Troubleshooting Your Gas Grill: Why It Won’t Heat Up

Dear Home-Ec 101,

The other night, I decided to fire up my gas grill for some delicious burgers, but I ran into a frustrating problem: my grill just wouldn’t get hot! After several attempts, I ended up cooking my burgers under the broiler, which left me feeling quite bitter about the whole experience. I made sure there was plenty of liquid propane in the tank, yet I couldn’t get the flames to rise, even with the burners cranked wide open. Can you shed some light on why my gas grill refused to heat up?

Signed,
Flummoxed in Florida

Dear Flummoxed,

Trust me, I completely understand your frustration! I’ve had my fair share of evenings spent cursing at my gas grill as well. (And for those charcoal grill enthusiasts out there, I appreciate your passion, but I want one of those too—just not in place of my gas grill!)

Let’s talk about the issue at hand. A liquid propane gas grill comes equipped with a safety feature integrated into the gas regulator found on the hose connecting your propane tank to the grill. This safety valve prevents full operation until the pressure between the propane tank and the grill has equalized. If the burners are turned on, gas flows out of the grill, which means the pressure can’t equalize, leading to your heating issues.

Steps to Troubleshoot Your Gas Grill

Don’t worry; there’s a straightforward solution to this problem:

• First, completely shut off the valve on the propane tank.
• Next, turn off all burners. Make sure to check that none of your little ones have accidentally turned on the rotisserie or other unused accessories.
• Ensure that the grill lid is open.
• Now, open the valve on the propane tank fully.
• Wait a few moments.
• Do a little dance, hum a catchy tune, or simply relax—just don’t turn on any burners yet! If your hose is short, waiting for about 10 seconds should suffice. However, if you have an extended hose, give it a couple of minutes for the pressure to balance.
• Finally, turn on the burner and light the grill. Voila! It should be working like magic.

If that doesn’t do the trick, we may need to move on to phase two: checking for gas leaks. This is an important safety measure that should be performed regularly.

• Start by turning off all burners and the valve to the propane tank.
• Grab a spray bottle and fill it with soapy water, using a mix of about one-third soap and two-thirds water—like you’re preparing to blow bubbles!
• Spray the hose connections with the soapy solution.
• Now, carefully open the valve on the propane tank and inspect each connection. If you notice any bubbles forming, it indicates a leak. In that case, turn off the gas, reconnect the hoses securely, and tighten the fittings.

This process should resolve most issues you encounter. Best of luck with your grilling adventures!

If you’re interested in sprucing up other outdoor areas around your home, there’s a wealth of information available on maintaining the exterior of your house.

Feel free to send your domestic questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.