Can You Light a Gas Stove With a Lighter or Matches?

There's nothing more frustrating than having the power go out when you still have cooking to do. You may be wondering if you can light a gas stove with a lighter to ensure your family is fed on time and hopefully avoid any hangry meltdowns.

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The good news? If your stove runs on both electricity and gas, it's possible to fire it up with a lighter or matches. By following some simple steps and keeping safety in mind, you should be able to light your stove and have dinner on the table in no time.

Is It Safe to Manually Light a Gas Stove?

To ensure optimal appliance safety, it's generally recommended to light a gas stove per the user manual instructions. While specific features can vary depending on the make and model of your stove, most gas stoves are designed with burner knobs that connect to a spark igniter. When the knob is turned to the "light" setting, it ignites a spark that safely lights the gas. However, in the event of a power outage, it's considered safe to light certain gas stove models manually.

When the power goes out, gas can still flow to the burners on certain electric/gas stove models, but the lack of electricity will prevent the burner from creating an ignition spark. Fortunately, you can still light the surface burners with a match or lighter.

How Can You Light a Gas Range With a Lighter or Match?

If your gas stove runs on both electricity and gas, you can light the surface burner by following these steps:

• Hold a lit match or lighter next to the surface burner you want to ignite.

• Turn the surface burner knob to its lowest setting.

• The gas should flow to the burner and ignite, creating a flame.

When you use a lighter or match to manually light your gas stove burner, it should stay lit until you move the knob to the "off" position. If the flame goes out, keep in mind that gas will continue to flow to the burner until you shut it off. If you need to relight the burner, make sure you move the knob to the "off" position before your second attempt. Holding a match or lighter next to flowing gas can increase the risk of fire and injury.

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Using a Gas Oven During a Power Outage

While it's possible to light your gas cooktop during a power outage, the oven portion won't work until power is restored. This is because the oven uses a different gas ignition system that utilizes electricity to function. If your power goes out and you have something cooking in the oven portion of your gas range, it will most likely cease to function until power is restored.

Gas Burners Not Lighting When Power Is Working

If your gas burner won't ignite and you're not experiencing a power outage, there may be an issue with the igniter, or the gas may be shut off. In some cases, moisture can make its way into the igniter and render it useless for a little while. Before you attempt to manually light the burner, let the igniter dry out for a bit and try the knob again.

If the gas supply for your stove is shut off, the supply valve behind your stove will be in a closed position. This can easily be remedied by moving the valve to the open position, which should align with the gas line. If you still can't light your stove after adjusting the gas valve or your burners won't ignite after allowing them to dry out, it may be time to call in a professional.