What a healthy burner looks like
Light the grill on high and look along each burner. A good one produces an even row of short, steady flames, mostly blue with maybe a touch of yellow at the tips. The flames should be roughly the same height from one end of the burner to the other and shouldn't lift off the ports or flutter wildly in still air.
When that pattern breaks down, something is wrong. Sometimes it's grease, spider webs or rust flakes blocking ports, which a cleaning fixes. Sometimes the metal itself has failed.
Symptom, likely cause, and what it means
| What you see | Likely cause | Replace or clean? |
|---|---|---|
| Gaps in the flame line | Clogged ports from grease or debris | Usually clean first |
| Large, ragged flames from a few spots | Ports rusted open or a split seam | Replace |
| Flame coming from the side or bottom of the burner | Hole or crack in the tube | Replace, and stop using it until then |
| Mostly yellow, lazy flame | Blocked venturi (often spiders), poor air mix | Clean the tube; see the yellow flame guide |
| Burner won't light past the first few inches | Blocked tube or heavy port clogging | Clean; replace if ports are corroded |
| Visible flaking, scale or thin spots | Corrosion | Replace |
| Burner sags or is warped | Repeated overheating | Replace |
| Flames fine, but grill still won't get hot | Regulator, valve or gas supply | Burner probably isn't the problem |
How to pull and inspect a burner
Most built-in and freestanding gas grills let you remove burners without tools or with a single screw or cotter pin at the back. Check your manual first.
- 1
Shut off the gas and let it cool
Close the tank valve or the supply shutoff. The grill should be completely cold.
- 2
Remove grates and heat plates
Lift them out and set them aside. Now you can see the burners.
- 3
Release the burner
Remove the clip, pin or screw at the rear. Lift the back of the burner and slide it backward off the valve orifice at the front.
- 4
Inspect it in good light
Look for flakes, split seams, holes and ports that have grown into slots. Press gently with a thumb; healthy metal doesn't flex or crumble.
- 5
Check the inside of the tube
Shine a light into the inlet end. Webs, nests or rust scale here cause many yellow-flame and backfire problems. A flexible venturi brush clears them.
- 6
Reinstall carefully
Slide the burner's inlet fully over the valve orifice before seating the back. A burner that misses the orifice is a fire hazard. Then light it and check the flame.
Cleaning versus replacing
If the metal is sound and the problem is blockage, cleaning is all you need. Use a stiff brush along the ports (brushing side to side, not into the holes, so you don't push debris inward) and a straightened paper clip or small drill bit by hand for stubborn ports. Don't enlarge the ports. Then run a venturi brush through the tube. Our guide to spiders in burner tubes covers the inside of the tube in detail.
Replace the burner when the metal has failed. Corroded ports can't be cleaned back to their original size, and a split seam will only get bigger. Running a failing burner also overheats the heat plates above it and can scorch the valve area below.
Brand burners or universal?
Replacement burners made by the grill's manufacturer fit exactly and keep the designed flame pattern. Universal burners can work on some models, especially simple tube burners, but length, inlet shape and port layout all have to match. Our OEM vs. universal parts guide explains where that tradeoff makes sense.
Things that make burners last longer
- Keep heat plates intact so grease doesn't drip straight onto burners.
- Clean the firebox regularly so grease doesn't pool under burners and cook onto them.
- Run a venturi brush through the tubes each spring, before grilling season.
- Don't leave the grill on high for long periods with the hood closed and nothing on it.
- Near the coast, have burners checked at every cleaning; salt accelerates corrosion.
Common questions
Should I replace all the burners at once?
If they're the same age and one has failed, the others are usually close behind. Replacing them together keeps the heat even across the grill. If only one burner got damaged by a grease fire, replacing just that one is fine.
Are cast brass burners better than stainless?
Cast brass is very durable and resists corrosion well, which is why some premium grills use it. Good stainless burners also last a long time. Either beats thin or plated steel.
Can a tech replace burners on a built-in without removing the grill?
Yes. Burners come out from the top, so the grill stays in the island. See our burner replacement page.
Related guides and repairs
Yellow Flame on a Gas Grill
What a yellow flame on a gas grill means, when a little yellow is normal, and how to clear the blockages that usually cause it.
TroubleshootingWhy Your Grill Won't Get Hot
The common reasons a gas grill runs cold, in the order techs check them, including the regulator reset that fixes many propane grills.
TroubleshootingSpiders in Burner Tubes
Spider webs in burner venturi tubes are a common cause of weak flames and flashback fires. Here's how to spot it, clean it and prevent it.
Buying adviceOEM vs. Universal Grill Parts
Which grill parts are fine to buy universal, which should always be original, and how to measure so a replacement actually fits.
Buying adviceRepair or Replace Your Grill?
A practical way to decide whether your grill needs a few parts or a replacement, based on what techs actually check first.
RepairBurner Replacement
Rusted, cracked or split burners replaced with matched parts, set on their orifices and tested for clean, even flame.
RepairUneven Heat & Hot Spots
One side burning, the other barely warm: clogged ports, damaged burners and warped heat plates found and fixed.
RepairLow Flame & Weak Heat
Flames stuck on low and a grill that won't get hot: regulator bypass, blockages and gas supply problems diagnosed and fixed.
RepairFlare-Ups & Grease Fires
Constant flare-ups and grease fires traced to their cause, with damaged parts replaced and the grease path cleared.
Not sure about your burners?
Send a photo of the burners pulled out, or of the flame on high, and we'll tell you whether they need cleaning or replacing.