A stovetop burner won't light or heat

visibilityHow to check

1. Turn the burner knob fully OFF and wait a minute for any unlit gas to clear before you touch anything — sitting there clicking with gas flowing lets it build up.
2. Lift off the burner cap and grate and look at the igniter (the small ceramic-tipped electrode beside the burner) and the ring of flame ports. Grease, food, or water bridging the gap stops the spark or blocks the flame.
3. Dry everything completely — a wet igniter won't spark — clear each port with a straightened pin or soft brush, seat the cap squarely so its notches line up, and try once. If it still clicks without lighting when clean, dry, and correctly seated, move up to the spark-module cause.

handymanHow to fix it

With the burner off and cool, lift off the cap and grate, wash grease and food off the burner head, dry it completely, clear each flame port, seat the cap squarely over the igniter, and test once.

1. Turn the burner OFF and let it cool, then lift off the grate and the burner cap.
2. Wash the cap and burner head in warm soapy water, scrubbing grease off the ports and the igniter tip; rinse and dry completely — a wet igniter won't spark.
3. Clear any blocked flame ports with a straightened pin or a soft brush; avoid a toothpick or anything that could snap off inside a port.
4. Set the cap back squarely so its notches line up and it sits flat, then turn the burner on once. A clean, dry, correctly seated burner usually lights right away.

visibilityHow to check

1. With the knob off and the element cool, gently wiggle the coil where it plugs into the socket at the edge of the burner — a loose or arced connection is a common no-heat cause.
2. Lift the suspect coil straight out (they unplug) and look at the two prongs and the socket for black pitting, burn marks, or melted spots.
3. Swap the suspect coil into a known-good spot of the same size. If the trouble follows the coil, the element is bad; if it stays with the spot, the socket/receptacle is at fault.

handymanHow to fix it

Unplug the suspect coil, clean or inspect the prongs and socket, reseat it firmly, and if the element or receptacle is pitted or burnt, replace the matching part for your model.

1. Make sure the knob is off and the coil is cool, then lift the coil straight up to unplug it from the socket.
2. Look at the two prongs and inside the socket: light discoloration can be gently cleaned, but black pitting or melted plastic means the part is done.
3. Reseat a good coil firmly and test on medium heat. If it heats evenly, you're finished.
4. If a prong or the socket is burnt, replace the coil element (or the plug-in receptacle) with the matching part for your model, then test again.

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A weak igniter module and a clogged burner gas port both mean working on the gas path and leak-testing afterward. In Canada that's a job for a licensed appliance technician or gas fitter — the service call is small next to the cost of getting gas wrong. Have them confirm and fix it rather than opening up the gas assembly yourself.