If you are quite frustrated because your gas grill won’t stay lit then this article is for you. Below, we have a detailed guide on the reasons and their solutions to keep your gas grill working like before. There may be a single or many issues why your gas grill won’t stay lit.
You don’t need to worry at all. Just follow the below guide. Working on the gas grill is not rocket science but you need to be a little cautious. Please make sure that all gas connections are closed before working on your grill. So, we will be going to start with quick troubleshooting. There are high chances that your gas grill issues will be resolved just through this section.
Perform a Quick Troubleshoot
The first step that should follow in the quickly troubleshoot lineup is to check if your gas tank is empty. Even, some of the gas tanks also feature a tank gas reader that shows how much gas is left. In case, if your gas tank doesn’t have a gas reader then you can also check the weight of the tank. As always an empty tank will be light to lift. Moreover, you will also find stamped on the collar that how much it weighs empty. In most of the cases, an empty gas tank weighs around 16.5 lbs. A tank will full gas weighs around 37 lbs.
So, if you found that the gas tank is empty then you have to replace it with a filled one. To move ahead, you have to simply close the gas valve then disconnect the tank. Now, simply replace it with a new one.
Caution: Please make sure that the burners are off before connecting a new gas tank.
On the other hand, if your gas tank is not empty then you must check the ignitors. There are high chances that the ignitors are not working problem. Resulting, your gas grill is not lightning.
Mostly, gas grills come with manual or automatic ignition. You have to either press an ignition button or turn the knobs to a dedicated position. The best way to check if there is some problem with ignition is by using a handy lighter with a long stem. You will easily find these lighters online as well as at most of the stores that sell lighters.
These long stem lighters will keep your hands safe from fire and it will ignite the gas. If your gas grill has a small hole on the side that leads to the pilot burner then these long stem lighters will be going to very beneficial for you. You just need to turn on the pilot burner then stick the lighter into the hole. Now, simply pull the trigger and your grill will light-up.
Hence, if you find that your grill is lightning good then there is some problem with the ignition system. In case, if your grill is still not lighting up then maybe no gas is coming out. There will be some issues with the valve of the gas tank. Simply, check that all valves are in the open position. Some grills also have a separate gas valve apart from the valve present on the gas tank. So, make sure that it is also in an open position. Do you know how to grill in the rain? Checkout here!
If the burners are still not lightning up then simply turn off all the control knobs. Now, wait for a countdown of 5 minutes. This will allow any trapped gas to safely escape. Once done, you can try again lightning your grill.
Reasons Why Your Gas Grill Won’t Stay Lit
Now, we will be going to discuss the reasons that prevent your gas grill from staying lit. First of all, you must always check if your tank is running out of gas. Maybe the gas runs out while you were cooking. You can simply check the gas reader available on some tanks or check the weight of the tank. Empty gas tanks are lighter.
Now, check if the burners of your grill are dirty. Mostly, grease or other unwanted material builds up on the burners that work as a barrier and forms a weak stream of the gas. All you have to do is simply give a clean throughout to your grill including the burners as well. Now, you can check that your gas grill will lightning smoothly. Also, check that all the control valves are open. Turning on each valve will give you a dense consistent flame on your grill. In case, if you find that a valve needs to be adjusted then first turn off all the burners. Now, simply close all the valves then open them.
Our gas grills stay outside. The gas grill not lighting up issue mostly arises with old grills. Even, we forget to take care of our grills because of other daily routine workloads. Resultant, our grills get vulnerable to various outer elements. So, you must check for any obstruction in one of the gas lines. Simply, take a flashlight and check the gas tubes.
In case, if you applied all the above-discussed solutions but your gas grill is still not lighting up then there will be some issues with the gas regulators. If you have a second-hand grill then the prior owner may not have installed the grill parts correctly. You can also Google the brand and model of your grill for parts replacement.
Caution: Please disconnect your tank before working on your gas grill.
Most Common Gas Grill Problem and Their Solutions
First of all, you have to examine the flame of the burner. Check that the flame is strong and consistent over the entire length of the burner. The flame must be blue in color close to the burner and orange or yellow color on the top of the flame. If you find don’t find the flame according to these discussed characteristics then check that your gas tank is not empty and all the gas valves are open. You just need to take two-three minutes in the examination and you will be going to have a strong and consistent flame.
Also, check that the burners are clean. As we all know that burners get clogged over time. All you have to do is let the burners burn high for fifteen to twenty minutes and wait. This high burn with intensity heat flames will clear out any obstructions in the burner and you will get the strong consistent flame back.
Even the gas regulator may be the reason why your gas grill wouldn’t stay lit. You just need to apply a simple and quick solution. Give a couple of light taps on the gas regulator while trying to ignite. You can also check if there is some serious problem with the gas regulator. Simply, remove the gas gauge and check if it worked. Also, try removing any add on the gas gauge, maybe they are obstructing the flow of the gas. If the gas gauge is working properly then the next step is to check the ignitors.
If your ignitor is battery powered then try replacing the batteries and try if it worked. You must also check if there is any blockage. You just need to take the grates off and check the ignition.
Caution: Make sure that the gas connections are off before working on your grill.
In case, if you don’t find yourself comfortable working on your grill or not able to figure out the issue then it is always best to contact a local grill maintenance technician or a shop. These experts will make your gas grill working like before.
Preventing Gas Burners from Going Out
You just need to keep a few things in mind to prevent gas burners from going out. You just have to ensure that your grill is closed. If your grill is open then you will be going to lose lots of heat and flames. A spilled drink or a wave of wind can make your burners out of flames. This is also a big reason why most of the grills come with burners encased. This design prevents winds and other elements from damping the consistent flame.
For a consistent and strong flame, it is very important to ensure that all the gas connections are proper and valves are properly opened. Another great tip from our side is to keep the flame of your burner on medium-low instead of a low flame. We all know that a gust of wind will easily extinguish a low flame.
Very Useful Tips on Gas Grilling
Gas grills are the most preferable grills when it comes to ease of use, consistent grilling, and health. If you are already using a gas grill then here we have some very useful tips for you. These tips will not only make your grilling journey effective and joyful but also incline the longevity of your grill.
The first tip is to always keep a backup of the gas tank. I always keep two gas tanks. One is attached to the grill and one is for backup. It is nothing worse than running out of gas while in the middle of grilling. If you have an additional gas tank then you can easily replace them and continue grilling steaks and burgers. Just make sure to keep all backup gas tanks in a cool and dry area away from the cooking spot.
The next tip is to pre-heat your grill before putting your food on the grates. This will ensure that your food will sear the moment you put it on the grates. Always keep a golden rule in mind that any food thicker than half an inch, close the lid to sear. You must keep the lid closed while cooking thick meats.
Our other tip is to heat your grill for fifteen to twenty minutes before cleaning it. The high heat will soften up any materials stuck to the grates. Now, use a brush for cleaning. Just make sure that your brush is also clean.
Summing Up
Above, we have briefly discussed the reasons why your gas grill wouldn’t stay lit and how you can resolve these issues. We also discussed in detail about the most common problems and solutions while working on a gas grill. Please let us know in the comments section how this guide helped you to make your gas grill working like before. You can also share your valuable thoughts with us in the comments. Stay tuned with us for the latest updates. Happy grilling.
