Spiders love gas grills. No, it’s not the burgers and dogs that attract them—it’s actually the propane and natural gas.
Propane may smell bad to us humans (by design), but to spiders, the smell of propane is too alluring to ignore. Because spiders are actually attracted to propane, it’s fairly common for them to make their way inside a grill burner through your barbecue’s air intake. Once inside your grill burner tubes, they may even spin a web that can block the free flow of gas even after spidey has moved on.
A web blockage inside a grill burner can be irritating at best and downright dangerous at worst—if the gas is unable to flow freely, it 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”.
So how can you tell if there are spiders in your gas grill? Keep an eye out for common signs of blockage. If you spot any of these signs, it’s time to clean your venturi tubes. Keep reading to learn more about signs of blockage and how to clean spider webs from a gas grill.
Is There A Spider In My Gas Grill?
Common signs of a blockage in a gas grill burner include:
Higher than normal orange flames
Uneven distribution of flames
Control knobs that are hot to the touch
A fire at the front of the grill
If you smell gas, that’s another clear sign that you should clean out your venturi tubes.
Keep in mind that these issues may not be caused by a spider in your gas grill. If cleaning your burners doesn’t help, read our troubleshooting guides for more information on solving these issues:
How To Clean Spider Webs From A Gas Grill
Your first line of defense against exploratory spiders is prevention with a proper grill cover:
Shop grill covers by brand:
A grill cover can help deter spiders, but it’s not a foolproof solution. It’s always a good idea to check and clean your grill burners at the beginning and end of grilling season, as well as periodically throughout the summer, to clear out any spiders.
If you suspect that there’s a spider web blockage in your grill’s venturi tubes, follow these steps:
- Turn the barbecue off and let it cool completely.
- Turn off your grill’s gas supply.
- 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.
- Place your burners back into your grill.
- Heat up your grill and try again. If you still have trouble, check out our detailed step-by-step guides to troubleshooting gas grill issues.
How To Handle Flashback Fires
Flashback fires occur when gas flow is obstructed and flames come out through your control panel. 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, get your fire extinguisher and use this to douse the flames.
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 keep your grill covered and make cleaning the burners part of your regular grill maintenance routine.
Happy Grilling!
