Green Flame On Gas Stove – Is It Normal?
If you use or have used a gas stove in the past, you must be aware that gas stoves usually have blue flames. Hence, if the flame color changes to green, it would definitely look odd, and you might wonder if it’s safe to keep cooking on the gas stove. Green flames aren’t normal on a gas stove, and the stove might need fixing.
Remember, maintaining your gas stove and ensuring it’s in proper order is crucial for the safety of your family. A malfunctioning gas stove may release dangerous emissions that contaminate the food or cause respiratory problems. Keep reading this article to get a better understanding of why your gas stove has green flames, whether it’s safe, and what you can do to fix it.
What Does Green Flame On Gas Stoves Mean?
A green flame on your gas stove indicates that there’s something wrong with the combustion process. After all, the color of the flame depends on the combustion process and what exactly is burning. So, how does the combustion process work in a perfectly functioning gas stove?
Well, the gas stove mixes the gas with oxygen, and the chemical reaction from combustion generates carbon dioxide, water vapor, and heat. This applies to both LPG and PNG gas stoves. When the flame color turns green, it means there isn’t enough oxygen for a high quantity of gas or other substances contaminate the fuel mixture.
What Causes A Green Flame?
There are a few common reasons that cause gas stove flames to turn green. If your gas stove is giving off a green flame, it could be due to one of the following factors-
The Fuel Mixture Is Too Rich
Combustion of excessive fuel with a little oxygen may result in green flames. You should keep in mind that while your cooking gas is highly inflammable, it cannot burn with less oxygen or more fuel. This is why gas stoves need a proper air-fuel ratio. They have mixing tubes that collect oxygen from the air and mix it with the gas that goes into the burners.
Now, when the fuel mixture is too rich, i.e., there isn’t enough oxygen for a high quantity of gas, the chemical reaction would be different than usual. The fuel will still burn, producing carbon dioxide, water vapor, and carbon monoxide. A green flame is one of the potential signs of this issue.
Liquid Cleaning Fluid Left In The System
If you notice a green flame right after cleaning your glass top gas stove with a burner cleaner fluid, this should explain the change in flame color. Some of the cleaning fluid is often left behind in the burners or the pipes leading to it. This fluid contaminates the fuel mixture and burns with it, which might cause green flames. This is especially the case for cleaning fluids that contain chlorine.
Copper Combustion
Another common gas stove problem that results in green flames is the combustion of copper. Corroded copper parts of utensils or tools sometimes contaminate the fuel-air mixture and send copper ions into the flame. This is why it’s important to buy a quality gas stove from a good brand – to reduce the chances of corroded copper components causing a green flame.
It’s also possible that your burner somehow got copper salts in them, which are now turning the flame. If you are using a borrowed gas stove, contact the owner immediately and ask if they have put any copper in the burners. Individuals often do this to deliberately change the flame color without realizing the toxic effects of copper.
Watch the following video to see how does a green flame look on a gas stove-
Is It Safe To Cook On A Gas Stove With A Green Flame?
On noticing a green flame on your gas stove, you might be wondering if it is safe to continue cooking on it. Well, to be honest, this depends on the cause behind the green flame.
If the green flame is due to the presence of copper, you need to stop cooking immediately and fix the issue. The copper gasses contaminate any food or liquid cooked on the gas stove, wreaking havoc on the health of anyone who eats it.
Copper poisoning, especially when chronic, can result in severe issues like diarrhea, kidney disease, and even genetic diseases like Wilson’s disease. Overexposure to copper fumes also causes metal fume fever, which has symptoms like muscle aches, fever, vomiting, etc.
Some cleaning chemicals can be toxic to the users. Especially when you inhale fumes from the combustion of the cleaning fluid, it may severely affect the health. This is why it’s important to carefully wipe and remove all the cleaning fluids once you are done cleaning your gas stove.
Green flames due to a richer fuel-air mixture than usual aren’t that hazardous as the CO levels are relatively low. The flame turns yellow or orange when oxygen levels are dangerously insufficient. Still, you should fix your gas stove because chronic exposure to carbon monoxide, even in small amounts, is not good.
Thus, a green flame on the gas stove is not quite safe and if you have it, fix it immediately.
How To Fix Green Flame On Gas Stove?
So, how can you fix the green flame and ensure your gas stove returns to producing blue flames like usual?
Well, the solution is simple – just fix whatever is causing the flame to turn green.
In case the fuel mixture is too rich, you may have to call a technician to adjust the air-to-fuel ratio. If the burner has copper salts or any small bits of copper, clean it immediately and get rid of the contaminating metal.
If the copper ions are coming from corroded copper parts, you need to get those components replaced. As for cleaning fluid left in the system, just turn off the flame and drain or wipe off the fluid. This will solve the problem with green flames on your gas stove by producing blue flame.
Conclusion
You certainly shouldn’t ignore it when the flame on your gas stove turns green. As described above, it could have negative effects on your health as well as in the cooking environment. Investigate the cause behind it immediately and work on solving the issue before you continue using the gas stove.
If you find the problem complicated, do not hesitate to send the gas stove to a service center if needed. I hope this article was helpful to you and you have now found out what’s causing the green flame on your gas stove and how you can solve it.
