Grill Temperature Troubleshooting

Here Are Some Quick Fixes!

Summer is an incredible few months in southern Delaware and southeast Pennsylvania—in fact, it’s the ideal time of year for cooking out a porterhouse, a salmon steak, or a mess of burgers and dogs! We’re sure you’ve been giving your propane-fired grill a workout all summer.

But what do you do when your propane grill won’t heat up completely or has inconsistent heat? Don’t lose your cool! Here are a few common causes of grill temperature issues — and how to fix them yourself!

NOTE: Before attempting these fixes, check your grill’s manual to confirm your manufacturer’s solutions.

Is Your Grill In “Bypass Mode?”

One of the main selling points of propane is that it produces a powerful flame with even heat. If your propane-fired grill isn’t heating, then something might be impeding the flow of gas.

Here’s the thing, though—this might not be a malfunction. Today’s grills are equipped with a safety device that prevents them from overfilling with gas. When this mechanism is tripped, for example, by opening your burner knobs before turning on your propane flow, your grill goes into “bypass mode” and won’t heat higher than about 250 degrees.

All you must do here is reset your grill’s regulator. For most models, you need to:

• Open the grill lid, close the valve on your propane cylinder and disconnect it.
• Turn all the grill’s control knobs to “high.” Wait for one minute.
• Turn all the control knobs off.
• Reattach the cylinder and light your grill as usual.

Do Any of the Burners Look Dirty or Blocked?

If one section of your grill is cooler than it should be, a single burner might be clogged.

You can typically just scour the ports of the burner with a wire brush. If that doesn’t work, you can also detach the burner and clean it from the inside.

Do You Have a Loose Connection or Leak?

This could be an issue where not enough gas is igniting, either because of a loose connection or a leak. When you attach a propane cylinder, you can check for leaks this way:

• Spray your connector valve and outlet with soapy water.
• Open the cylinder valve and look for bubbles.
• If you see bubbles, close the cylinder valve, tighten the connection, and slowly open the valve again.
• If you still see bubbles, your cylinder has a leak and needs to be replaced.

The connection issue might involve a misalignment or obstruction with your control valves and venturi tubes. Here’s how to fix that:

• Light your grill with a low flame.
• Loosen the venturi tube adjustment screw to release its shutters.
• Once the flame turns blue, turn off the grill and tighten the screw.

Does your home heating or appliances use propane? Poore’s Propane has the most reliable fuel delivery in the Delmarva region and beyond. Get in touch with us to become a customer today.