Grill Maestro

When my tank ran out sometime in October, I was hesitant to refill it because I anticipating some colder temperatures coming our way here in Baltimore, MD and didn’t think I’d really need it. Yeah, it’s now January and there hasn’t been a single snowflake in sight (I doubt many made it out of Denver though) and I’m sort of regretting not filling it up (though I really could just go right now and fill it up).

So, I started researching whether I had to do anything special to take care of the tank in the winter weather. For the most part, no, there isn’t anything special you have to do to prepare your grill for snow with a couple notable exceptions.

1. You need to keep your propane tank, especially the connecting valves and hoses, out of the rain because the water will freeze and potentially clog your valves which can be very very bad. If you cover your grill, you’re probably okay.
2. The same above applies for your burners as well but you likely don’t leave your grill cover open and so the likeliness of water getting in is relatively low. Even so, before you use your grill, double check that your burners are clear and still in good condition.
3. Before you start using your grill again after a particularly cold winter, double check all the connections. If you put the grill together yourself, you probably remember all the connections. If not, check the manual and just check to see that freezing water hasn’t separated anything.

In general, the propane tank itself will be fine because it’s designed to be very strong and resistant to things like punctures and dents and the like since it carries a pretty explosive payload; a little bit of snow won’t hurt it.