An Amy Deluxe hookah would not smoke well if there is any problem in the entire setup. A stepwise inspection is necessary, followed by relevant troubleshooting to fix the detected problem. Let us discuss the most common reasons and the applicable remedies for how to fix a hookah if it’s not smoking well.

Insufficient Heat

A hookah may have insufficient heat in certain circumstances. You may have chosen very few charcoals. The charcoals may not be of good quality. You may have placed the charcoals on the foil too soon, when they were not hot enough. There could be errors in packing the bowl and foil. The charcoals may have excessive ash as they burn out, and this could prevent heat transfer to the shisha in the bowl, and hence the poor quality smoke.

Insufficient heat issue is very common, and it has a few swift remedies depending on the actual problem. You can replace the charcoals. You can add a few if there is a lot of shisha tobacco in the bowl. You can check the foil if it is improperly wrapped. If wind and other local factors are affecting the performance of the charcoals, then you can use a heat chamber, or some kind of cover for protection. If heat or lack of it is not the issue, you must proceed to the next step. 

Air Leakage

A hookah should be perfectly sealed at all its junctions or connectors. If there is any leak or a malfunctioning seal, then the hookah will not smoke well. Leaks don’t just let air out. They also let the heat and smoke out. You need to check for air leakage, starting from the top.

If the foil is wrapped properly, and there is no blockage inside the bowl, then look for leakage in the grommet that is inserted into the top of the stem. This grommet ensures a firm fit for the bowl atop the stem. A leaking, unsealed or malfunctioning bowl grommet will lead to very little smoke or none at all. Replace this grommet. Do not use electric tape or such materials to seal the bowl grommet. Hookah bowls get hot, so does the grommet. You don’t want melting glue and plastic when you smoke.

Leaks may also develop in the base grommet, which is where the stem is fitted into the glass vase. This is the largest grommet in the entire hookah setup, so any leak in this seal can potentially be the biggest. Replace this grommet. You can use electric tape or other such materials to fix the leak and ensure a proper seal.

The leak could also be in the grommet in the hose port. Replace the grommet or use some tape. If none of the grommets is the problem, then you may have leakage in one of the components. Your hose may have a tear or crack. Stems, bases and bowls do not usually have leakage, and any physical damage to these parts would be obviously visible. Yet, there is a faint possibility of a part to have cracks. You can seal this crack, unless it is somewhere in the bowl.

Air Blockage

Blockage is not as common a problem as leakage, but it can happen. Shisha tobacco may jam the hole in the base of the bowl. Debris buildup, gunk and other residues may block the stem. There can be some blockage in the hose. You will need to remove the charcoals and the bowl, while the rest of the setup is in order, and draw air to be sure that there is no blockage. Then, put your finger atop the stem to block, and inhale again to see if you can draw in the air inside the apparatus. If you cannot in either of the two scenarios, then there is blockage. A thorough clean is an easy remedy for this problem.

Purge Valve

The purge valve may appear to be the most insignificant component in a hookah, but it serves a quintessential purpose. If the purge valve does not work properly, your hookah will not smoke well. This could be due to two issues. The ball bearing in the purge valve may get stuck inside the cap. There could be a leak in the valve.

If your hookah is set and ready, blow through the hose and see if purge valve lets out the smoke without any issue. Then, open the cap of the purge valve, and see if the ball bearing is stuck inside. The ball bearing is supposed to be lifted up inside the chamber when you use the purge function. It is supposed to be drawn into the connector when you draw smoke. A stuck grimy ball bearing should be cleaned and inserted back.