This one needs a licensed pro
Call a pro: a yellow flame
A gas burner flame should not be yellow. Turn the heater off and call a technician.
Why this happens
Bob Vila warns that a yellow flame could mean the appliance is releasing carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless and toxic gas. That points to a combustion problem that needs a technician, not a homeowner adjustment.
What to do right now
- Turn the heater's gas control to off, following the label on the heater.
- Keep people and pets away from the heater area.
- If you smell gas at any point, leave the house and call 911 and your gas utility from outside.
- Call a licensed plumber, a water heater technician or your gas company.
What to tell the plumber
- The burner flame was yellow or orange.
- The make, model and age from the data plate.
- Whether you have a working carbon monoxide alarm and whether it went off.
Build the full list: what to tell the plumber.
Start this troubleshooter over
References (every fact above comes from one of these pages)
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