Vape Pen Clogged or No Airflow? What to Do Next

Clogging is one of the most annoying problems that you can experience with a vape pen. A clogged vape pen can have a variety of symptoms, such as:

• Difficulty drawing air through the cartridge

• Gurgling sounds when you try to vape

• Oil leaking out of the cartridge’s airflow holes

• Lackluster vapor production

Regardless of what symptoms you’re experiencing, the ultimate result of having a clogged vape pen is the same: Your vaping experience isn’t going to be very enjoyable. You could even end up having a leak that causes some of your expensive vape oil to be wasted.

Just about everyone who is new to using concentrate vaporizers experiences a clogged vape pen shortly after they begin using their first device, and the reason for that is because most new vapers use much more air pressure than necessary when they hit their vapes. We’ll explain that issue in this guide – but for now, what you really want to know is how to solve the problem. That’s where we’ll begin.

Remove the Cartridge and Clean It if Necessary

Before you can fix your clogged vape pen, you need to evaluate the state of the cartridge and clean it if necessary. Remove the cartridge from the device and check to see if oil is coming out of the bottom. If the cartridge is leaking, remove the oil using a cotton swab dipped in a little rubbing alcohol. You’ll also need to clean the threading of your vape pen in the same way. Make sure that the contact points on the cartridge and vape pen are completely clean and dry before continuing.

Break the Clog to Get Your Vape Pen Working Again

After you’ve cleaned the leak, it’s time to fix the problem and get your vape pen working normally again. There are two ways to clear a clogged cartridge. You can try them both and see which method works better for you.

• You can use air pressure to dislodge the clog. Take a few short, firm hits and see if your vape pen makes a “popping” sound. If it does, it should start working.
• You can use a tool to break up the clog manually. Either a toothpick or a paperclip can work well. Run it down the cartridge’s mouthpiece until you feel some resistance. Twirl the tool around the clog and see if you can pull the glob of oil up and out of the cartridge. Even if you’re only able to remove a little bit of oil, the cartridge will probably start working afterwards.

If you’re not able to get your vape pen working by following these steps, it’s possible that condensed oil isn’t actually the thing that’s clogging the cartridge. We’ll discuss what you can do in this case

 Check Your Cartridge’s Airflow Collar

If you’re having trouble drawing air through your cartridge but aren’t able to find any sign of condensed oil blocking the airflow, it’s possible that some component of your vaping setup – either the cartridge or the vape pen itself – has adjustable airflow, and the airflow vent is closed. Check for a metal ring near the top or bottom of the cartridge. If you find one, twist the ring until the cartridge’s airflow holes are open.

It's also possible that your vape pen has adjustable airflow. If that’s the case, you’ll find an airflow slider somewhere on the device. Make sure that all vents are open and try using your vape pen again. If you still can’t draw air through the cartridge, it’s likely that there actually is a clog. In this case, you should try the previous steps again.

 Use Your Vape Pen’s Preheating Function to Warm the Cartridge

Condensed oil isn’t the only reason why a vape cartridge can stop working. It’s possible that air is flowing through the cartridge normally, but the cartridge isn’t working right because the oil isn’t absorbing into the ceramic wick. That can happen with extremely thick vape oils, especially when they’ve been stored in cool environments. If this is what’s causing your vape pen not to work, there are two ways of fixing the problem.

• You can use your vape pen’s preheating function if it has one. In most cases, you can enable the preheating mode by clicking your vape pen’s fire button twice. If it works, the device’s light should turn on for about 10-15 seconds and then turn back off. While the preheating function is enabled, the vape pen operates at a low voltage for several seconds to warm the coil. The warmth can help to loosen the oil and make it absorb into the wick.
• If your vape pen doesn’t have an automatic preheating function, you can warm the cartridge by taking several short puffs without inhaling or by pressing your vape pen’s fire button several times briefly.
• You can also warm the cartridge by sealing it in a plastic bag and running warm water over it for a few minutes or by putting the cartridge in front of a heater vent.

If the cartridge wasn’t working because the oil wasn’t absorbing, you can tell that you’ve fixed the issue because you’ll see small bubbles forming around the wick openings at the base of the cartridge. Give the oil several minutes to absorb and try using your vape pen again.

How to Prevent Your Vape Pen from Clogging in the Future

One important thing to remember about fixing a clogged vape pen is that once condensed oil has begun to clog a cartridge’s airflow, there’s usually no way to fix it permanently. In other words, you’ll probably have to continue breaking clogs until the cartridge finally runs out of oil. The good news is that with future cartridges, you can probably prevent the clogging from happening in the first place if you’re a bit more careful.

• The most common reason why vape pens clog is because new vapers tend to use too much air pressure when hitting their vapes. Drawing too much air through a vape cartridge’s tiny intake holes forces oil to flood the coil assembly. The excess oil then begins to creep up the cartridge’s chimney or flow out of the air intake, causing the cartridge to clog. Use slow, gentle air pressure when hitting your vape.
• A vape cartridge can also clog if it’s stored on its side for too long. If you’re not going to use your vape pen for a few days, either store it upright or store the cartridge separately in an upright position.