Pan Burner Soot: Normal Flame Characteristics and Cleaning Tips

A practical guide to understanding and maintaining pan burner soot, explaining normal flame characteristics and providing simple cleaning techniques for effective fireball maintenance.

Written by Rett Rasmussen

Updated at February 25th, 2025

+ More

Pan burners naturally produce a yellow, smoky flame with characteristics that might seem concerning but are actually normal during operation. The woodlike flame generates black soot, which can accumulate on the surface of your fireball during use.

While the soot might look unsightly, it's a standard byproduct of the burning process. Fortunately, there are simple maintenance techniques to manage this residue effectively:

  • Clean soot when the fireball is extremely hot
  • Use a spray bottle with water
  • Spray the sooty areas to dislodge residue
  • Allow dislodged soot to travel up the chimney

Important note: While these cleaning methods won't restore the FireBalls or logs to its original pristine condition, they will help maintain its functionality and appearance between uses. Repeat the cleaning process as needed to keep your pan burner in good working condition.

cleaning techniques soot buildup

Popular Articles

  1. 2024 MSRP Price List for Rasmussen Gas Logs, Alterna Contemporary Gas Fires and Chillbuster Vent-free log sets. Effective September 5, 2023
  2. How to light the pilot on your gas log set - general instructions
  3. Adding Logs to a Vented Gas Log Set
  4. 2025 Solaire Retail Price List, PDF and XLS format, effective March 20, 2023
  5. Rasmussen Vented Gas Logs Brochure
  6. Alterna Vent-free (FireBalls, FireShapes, FireStones) Instruction Manual
  7. Platinum Gas shuts down after a short time
  8. Identification of Burner Features to Clean - Vent-Free Gas Log Sets
  9. #1 Vent-Free Issue - Nuisance Shutdown (or difficulty lighting) ODS Pilot

Related Articles

Expand