Grill Storage Tips for the Winter

Winterize your grill

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Photo 1: Coat metal parts

Spray the burners and other metal parts with cooking oil. Wrap the burner unit in a plastic bag.

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Photo 2: Cover the gas line

Tape a plastic bag over the grill's gas line opening to keep out spiders and insects.

If you live in a cold climate and you're not a winter griller, now's the time to pack away your grill before it's covered with a foot of snow. In addition to giving your grill a thorough cleaning to remove grease and food scraps, take these steps to help prevent any unpleasant surprises when you fire up your grill again next spring.

Shut off the gas at the LP tank and unfasten the burner and slip the gas tubes off the gas lines (check your owner's manual for how to do this on your model) and lift out the unit as a whole. Coat the burners and other metal parts with cooking oil to repel moisture that can build up over the winter and to prevent rust. Then wrap the burner unit in a plastic bag to keep spiders and insects from nesting in the gas tubes during the winter (Photo 1). This is a common problem that can make for balky starts, uneven flames or even a one-alarm fire the next time you light your grill.

If you're storing your grill outside during the winter, just keep the propane tank connected (but shut off) and put a protective cover over the entire grill when you're done cleaning it. If you're storing the grill indoors, don't bring the tank inside, even into the garage or a storage shed. A small gas leak can cause a huge explosion if the tank is stored in an enclosed space. Instead, disconnect the tank and store it outside in an upright position away from dryer and furnace vents and children's play areas. Tape a plastic bag over the grill's gas line opening (Photo 2) to prevent insects from nesting.