Gas ranges are more expensive than their electric counterparts, but you may find they're worth the money — you can easily control the flame, the range heats up and cools quickly (great for sauces and woks) and you can tell how much heat you're using by the size of the flame.
Ignition Systems
That flame under your boiling pasta comes from natural gas lit by some type of ignition system. You control the flame with the throttling valve — the knob on the front of the range. Convection, conduction and radiation take over and transfer heat from the burner to the pot. Gas ranges might have one of the following ignition systems.
Pilot. Most gas ranges have a pilot light — a small flame that burns constantly under the center of the range top. When you turn on the burner, gas moves through a small tube to the pilot light. The light ignites the gas and the flame travels back up the open-ended tube to ignite the burner.
Electronic. Many newer ranges have an electronic ignition system. When you turn the control, a transformer and a spark plug generate a spark at the burner, igniting the gas.
Crystal. The less-common piezoelectric crystal ignition system has a small pin that attaches the crystal to the control knob on your range. When you turn the knob, the pin bends the crystal, generating enough electricity to spark and ignite the burner.
Safety
Any appliance that uses natural gas has some risk associated with it. Be aware of these safety concerns.
Gas leaks. A gas leak is life threatening. If you smell gas, leave the house immediately and then contact the gas company. Don't operate anything that could create a spark — light switches, telephones and even doorbells.
Incomplete combustion. The natural gas that supplies your range can create toxic, potentially deadly carbon monoxide if it doesn't burn completely. Protect yourself by installing a range exhaust hood that vents to the outside and by putting a carbon monoxide sensor in your kitchen.
Connecting to the gas source. Have a reputable installer hook up your range. If you're installing it yourself, follow local building codes and the installation instructions. Install a gas shutoff valve in the same room as the range, as close as possible to the appliance.
Common Problems
The burner won't light. Check that you have gas and electricity running to the range and the pilot is burning. If so, you might have blocked gas ports, a faulty gas valve or defective controls.
The burner won't light evenly. The gas ports probably are blocked or dirty.
The flame is yellow, not blue. Adjust the fuel-to-air ratio.
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