trap heat between the bottom of the pan and the cooktop surface, and that pans should not hang over more than one inch on each side of a burner. On an 8-inch burner, that means a pan no wider than 10 inches. Large stock pots belong on the large burner.
Cleaning gas burners the wrong way
Gas burners have small flame ports, and a pot of pasta that boils over can leave starch in them, so wipe spills up once the burner is cool. When the parts come off for a proper clean, GE's burner cleaning steps call for mild dish soap and hot water, with a soft brush or a plastic scouring pad for stubborn spots, and warn that ammonia will discolor the burner heads. GE also says to rinse off all the cleaner, to make sure every part is completely dry before it goes back, and to seat the pieces properly and level. Water left in a port, or a piece sitting crooked, can give a weak or lopsided flame and keep the burner from lighting. Smooth-top habits are covered separately in glass cooktop habits that cause scratches and cracks.
If you smell gas, don't try to relight anything. Leave the home and call 911 or your gas utility from outside.
Signs it's already caused a problem
- A gas burner that clicks but won't light, or lights only part of the way around
- Yellow, lopsided or lifting flames on one burner
- Discolored or warped trim around a coil burner, or a drip pan that looks scorched
- A coil burner that heats unevenly or only works when you wiggle it
- A cooktop surface that gets unusually hot around one burner
If a burner still won't light once the parts are dry and seated, the igniter or spark module may need stove and cooktop service.
Sources
- GE Appliances: Range and Wall Oven, Using Aluminum Foil or Silicone Liners
- GE Appliances: Electric Range, Surface Seems Too Hot on Coil Burner Models
- GE Appliances: Gas Range and Cooktop, Cleaning Burner Heads and Under the Burner Assembly
Habit to keep: No foil anywhere on the stovetop, and no burner part goes back on until it's completely dry.
If a burner still won't light or heat evenly, call ProFix San Antonio at (210) 761-6006.