There’s a Spider In My Grill!
Spiders love gas grills. No it’s not the burgers and dogs that attract them, it’s the smell of propane and natural gas. Attracted to the smell of gas, spiders commonly make their way into the grill burner itself and spin a web which can block the free flow of gas even after the spider has moved on. A web blockage inside the burner can be dangerous. If it’s unable to flow freely, the gas will be forced backward into the venturi tube and towards the front of the burner (closest to the control panel), resulting in a “flash fire”.
Common signs of a blockage in the burner are:
What’s the Solution?
If you suspect that you have a spider web blockage, turn the barbecue off and let it cool completely. Remove the burners in question and clean them with a venturi brush. A venturi brush has bristles on a long flexible rod that allow you to scrub the inside walls of the burner tube.
In the event of a full blown flashback fire, turn off the gas supply immediately. In most cases, the fire should subside right away. If it doesn’t, time for for the fire extinguisher. Once the fire is out and the barbecue has cooled down you will need to inspect the hoses, valves and knobs for damage. If any of these parts have been damaged they should be replaced before grilling again.
To make your grill spider-free, we recommend that you make cleaning the burners part of your regular grill maintenance routine.
Happy Grilling!
