This Unrelated Home Appliance Could Cause The Flame On A Gas Stove To Have Odd Colors

It's a disconcerting sight: You're firing up your gas stove to fry some eggs for breakfast, and you notice the flame isn't the traditional soft blue or soft blue with slightly yellow tips. Sometimes the issue isn't serious, but you should always investigate flame changes. For example, a harmless cause of a change in the flame's color is mineralized water vapor, which may come from a common household appliance: an ultrasonic humidifier. 

Humidifiers are a great way to manage humidity levels in your home. But if you use standard tap water, the moisture it emits, containing minerals from the tap, can alter the hue of your stove's flame. This can occur even if the humidifier is running in another room. An easy fix is to switch it off and to only use distilled water in the device. After it's off, the flames should return to blue after a few days. Using distilled water will not only prevent your gas flame color from changing, but also lower the risk of harmful mold in your home, a hidden downside to humidifiers. 

A gas flame that emits an orange or pink color can result from calcium and potassium buildup in the humidifier. If you don't have a humidifier, or if switching to distilled water didn't fix the flame color, make sure the stove's burner cap is correctly positioned on the burner base. You can also check the burner ports for any clogging that may have occurred during cooking. If you find food particles, then it might be time for a deep cleaning of your gas stove.

During any of these steps, if you notice a strong odor of gas, the American Public Gas Association recommends leaving quickly and contacting 911 and your natural gas utility provider immediately. This may be an indication of incomplete combustion, which can emit harmful carbon monoxide that can result in headaches, nausea, breathing problems, dizziness, blurred vision, and even death. The bottom line is: Do not ignore changes in your stove's gas flame color. Always promptly investigate so you can make the right fix and keep yourself and your loved ones safe.