How to Turn Off a Gas Grill

You are a barbecue lover, but you don't like all the work involved in roasting charcoal or wood, and you prefer not to cook in the smoke, then gas barbecue is the right choice for you. This product offers very similar results to charcoal grills but in a cleaner and faster way.

The gas barbecues are increasingly in demand because of its ease of use and variety of models on the market. With a gas barbecue, all you have to do is turn on the gas and press the power button. In a few minutes, your gas barbecue will be ready to work.

But the trick is to know how to turn off a gas grill. Because if you do not turn off the gas properly, there is a higher chance of an accident. Also, if not shut off properly, the gas can be leaked, and it will spread around the environment. These substances, ingested in large quantities, can be toxic to humans and other animals as well.

On this occasion, we have prepared this post, where we show you how to turn off a gas grill along with some tips and tricks to help you further.

Before digging deep, first, it’s essential to know how gas barbecues works. Because if you know the mechanism of how it works, it will help you to understand the shutting off process. Besides, you will also be able to understand the process safely and soundly.

How do gas barbecues work?

One of the most exciting factors about gas grill or BBQ is that its handling is much simpler than that of other barbecues in the market. Gas barbecues can function as any stove that has a knob to adjust the amount of gas that comes out of the burners, and some models usually have an ignition button that is the one that lights the fire.

Sometimes this button may fail to make the spark, so you can help him manually using a match. They usually have a place to hold the matches and the hole they have on the side; they make lighting with the match much more comfortable. To avoid burns, there are long matches or lighters also with an elongated shape, with which you can light it without burning.

The gas cylinder is connected to the grill with a long pipe or tube.

Once you have turned on your gas garden barbecue, you can place your food to prepare, and you only have to play with the temperature depending on how cooked you want the food.

How to turn off a gas grill

Gas grills are probably most natural to turn off. But it is a crucial job. Turning off the gas grill means ensuring safety and also reducing the loss of gas. Here is how to turn off a gas grill:

Finishing the cooking: After completing the cooking, take all the food out of the barbecue. Make sure there is nothing flammable around. Usually, it's a better idea to keep the children away when operating a gas grill.
Turning off the burner: the next step is to turn off the burner. If there is more than one burner, turn off all of them. Turning off the burner is more or less the same in all types of grill top. Just wrench the button right.
Turning off the gas cylinder: now that you have turned the burners off, it's time to cut the connection with a gas source. Close the valve on the gas cylinder. Thus, the gas contained in the conduits will escape and burn completely. To close the gas cylinder, turn the valve clockwise until it at the end all the way. When the flame is out, turn all gas control buttons to the OFF position.
Finishing up: Close the barbecue cover. Wait till the heat is cooled down. This will keep the grill top in better condition. Remove the cylinder and store it in a cool and dry place.

It is essential to turn off the grill: true or false?

True and false. If you use an electric or gas grill, it is essential to turn it off according to your instructions. For a charcoal barbecue, you must first play the safety card. So, if your grill is protected from the wind, in a place without fire risk, or has a cover that you can close, you can let the fire go out by itself for 48 hours. If leaving the barbecue as it is can present a danger, you will choose to turn it off. For this, do not use water but prefer to throw sand on the embers or the ash from previous barbecues.

Why is it important to turn off the gas grill?

You won't see many resources that claim and talk about the importance of turning off a gas grill properly. Some may feel that turning off the gas grill is nothing serious, but this is wrong. There are many possibilities of accidents if the gas source is not correctly turned off.

The best-case scenario is that you will waste a lot of the gas. If someone, by mistake, turns on the grill, there will be nothing but wastage of precious gasoline. This may not seem a big of an accident, but come on! Wastage of gas can end up being a severe financial and environmental loss.
Barbecue accidents are, like those of house fires, sometimes responsible for deep burns, which extend beyond the skin to attack the underlying tissues and muscles. Deaths occur in 10% of cases. So be careful and remember to turn off the gas grills. Especially when you liven up the hearth with methylated spirits or any other flammable liquid, the accumulated gas can make a blast and cause serious injury.
If anything flammable is around, fire outrage can happen. There is nothing scarier and more destructive than a fire outrage. If you live near a forest, it can start a wildfire!
This may be a rare occasion, but any rodent or squirrel can chew the tube that connects the cylinder and grill top. The accumulated gas in these pipes can harm those poor animals.

What to do if the gas regulator or valve is not turning off?

In most cases, this problem occurs because of dirt. Usually, if the cylinder knob is not cleaned for a longer time, there is a possibility of dirt accumulation. This dirt sometimes prevents the valve from moving.

To solve this problem, clean the valve and then try to turn off.

If the valve is still not working, its time. To contact an expert.

Fire Safety - Gas Barbecue

Gas grills are by far the most popular method of cooking barbecue. They are convenient. They are quick and easy to turn on. But they are also responsible for more burn victims than any other form of barbecue. So, fire safety is as severe as any other type of kitchen.

Do not use your gas barbecue indoors.
Before using a gas barbecue, make sure it is in good working order and that the gas cylinder is appropriately connected to the appropriate regulating valve.
If the grill has been stored during the winter, check that there are no gas leaks at each end of the hose and make sure that the tube has not been damaged and has not disappeared. If you find leaks, try to tighten the joints but do not overtighten them. If in doubt about the hose or regulator, replace as necessary.
If you need to change the cylinder before or during cooking, make sure that all burners are off and that the regulator tap is closed.
When finished cooking, first turn off the gas with the regulator tap and allow any gas to be consumed in the pipes before turning off the burners.

Maintenance to ensure proper and secure shut down of gas grill

Clean the front side of your cooking grid with a brush provided for this purpose (prefer brushes with hard bristles and T, their shape is more suitable for this type of cleaning). On cast-iron grates, you can, when they are still hot, and you have turned off your barbecue, grease them with a brush or a paper towel soaked in oil (pelleting to protect them and remove part of the grid hook).
Clean the reverse side of the grates by rubbing with a brush provided for this purpose with a little hot water and white vinegar.
Take out your burner protection bars and wash them with a sponge and washing-up liquid or directly in the dishwasher (take care that they do not collide, especially for enameled steel bars).
Clean the inside of the tank and the lid with a stainless steel
Empty and clean your recuperate of cooking juices.
Clean the outside of your barbecue with a hot water sponge or with a product adapted to the material of your grill.
Clean the valve of the gas source or gas cylinder
Store the gas cylinder in a dry and cool place.

Little precaution and care can make your barbecue experience happier and help you to avoid accidents. Learning how to turn off a gas grill properly is one of those precautionary measures.