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Yellow and Orange flame problem on the Gas Burner – Causes, symptoms, solution

To get efficient, effective, and safe gas burner performance, a healthy and clean furnace is mandatory.

But,

How can you know you have a problem with the furnace?

Well, simply the color indicates the condition of the gas burner. Generally, bluish is the common color for your furnace flame. However, you may notice flames of different colors on your furnaces. Yellow and orange colors are common to show up. When this problem shows up, you should show your concern and take the right precautions as well. Otherwise, you may experience some serious problems that you surely don’t want. Trust me. So stick to the end of this content to know what causes this problem, what its symptoms are, and how you can solve this problem.

Is a Yellow or Orange flame on a Gas Stove dangerous?

Well, the yellow, orange or red color indicates high dangers to you and your entire family. When the flame turns yellow or orange, it means your burner is not taking enough air for perfect and complete combustion.

The main problem of incomplete or improper combustion is carbon monoxide. In this improper combustion process, a large amount of carbon monoxide is produced. As you know, it is a colorless, tasteless, and odorless gas that can even kill you. That is why people call it the ‘silent killer’.

You won’t get any sign to take carbon monoxide gas with your breath such as taste, odor, or color. However, when you take this gas during breathing, you may experience headaches, hallucinations, nausea, and even blackouts. All of your family members will be at risk due to the emission of carbon monoxide.

According to the CDC, every year, almost 400 people die by taking carbon monoxide unintentionally. Moreover, more than 20,000 people get injured and visit doctors for the same reasons. That means surely it is highly dangerous.

Along with that, improper combustion means gas wastage. That means you need to pay more energy bills every month for this. I don’t think I need to mention the environmental impact of carbon monoxide and gas wastage. You already know that. So there are diverse negative impacts of this yellow or orange flame.

What Causes the Burner Flame on a Gas Stove to Be Yellow or orange?

Why is my gas stove burning orange? Well, the main cause to produce yellow or orange flame is improper combustion, as I mentioned earlier. It needs a proper mixture of air and fuel to ensure perfect combustion. When by any chance, the supply of fuel gets disturbed, it results in improper combustion. That is when and why the burner flame becomes yellow and orange. There are several reasons for this to happen.

Improper orifices

One of the main reasons for this improper fuel supply is wrong orifices. You need the right orifice for a particular gas. Not all orifices are compatible with all types of gases. For instance, natural gas and liquid propane do not require the same fuel to air proportion. When you pick the wrong orifice, it creates the wrong proportion that leads to a yellow or orange flame.

Fuel greases or oil

Sometimes, your burner may get clogged with fuel greases or oil. If that happens, surely, the fuel supply will not be adequate enough for proper combustion. Consequently, it will result in incomplete combustion and the yellow or orange flame will show up.

Wrong or damaged air shutter

Apart from that, you may have a wrong or damaged air shutter or valve that is not able to ensure proper fuel and air supply. This is common when you use the air shutter for a long time without inspection. That means if you have an old, damaged, or even wrong air valve for your burner, you may experience this problem.

What should be the color of the flame?

The original color of the flame for your furnace is bluish to completely blue. Yes, you may observe some yellowish color right in the middle of the flame. That is completely natural unless the flame turns yellow. A blue flame ensures complete combustion and provides a strong and powerful flame to burn. If you see any other color than blue for natural gas, there is surely some problem with it.

How to fix yellow or orange flame on a gas burner or stove?

If you notice you are having a yellow or orange flame in your gas burner or gas stove or any of the furnaces, you should fix it immediately. However, do you know how to fix this problem? Well, simply follow these processes.

Do proper inspection

The first thing you need to do is to inspect the problem. Since you know what causes the problem, you need to check whether the problem lies. There might be a problem with the wrong or damaged orifice or valve, or there might be a problem with the burner gas line. So to find out the problem, do a proper inspection. Without identifying the problem, you cannot fix the problem.

Change the orifices

If the problem is with the orifice, you need to solve it. You can either change it or repair it if there is any minor problem. Besides, if the problem is for the wrong orifice, you have to change it and install the compatible one.

Clean the burner

Sometimes, grease or oil grows up in the burner which prevents proper fuel supply. To solve this problem, you need to open it up and clean it smoothly. It is not a big deal to clean up the burner even if you are not a professional. Clean thoroughly and remove all the greases and oils grown up in the burner.

Change the valve

If you find out the valve is creating the problem, it is time to change the valve. After using the burner for a long time, it is common for the valve to be damaged. Sometimes, people even install the wrong valve. So if the problem is with the valve, replace it, and solve the problem.

Hire a professional

However, sometimes, it becomes harder to find out the problem and inspect it properly since not everyone has proper knowledge about the problem. In that case, it is better to hire a professional. A professional will easily find out the problem and solve the problem effectively and professionally. It will save your time tough cost you a few bucks.

How to prevent these flames from coloring up?

You can avoid all those troubles if you take proper precautions. So here are the precautions you can take to prevent these yellow or orange flame problems.

  • You should install a carbon monoxide detector that will detect the carbon gas level and keep you safe.
  • Make sure you do furnace/heating maintenance professionally regularly to ensure everything is running well.
  • Always use proper equipment for your burner or stove or other furnace machines to prevent this problem.
  • Have an eye on the flame when firing the furnace and take action quickly whenever you see something unusual.
  • Keep your burner clean all the time since a dirty burner can clog the fuel supply and create improper combustion.

Conclusion

In conclusion, you must ensure a blue flame instead of an orange, yellow, or red flame in your burner. Otherwise, you may experience some serious danger that you surely don’t want. So make sure you inspect everything to solve the yellow color flame problem as quickly as you see it.

Also, make sure you take proper prevention measurements so that your burner does not show any yellow or red flame. You know, prevention is better than cure. We have portrayed to you the reasons, symptoms, and solutions to this problem. Follow all those and ensure safe and healthy performance for your burner.

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