While you might have done everything right when you put your grill away for winter, there still might be some maintenance to take care of when you pull it back out to cook this summer—much of which you can do yourself. Here are some simple troubleshooting tips to address an igniter that’s not working, work out blower tubes, or knobs that are loose or not turning properly.
The first thing to do is to identify any damage that may have occurred during the off-season by inspecting the parts of your grill. If the inside of the grill is damp, take out the grates and removable drip-pans to help dry things out: If there’s a problem with the igniter, this is often at least part of the cause. If these parts are in good shape, you can give them a few swipes with some balled up foil (not a bristle metal brush) to remove any residue or dirt, and then replace them.
How to change out burner tubes on a gas grill
If the tube burners are damaged or rusty, you should replace them because it will be harder to control the heat of the flame and can pose a danger to anyone using the grill. To remove the old tubes, most gas grills have a screw or screws that hold the tubes into the ends of the gas pipe inside the grill that you can access by taking out the grate and looking under the lip at the front of the grill.
Unscrew the old tubes and replace them with new ones that fit. While many stores will offer a “universal” tube burner that will work with lots of grill types, you should take note of the make and model of your grill and ask for specific parts if you’re not sure of the size. (If all else fails, you can bring one of the old tubes with you to the store for comparison.)
How to replace the igniter on a gas grill
If your tubes are working but you’re not getting a spark, you likely need to replace your igniter. This part can wear out from time to time, especially under damp conditions. To replace it, you need to unscrew the button you push to start the grill. Once it’s unscrewed, you should be able to take the ignitor out from behind to the edge of the grill and the wires coming from it. If you don’t already know which type of igniter you have, this will show whether you have a two- or four-wire type, and which replacement type you need.
You’ll see a switch and wires when it comes out: Make sure to remember how the wires attach. If you think you might have a hard time remembering the arrangement, take a picture with your phone for future reference. You’ll need your new igniter ready to go in where you took the old one out. Undo the wires from the old one and attach them to the new one the same way the old one was set up. Screw the button back in, and you should be able to start your grill.
Lubricate the knobs of your gas grill
If your knobs aren’t turning well when you take your grill out, it could be from rust or residue that has built up on the knobs’ stems. Pull the plastic parts of the knobs off to access the stems, making sure that the knob handles themselves are clean. If the stems are sticky, you can use some WD40 to lubricate them, turning them back and forth to work it into the mechanism. If there’s some stubborn residue, you can use a wire brush to remove it. If the knobs still don’t work after this process, you might need a more advanced type of repair—you don’t want the valve stems to break off, causing uncontrolled flow of gas when the valve to the tank is open.
Remember that when you’re doing maintenance on your grill, you should always be very careful to protect the valves and hoses from damage. If there are parts of the valve coming from the propane tank that are damaged, the grill should be taken out of use immediately and returned to the manufacturer for repair. The hoses coming from the tank should also be inspected for damage. Since propane is a pressurized combustible gas, taking safety into account when doing repairs is very important.
