GE Oven Has Yellow or Orange Flame? Here’s Why + How To Fix

A normal GE oven flame should have a clean, soft blue color with defined half-inch (1.3 cm) inner cones. If your GE oven has yellow or orange flames, you might be dealing with a handful of issues that need fixing by you or a professional. 

Here are 4 likely reasons your GE oven has yellow or orange flames: 

• Improper airflow to burners 
• Dirt in the gas line 
• The oven is configured for the wrong fuel
• It’s simply the glow bar igniter

This article explains these four possible causes of an orange or yellow GE oven flame and gives quick and easy troubleshooting tips for each. 

Improper Airflow to Burners 

Oven burners need air and gas in the right amounts to burn. For this reason, they’re fitted with an air adjustment shutter to regulate airflow to the flame. 

You know that your oven has the right amount of air flowing into the burner if the flame is blue, steady, and half-inch (1.3 cm) long. Also, the flame should not extend beyond the baffle plate edges. 

A yellow or orange flame means poor airflow to the burners. In this case, you should increase airflow by adjusting the shutter. 

How To Adjust Air Flow to Oven Burners

To adjust airflow to oven burners and correct a yellow or orange flame, follow these steps: 

1. Locate the shutter at the rear wall behind the valve shield and broiler door. 
2. Remove the bottom cover, burner baffle, and valve shield to access the shutter. 
3. Loosen the Phillips head screw and turn the shutter to increase the air opening. The shutter should be fully open for LP gas and 2/3 open for natural gas. 
4. Retighten the Phillips screw and replace the valve shield, burner baffle, and bottom cover. 

Note: A tiny yellow tipping on flames for ovens using LP gas is normal. The natural gas flame should be clean blue. 

Dirt in the Gas Line

A yellow or orange flame on your oven burners may indicate the presence of foreign particles like dirt or dust in the gas line. This could be caused by soot from incomplete gas combustion, especially with poor airflow. 

How To Eliminate Dirt in the Gas Line

Usually, dirt or dust in the gas line will be pushed out of the line by the gas flow. Your oven should then return to emitting a clean blue flame. If the yellow or orange color persists and you’ve checked the shutter to ensure it’s letting in the correct amount of airflow, call for oven service. 

The Oven Is Configured for the Wrong Fuel 

GE gas ovens are created ready for natural gas connection. But they also come with a liquid propane (LP) conversion kit. 

Your GE oven will have a yellow or orange flame if: 

• The gas pressure regulator and burner orifices aren’t installed properly. 
• The burners are connected to the wrong gas. 
• The regulator and burners aren’t converted when the oven is switched from natural gas to LP. 

How To Fix Wrong Fuel Configuration on GE Oven

First off, the GE Appliances manufacturer recommends that all oven installations and gas regulators or burners are converted by a qualified installer or service technician. In addition, oven LP conversion should be made in compliance with the codes provided by the authority that has jurisdiction. 

Per the codes, if you have a yellow or orange flame that suggests issues with fuel conversion or configuration, contact your oven installer or the servicer to fix any related issues. If the original installer or servicer isn’t available, call another qualified GE oven technician to assess and service the oven. 

It’s Simply the Glow Bar Igniters

GE oven bake and broil burners have glow bar igniters that have an orange glow when the oven is running. As such, the orange flame in the range could well be the glow bar igniter that radiates an orange light. 

What To Do With the Orange Glow Bar on GE Oven

You don’t need to do any troubleshooting. This is a normal oven operation that owners often mistake for a flame. However, in case you suspect abnormal glow bar operation, request professional service, as the issue could be beyond your personal capacity to fix.