Written on: March 22, 2021
With winter finally over here in the Hudson Valley, most of us are looking forward to all that the warmer weather brings, like getting outside, fresh air, and enjoying a dinner right off the grill.
Now is the time to make sure that your propane grill is in good shape. We’ve put together three steps so you can grill without worry. Doing this now lets you spot any problems with your propane grill before grilling season starts. You can decide whether to fix the problems, or upgrade to a new propane grill.
This step is especially important if you didn’t clean your grill at the end of the grilling season last year.
First, use a dry non-scratch sponge or nylon brush to dry-scrub the grates, burners, and inside surfaces. Once you have gotten that layer of food, debris, and dirt off and swept out of the grill, wash everything with dish soap and warm water. Rinse well and dry thoroughly. Don’t forget to clean the grease trap. Replace it if needed. Take a good look at the grates. Are there signs or rust or chipping? Replace them. This is a perfect time to re-season cast iron or metal grates with oil as you would a cast iron pan. This isn’t needed if your grates are ceramic or chromed steel. Use warm, soapy water to clean stainless steel and enameled surfaces. Rinse well and thoroughly dry.
While you are cleaning your grill, you should also carefully inspect it and make sure it’s safe to operate.
The first thing to do is run a leak test. Coat the hoses, valves, and regulator with soapy water, then turn on the propane cylinder. Do you see bubbles anywhere? That’s the sign of a propane leak. Tighten connections and run the test again. If you’re still seeing bubbles, replace the hoses or tank.
Your grill may have had uninvited guests over the winter. Spiders love the warm refuge of your grill’s venturi tubes, which provide the gas to the burners. Unfortunately, they can create blockages in the tubes. Use a bottle brush to clean out the tubes. Reconnect everything, but leave the grates off, and turn on the grill and look for uneven flames or spots where there is no flame. Let the grill cool and use a paper clip to remove blockages in those areas.
Don’t wait until you’re hosting the relatives for a cookout before making a meal on your grill. Grill some meals for just you and your family, especially favorites that you commonly make. See how your grill performs.
Check how much propane is in your cylinder. If you’re low, exchange or refill the cylinder, or buy another one so you’ll be ready for grilling.
Kimlin Energy has the reliable, safe propane delivery you can trust. Become a customer today!