Hookah Troubleshooting Guide: How to Get Perfect Smoke Every Time

Have you ever run into a situation where you have set your shisha pack in the bowl and heated the hookah coals, yet it is not performing well? Whether you are new to smoking hookah or have been relishing it for a long time, we all have to face such problems from time to time. In today’s Khalil Maamoon blog, we are going to cover some of the frequently occurring hookah challenges and how you can quickly fix them for a smoother smoking session. If your hookah is causing you trouble today, then you have come to the right place. Together, let us check out the significant hookah issues and tricks to resolve them right away.

Situation One: When the Hookah Smokes Harsh or Too Hot.

Fix. If the water in the hookah base is inadequate, your hookah can get too hot and harsh. To start, make sure your hookah is clean. Fill the hookah base with water, and the trick is to have the water level sit around one to one and a half inches above the end of the hookah downstem. It would be around two to three fingers.

Also check if you have added too much heat; too much heat can burn the shisha, making it charred and harsh. 

Situation Two: When the Drag Gets Heavy or When You Get Water in the Hose While Smoking.

Fix. No one appreciates the hose being transformed into a straw. The situation arises when you have too much water in your hookah base. Take out some water from it to keep it under one and a half inches above the bottom of the downstem. Another possibility is that you may have overstuffed your bowl and the juices have dripped into the hookah stem and blocked the airflow, making it heat to take a drag.

Situation Three: When the Hookah Is Not Blowing.

Fix. Believe it or not, it is the most common issue that Hookah enthusiasts face. Here is a step-by-step guide to initially explaining why it is not working and then fixing it.

1. Check if all the hookah parts are connected properly together,  preventing any leakages. Also, ensure all the grommets are secured well at the joints of the hose, base, and bowl. You need to understand that all the grommets are made similarly. Make certain that you have the right type of grommet suitable for each of your hookah parts.
2. Whether you are using a modern silicone hose or a traditional one, you have to thoroughly scan them for any tears or rips and make sure the connective parts are well secured. Finally, give it a few pulls to validate that they are attached properly. When you blow through the hose, if the smoke escapes only through the purge valve, it is all good. If you have been using your silicone hose for more than 40 sessions now, consider getting a new one.
3. Also, open the purge valve and examine the ball bearing. See if there is any residue blocking the smoke from escaping.
4. If you have tried all the above-mentioned things, yet they are not working, then it is time to manage the heat properly. If you fail to add enough heat to your set, you won't get enough smoke output. Make certain that the coals are glowing red before adding them to your bowl. Depending on the size of your bowl, you may have to add two to three units of hookah charcoal. The trick is to let the hot coals sit on the bowl for a few minutes and take a few pulls to help it cook the shisha before you actually start smoking. Keep rotating the coals throughout the session to maintain a significant amount of heat flowing through the tobacco.
5. Despite trying everything we suggested, if it is still not working, then you should try preparing your hookah bowl. Just remove all the shisha from the shisha head, and then try doing it again. It is important to note that different kinds of hookah bowls and hookah tobacco need different packing methods. Check if you are packing the bowl properly. If you have underpacked or overpacked the bowl with shisha, it will fail to bring out the actual flavors. Try to do it using the sprinkling method, as it creates multiple airpockets, facilitating seamless heat distribution.

You can often run into such hiccups while setting up for a session. We hope you find this Hookah troubleshooting guide insightful and handy. If your setup is not performing the way you desire, you may also need to change certain parts. For premium hookah and hookah parts, you can simply browse through our product catalog. Khalil Maamoon only brings you the best, so you can smoke without any worries!

Happy Smoking!