Many La Cornue gas burners can be lit with a match or long lighter when the electric spark does not work. Whether yours can depends on the model, so confirm it before the next storm instead of during one.
A safe manual lighting routine
- Open a window and make sure there is no gas smell.
- Strike the match or lighter first.
- Hold it at the burner, then turn the knob to the light position.
- Confirm the flame has caught around the whole cap before moving away.
- If it does not light in a few seconds, turn the knob off and wait a minute.
What does not work without power
The electric oven elements, lights, clocks, induction hobs, and the hood blower all need electricity. A gas oven may rely on an electric igniter or safety device and should not be forced to light by hand unless the manual says so.
After power returns
Turn off knobs left open, and expect a surge to have reset clocks or tripped a breaker. If an induction hob or control no longer responds, a surge may have reached the electronics.
Preparing a storm kit
Keep matches or a long lighter, a flashlight, and the number of your gas utility in a drawer near the kitchen. Know where the range shutoff and the main gas meter shutoff sit. A few minutes of preparation before hurricane season is worth more than any fix afterward.
Candles and flashlights are safer than open flames near a gas smell. If you cannot be sure the area is clear, leave the match unlit and wait for ventilation.
If anything behaves oddly after an outage, we test the supply and the safety devices. Read our range repair page and see where we serve in Houston.