While the skies in some parts of the U.S. don’t exactly scream “It’s Grillin’ Time” today, that doesn’t mean we can’t prep our summer-loving grills for the upcoming Memorial Day holiday. If you’re a charcoal fan you’re just dumping out the old ashes, but if you’ve got an old gas grill taking up space on your patio, you might need to replace a burner to salvage it in time for summer.
A burned-out gas grill burner is often the reason consumers ship their trusty grill to the big barbecue in the sky — or the curb. But that doesn’t have to be the case.
Instead of dropping a few hundred (or thousands) of dollars on a shiny new grill, you could simply replace the burner.
I, for one, have no idea how to do that. So, it’s a good thing then that our colleagues at Consumer Reports are prepared to be the guide we need to get the grilling season off to a good start (there’s even the handy video above.)
CR condensed the process of changing the gas burner down to five steps:
1.) Buy the replacement — That seems pretty straightforward, but before you open that wallet, make sure you know how many burners you’ll need. There can be anywhere from two to 10 burners in a grill, depending on size.
2.) Cut off the gas — Disconnect the grill from its gas source, and make sure all knobs are turned to the “off” position.
3.) Remove the burner — Each grill is different in the way in which it secures the burner, however, CR found that most are held in place with hardware. Once you remove that hardware, disengage the burner from the electrode and remove it from the grill.
“Be careful during this step not to crack or otherwise compromise the ceramic insulator around the electrode, or it could end up shorting out,” CR says.
4.) Install the new burner — Simply reverse the steps above: engage the electrode and valve opening, place the burner in its intended spot, and re-secure the burner.
5.) Test away — Make sure to test the burner after reconnecting the gas source. You don’t want to run into more issues during your big backyard party.
While changing the gas burner in your grill seems fairly simple, CR suggests that owners could avoid having to replace — or at least prolong the life — of their burners with proper care.
How to Replace a Gas Grill Burner [Consumer Reports]
by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist
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