Dacor Cooktop Repair

Dacor builds cooktops in two very different technologies. The gas models use sealed burners with electronic spark ignition, often with lit control knobs, and they range from 30-inch units to wide professional-style rangetops. The induction models use copper coils under a glass surface, driven by power electronics that create a magnetic field to heat the pan directly. A clicking gas burner and a dead induction zone have almost nothing in common, so the first step is knowing which you own.

On gas units, the classic complaint is a burner that keeps clicking after it lights, or clicks all at once when one knob is turned. Spill-over water or cleaner seeping into a spark switch behind the knob is a frequent cause, as is a cracked igniter or a misaligned burner cap that will not hold the flame against the flame sensor. Weak, yellow or lifting flames usually trace to a clogged burner port. On induction tops, the faults are electronic: a zone that will not detect the pan, an error and shutdown from overheating when the cooling fan is blocked, or a failed power board after a storm surge.

Owners can safely do a good deal here. With the knobs off and the cooktop cool, make sure every burner cap is seated flat and the ports are clear; a dry toothbrush works better than water. Let a wet cooktop dry overnight before deciding a spark switch has failed. For induction, test with a pan a magnet sticks to firmly. If you smell gas that does not clear quickly, leave the house and call the gas utility or 911 from outside.

On gas units we test each spark switch, igniter and the spark module. On induction we check the cooling fan, temperature sensors and the generator boards for each coil.

Igniters, switches and knob lights are modest repairs. A cracked glass top or a failed induction power board is costlier, and we compare it honestly with replacing the cooktop, keeping in mind the cutout must match.