Important Safety Warnings
- If you smell gas in the room, do NOT attempt manual ignition. Ventilate and contact your gas provider.
- Never allow gas to flow from an open burner for more than 3 seconds without ignition.
- Manual ignition is a temporary measure. Persistent ignition failure requires a technician.
What You'll Need
Step-by-Step Guide
Ventilate the Area
Open a nearby window. Before attempting manual ignition, sniff the air near the range. A faint gas smell is normal immediately after turning a knob briefly. A strong persistent gas smell means there is a leak — do not proceed.
Prepare Your Ignition Source
Light your long-reach match or gas lighter and have it ready before turning the gas on. You want to introduce the flame first, then the gas.
Position Flame at Burner Cap
Hold the lit match or lighter tip close to one of the gas ports on the burner cap — the small holes around the perimeter of the brass ring.
Turn the Knob to Low or Ignite
While holding the flame at the burner, slowly turn the knob to the ignite or low position. The gas should ignite from the flame immediately. Do not hold the knob in the ignite position (which triggers clicking) — go directly to low.
Adjust to Desired Flame
Once lit, adjust the knob to your desired flame level. Confirm the flame is stable and the correct blue color without lifting or blowing out.
Extinguish Your Match Safely
Wave the match or close the lighter. Dispose of the spent match in a non-combustible container.
Why Electronic Ignition Fails
La Cornue's piezo ignition system is highly reliable, but three common situations can disable it temporarily: a power outage cuts the module entirely, moisture from cleaning or boilovers short-circuits the electrode, or the ignition module itself fails electronically. In all three cases, the gas supply is unaffected — the burners can still be lit manually if it is safe to do so.
Oven Burners: A Note
The gas cooktop burners can generally be lit manually. However, the oven burner (on all-gas Chateau models) has a safety gas valve that requires an electrical signal from the flame sensor to stay open. Attempting to light the oven burner manually while the electrical system is inactive will not work — the valve will not stay open. In a power outage, the oven is non-functional on these models.
When Manual Ignition Fails
If you hold a flame at the port and turn on the gas but it will not ignite, the gas supply may be interrupted (check the shutoff valve behind the range), the orifice may be clogged, or the gas pressure may be insufficient. Do not continue attempting. Turn the knob off, ventilate the area, and contact a technician.
Still Experiencing Issues?
Our factory-trained technicians are ready to diagnose and repair any La Cornue appliance.