A gas burner can click because its ignition system is trying to light. Clicking after the controls are off, or a burner that never lights, needs a different check from the normal clicks heard during ignition.

If you smell gas

Leave the building immediately. Do not operate switches, plugs or phones inside. From a safe location, call 911 and Nicor Gas at 888 642 6748. Nicor’s gas safety instructions explain what to do when you suspect a leak. Do not wait for an appliance appointment.

Clicking without a gas smell

Check that the controls are fully off. If clicking started after cleaning or a spill, moisture can be involved. GE advises allowing wet igniters to dry and notes that several burners may click when only one is being lit.

Once the stove is off and cool, check that removable burner caps sit in the positions shown in the manual. Follow its cleaning instructions for the burner and ignition area. Cap shapes and cleaning methods vary, so do not interchange caps or enlarge burner openings.

A burner still will not light

Turn the control off rather than leaving gas flowing while you investigate. Note whether the problem affects one burner or all burners, whether sparks are visible, and whether cleaning preceded the problem.

An ignition problem can involve more than one component. Include the brand, model and symptoms in a stove or range repair request. Describe the actual problem rather than ordering an igniter from the sound alone.