The second half of the fall season is underway and that means temperatures are starting to drop. For all of the barbecue lovers out there, this means that it’s time to start grilling your steaks on a pan inside of the house. Before your throw your cover on the grill, take the time to winterize it properly.
Cleaning the Inside
Before you do anything, turn on all of the burners and close the lid for roughly 20 minutes. Doing this will burn off all of the leftover food chunks that have fallen through and are stuck to the grates. Turn the burners off, let it cool for a few minutes, and use your grill brush to clean your grates. Once the grill has completely cooled, remove and wash the grates, flame tamers, warming racks, and any other removable parts.
Cleaning the Outside
If your grill has a stainless steel exterior, clean it with a stainless steel cleaner. Make sure you rub the cleaner with the grain of the steel, just as you would with the grain of wood. For non-stainless steel grills, you can use soapy water to wash down your grill (just make sure all soap scum is removed.)
Putting the Cover On
A cover needs to be put on your grill if you plan on keeping it outside over the winter. Failure to do so will ruin your grill after only a year or two. Once the cover is placed on the grill, you can decide where to place it. Some people will choose to leave it right where it is, but it is recommended to store it in the garage or a shed.
Leaving your beloved grill outside without being cleaned or covered will leave you with a rusted and dirty grill each spring. With all of the grilling that you’ll be doing indoors this winter, make sure that your stove is not malfunctioning. To learn more about stove repairs, or to schedule a service, contact Tri-City Appliance, Plumbing, Heating & Cooling by calling (203) 303-5700.