It’s Warm(ER)! Go Grill Something!

Posted on March 9, 2015 by Grill Girl

Hello fellow grill fanatics and welcome to the first warm breath of air in 2015! Was this weekend not beautiful!?

I cannot wait to get our grill back into working order for the Spring and Summer seasons! Did you know that right now is the best time to pull out your grill and check it for working parts?

Keep the grill you love in your backyard and out of the landfill this year by replacing the old parts instead of the whole grill! You will save money and, in many cases, end up with a grill that works better than ever!

Here’s your checklist for Grill Spring Cleaning:

Remove cover (carefully) and make sure there are no bugs who used it as their cover over the winter! Don’t have a cover for your grill? You should definitely get one! Covering your grill will help it cook better for longer!
Look on the back of the grill for a model number. This will help immensely as you look for replacement parts on the internet.
Take the cooking grids off your grill and inspect them. Your grid could be cast iron, steel bar, or stainless steel and coated in a variety of things. It might be hard to determine any of that if you have rusting or other corrosion. Clean the grids with a Brass Bristled Brush. If you notice a large amount of rusting or any breakage, put them on your list to replace!
Under the grids you’ll see some system that covers the actual flame of the grill burners. This could be metal heat plates, shields, angles, or another grate that holds briquettes. Drippings and the heat of normal grilling will cause these to discolor and corrode. Since your food doesn’t go on these directly, you don’t need to worry about rust. However, if your heat plates have large holes, are breaking or if your grates don’t hold up the briquettes, it’s time to replace those as well.
Remove the heat plates or briquettes and you should be looking down on the burner system in your grill. With the hood open, light your grill. The burners should each light up and produce a consistent blue flame all along the outside of the burner. If you have any extra large flames, yellow flames, or burners that don’t light fully, you should may need to replace the burners. Any large holes or major corrosion is cause to replace these pieces. If the burners look great, but you’re not getting enough flame, it could be your gas source, valve or regulator.

Call our customer service to help you today! If you can’t find your gas grill model number, measure the parts you need to replace. Our phone number is 877-244-0737.

And as always – Happy Grilling! –GG

Why Isn’t My Grill Getting as Hot as it Used to Get!?

Posted on April 24, 2014 by Grill Girl

Why isn’t my grill getting as hot as it used to get?

This is one of our most frequently asked questions.

For starters – is there gas in your tank? Check that first. 🙂

Once you know you’re cooking with gas, if you use propane (aka LP), the answer is almost always one of the easiest and cheapest things to fix : your gas regulator. Regulators go bad over time, slowly shutting down the amount of gas getting to your grill. That’s why it might not seem like something “broke” all the sudden, but there’s still an issue with the heat in your grill.

Gas grill liquid propane regulators (they fit on those 20lb tanks you buy/trade at grocery stores or gas stations) are a standard part. That means, in almost every case, you can use the regulator we sell for the grill you have. (If you’re not sure, give us a call)

Here’s the standard one-hose-fits-most grills regulator:

Does your grill have two hoses? or a place the the hose goes into a Y shape? We have that too!

How about a really big grill with 4 or more burners?

Or a grill that needs an extra long hose to reach to where the tank sits?

When you order this part and it arrives, you can simply unscrew the old regulator from your tank and your grill. Then screw on the new regulator to your grill and your tank.

See? I told you it was easy to fix.

Why not just go get a new one at a big box store? Well, not all parts are created equal, and we strive to supply the best quality available. We stock regulators in high quantities, so they should always be ready to ship out as soon as you place your order. If they aren’t, you’ll see that listed directly on the website.

We’ll save you a trip now by sending this part directly to your front door, and a trip in a year, because our parts outlast the generic ones sold at big box stores. (More questions about regulators? Read this post)

Still having issues with the heat in your grill? Check out this page for valve information.

It might be your grill burner.

And as always, if you have ANY questions give us a call! We specialize in Great Customer Service! 877-244-0737

-GG

How to Find the Model Number on Your Gas Grill – w/ Video

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Grill Girl

Hey Y’all! Grill Girl Here to Help You Find Your Gas Grill Model Number!

Today we’re going to be finding the model number on a Charbroil 463268606.

You can use these tips to find the model number on most types of grills. And don’t worry – if you can’t find the model number or the number is illegible, we can still help you fix your grill.

On grills with front doors, the best place to check first is inside the doors. If the model number isn’t there, try going around the back of the grill.

You’ll be looking for a label or sticker that has tiny print. Usually the model number will be listed along with certification information and maybe even a serial number.

We’ve also written post about how different manufacturer’s format their model numbers so you know what to look for. You can find that post here: What’s a Model Number?

Thanks for watching!!

-GG

Thanks to RutgerMuller for our beats!

What’s Covering My Burner?

Posted on June 24, 2013 by Grill Girl

There are a lot of different ways to cover the burner in your grill. Some manufacturers cover it completely, some with metal, ceramic, or a combination of each!

While you want the part made exactly for your grill, the most important thing is to cover the burner itself. That’s why getting the measurements of the original piece in your grill is helpful when searching for a replacement. If the part will stay up in your grill, and it protects your burner, then it will work.

Here are the three main objectives of covering your gas grill burner:

protect the burner and prolong its life – by catching grease drippings

distribute the heat and reduce flare-ups- by dispersing the heat as it rises from the flame

add flavor – by vaporising those drippings and adding smoky grill flavor

Don’t slack on those three things! There are a few different systems available:

Briquette / Lava Rock Grates

are the original design to protect the burner from grease and distribute the heat from the flames. The grate sits on a ledge or tabs directly over the burner and holds briquettes or lava rock. They are listed on our website using the width (left to right dimension) and the depth (front to back dimension). You’ll need to replace the briquette grate when it is breaking apart and can no longer hold up briquettes or lava rock.

Briquettes / Lava Rock

is the material held by a grate that actually covers the burner. Briquettes are formed round, square or pyramid pieces of porcelain or ceramic. The porcelain briquettes are the most expensive and longest lasting; 5+ years. The ceramic briquettes are about half the price of porcelain and will break apart in 3-5 years. Lava rock is actual rock from volcanoes and is the most porous. It will add a lot of flavor but break apart in about 3 years.

Heat Angles/Heat Plates

This is the newer design to protect the burner, distribute the heat and add flavor to the cooking in a gas grill. In many grills, there is one heat plate per burner. However, there are also some grills that use two heat plates to span more than two burners. There are even a few grills that use only one plate for the entire grill. Heat plates are made to replace the need for briquettes or lava rock and a grate. There are some grills that are made with a heat plate that also hold up some kind of ceramic briquette as well. You will need to replace your heat plate if the original has holes or is falling apart.

Troubleshooting

If there is no heat plate or heat angle listed using your model number, get the dimensions of your original piece and call customer service. They will be happy to see if they have anything that is close. In many cases, a heat plate or angle will work in a grill even if it is not made specifically for that grill. The most important thing is that the heat plate covers the burner. If you don’t have any heat plate in your grill, look and see if there are ledges just above the burner. That’s where the plate or grate will sit. Measure the distance between ledges, front to back and left to right. We can find something that will work! If you want to change the system style in your grill, that is also possible. Just get dimensions and as much information about what your currently have.

If you have any other questions, just let us know!!

Happy Summer! It’s finally here!

-GG

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