Happy people socializing in front of a BBQ and table of food on a sunny day

How to prepare your BBQ for Spring

If you used your BBQ Grill continuously in Ottawa this winter, not only do you deserve a medal, but you also get to skip the rest of this article. For the rest of us mere mortals that didn’t brace the coldest February on record, you might want to follow a few practical tips to ensure the safety and efficiency of your BBQ again this year.

Napoleon recommends the following tips for gas BBQ’s

Step 1 – Safety

Check all of the hoses, connections, igniter(s) and wires. Change anything that is broken, leaking or that critters have bitten into. Contact The Fireplace Center on 613 728 1775 or drop by one of the stores for a wide selection of replacement parts.

Step 2 – Clean

Perform a proper cleaning of your grill. Start by removing your cooking grids and sear plates and soaking them in hot soapy water to loosen any dried up grease. While that is being done, use a spatula or a clean putty knife to scrape any debris from inside the lid, hood and sides of the base. Let all of the debris fall down into the drip pan. Remove the drip pan and give it a good washing as well. Now that everything is out of the base of the unit, it is a good time to visually inspect your burners. Clean any blocked burner ports with a 1/16’ drill bit (supplied with grill) and pass a venturi brush through the burner venturi to snag any “icky” spiders that thought it was a good idea to form a nest inside your burners!

Step 3 – Prep and Re-assemble

Now you’re ready to put it all back together again. Finish washing your cooking grids and sear plates and dry them completely. Season your stainless steel cooking grids as per the instructions in the video below and replace them into the base of your grill. Dry the drip pan and slide it back into place. Never line the drip pan with foil!

Attach your propane tank or hook up your natural gas grill and do a complete leak test of the grill by following the Leak Test Instructions in your manual or below.

Now you are ready to grill!

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