How to Store Your Barbecue Grill for the Winter

Unless you're a die hard grill master or live in a warm climate, winter for most means the end of the grilling season. Proper winter storage is essential if you plan on trouble free grilling once the warm weather returns.

Sure, preparing for winter throws many chores our way. There are cars to tend to, snow blowers to tune up, winterizing the house, and before you know it...the holidays are upon us. That's when a grill becomes an orphan. It's completely out of sight and out of mind.

So you have the vinyl cover in place, yet winter takes a toll on grills that a cover alone can not stop. Even if you're fortunate to have space in the garage or other indoor structure to store your grill, you still need to properly prepare it.

Cleaning Begin with a good cleaning. Summer grilling more that likely has contributed to quite a greasy build up. Take apart as much as you can for more efficient cleaning. This is a good time to consult your owner's manual. It should offer cleaning and storage suggestions.

Pampering Completely dry the grill after cleaning. Fire it up one last time to assure all internal parts have dried. This is easy with a gas grill. If you have a charcoal grill, light charcoal in a metal container and put it on the grate. A disposable aluminum baking pan works well for this. Allow the grill to cool. Coat all cooking surfaces with a spray cooking oil and rub down with a paper towel.

Maintenance Apply a light weight lubricating oil to any moving parts such as hinges, drawers and doors. Grab a few wrenches and a screwdriver and tighten everything. Make close inspection of all parts. If broken or beginning to wear, now is a good time to make a note of it so you can begin shopping for the parts over the winter, not on that first nice day when a grilled steak begins to whet your appetite.

Wrap it Up A grill cover is essential for winter storage. If you don't have a fitted cover for your grill, use a plastic tarp that you can easily purchase at any hardware store or home improvement center. In either case, wrap a tight fitting bungee cord towards the bottom of the grill to prevent the wind from blowing your cover into your neighbor's yard.

Gas Off If you have a gas grill, disconnect the fittings at the tank and assure that the tank valve is closed tight. (turn counter clockwise)

These few steps will not only assure all will be well come spring, but offers you the opportunity to grill should you get a lucky break in the weather.