A gas grill that has sat under a cover for a few months is not quite the same grill you put away. Hoses dry out, insects move in, and Houston humidity gets to work on the metal. A short check before the first cookout helps you catch trouble while the grill is still cold.
Set aside about twenty minutes and work through the steps below in order.
Look before you light
Start with the gas off and the lid open. You are only looking at this stage.
- Check the hose from the tank or gas line to the grill. Cracks, stiff spots, bulges or chew marks mean the hose should not be used.
- Look at the burners through the grates. Flaking rust or holes along a burner are bad signs.
- Lift the grates and look at the metal plates under them. Heavy grease or plates that have rusted through cause flare-ups.
- Look for webs, nests or leaves around the burners and inside the cabinet. Spiders and wasps like the small openings where gas and air mix.
- Empty and wash the grease tray and cup.
- If the igniter uses a battery, put in a fresh one.
Brush the grates and wipe out loose debris. That is as far as cleaning needs to go at home. Leave the burners, valves and gas fittings where they are.
Do a soapy water leak check
This check takes five minutes and is worth doing every time a grill has been stored or a tank has been swapped.
- Mix a little dish soap with water in a cup.
- Keep the lid open and make sure every burner knob is off.
- Brush or dab the soapy water along the hose and on each place where the hose connects.
- Slowly open the tank valve, or the shutoff on a natural gas grill.
- Watch for a minute. Bubbles that grow mean gas is escaping at that spot.
If you see bubbles, close the valve and do not light the grill. If there are no bubbles, wipe the soap off and carry on. Never use a match or lighter to look for a leak.
Light it and watch the flame
Keep the lid open when you light the grill. Gas that collects under a closed lid can flash when it catches. Turn on one burner and use the igniter. If it does not light within a few seconds, turn the knob off, wait a few minutes with the lid open, and try again.
Once the burners are on, look at the flames. They should be mostly blue with small yellow tips, and about the same height from one end of each burner to the other. Let the grill run on high for ten to fifteen minutes to burn off old residue.
Warning signs to take seriously
Turn the grill off and stop if you notice any of these:
- A smell of gas while the grill is off, or a strong smell while it is on.
- Flames that are mostly yellow or orange.
- Flames coming from under the control panel or near the knobs.
- A burner that lights in some places and not in others.
- Very low heat from every burner, even on high.
- A hissing sound near the tank or hose.
If you smell gas, step away from the grill. Do not light it and do not use anything that could spark. Close the tank valve only if you can reach it safely, then call your gas utility or 911 from a safe distance.
When to call a technician
Call if the leak check shows bubbles, if the hose is damaged, or if a burner is rusted through, will not light, or burns yellow. The same goes for igniters that click with no spark and knobs that stick or will not turn. These repairs involve gas parts and should not be done at home.
Optimal Appliance US repairs built-in and freestanding gas grills across Houston, on propane and natural gas. Call us or send the request form on this site, and we will tell you what we find before any work begins.