Gas Grill Spec’s [Video]

What To Look For In A Gas Grill from Dave Dugdale on Vimeo.

Dave asks Tom what to look for when purchasing a backyard gas grill.  A few years ago, Tom finally invested in a gas grill that wasn’t patched together from parts he had picked up from the town landfill.  He purchased this middle of the road gas grill at a Lowes store.  Dave was over for the weekend and wanted to pick Tom’s brain about his thoughts on purchasing a gas grill.

The first thing Tom mentioned was looking for a gas grill with a side burner.  Side burners come in handy when boiling corn or noodles.  Side burners often keep the heat, mess & cooking outside on a warm summer night.

Before purchasing a gas grill lift the lid.  Cast iron grates are nice because they don’t rust out.

Perhaps one of the most important things to look for when purchasing a gas grill are the burners.  Look for a gas grill with cast iron burners.  Normally, on cheaper models, the burners won’t be cast iron and tend to rust out fairly quickly.

Another thing to consider if you are looking at having a backyard gas grill is connecting your gas grill to a permanant gas source.  Tom ran propane gas out the back of the kitchen to connect to the gas grill on the patio.

Several things are key when exploring this option.  Check local building codes for remodel requirements.  Pipe specifications may vary from area to area.  Tom used black gas pipe.  Special pipe thread sealant is required when running propane as well.  Look for a propane listing on the label.

Make sure your system also includes a shut off valve, rated for propane, near the gas grill.

It is also important to do a gas pressure check after hooking up your new gas grill.  This involves isolating all gas appliance’s and then charging the gas line with compressed air.  Pressure is monitored in the pipe in insure it is holding contents.  Any connection beyond the isolated points should be checked using a leak detector found in any local hardware store.  If you are not comfortable running the test yourself then your propane supplier should also be able to come out and do a shut in test as well.

A good grill should last about ten years or so.  This grill has been in operation on the Gabriel patio for two to five years.  Depending on who you ask.