Finished Custom Outdoor Kitchen Design - Built-In Bonfire 3-Burner Barbecue Grill with Cover

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BBQ Concepts – Las Vegas, Nevada

Southern Nevada has a shorter Winter season than much of the country, but freezing weather can still affect outdoor kitchens and appliances. The coldest months for the Las Vegas area are December through February. That is when temperatures can fall below the freezing point, typically overnight. While the duration of freezing weather is not as long as many places, even one night of freezing weather can cause damage to outdoor kitchens, appliances, and fixtures. Knowing what to do when weather hits the freezing point or below can save costly repair bills. Let’s talk about outdoor kitchen winterizing.

Here are some of our top ideas to keep your outdoor kitchen in good condition during freezing weather:

Barbecue Grill Care

Remove the grates and use a degreaser solution to clean the inside barbecue surfaces and grates. Use a narrow bristle brush to scrub areas that are difficult to reach or to clean stubborn areas. Follow up with Stainless Steel polish on the exterior surfaces. Once the barbecue has been cleaned, rub vegetable oil on both sides of the grates before installing them back into the grill. Heat the barbecue to 500 degrees for about 20 minutes. The grates should be black or brown and will be well seasoned for the next use. Keep the barbecue vents closed while not in use to keep the grill interior protected from dust and the weather.

Winterize Cabinets

Remove any items stored in the outdoor cabinets. If you have wooden cabinets in your outdoor kitchen, Winter is the perfect time to oil or seal the wood to keep moisture and weather from penetrating the wood. For those who have stainless steel cabinets, use stainless steel polish on the exterior to keep moisture off the surface.

Water Line Maintenance

If your outdoor kitchen includes a sink, refrigerator, or any other water plumbing, it is important to shut off the water lines during freezing weather. Water expands when frozen and leaving water in the lines can damage the plumbing as it expands. After shutting off any water lines that feed into the outdoor kitchen, you will want to drain the water lines to prevent damage. Once the water is shut off with the lines bled, open the drain valves and leave them open for the Winter. This step helps prevent water and moisture from becoming trapped inside the affected appliances and fixtures.

Sink Maintenance

After shutting off the water valves to the outdoor kitchen appliances and fixtures, open the cold and hot water valves and leave them open. This step will prevent water in the pipes from causing damage if frozen. People in areas that freeze over for much of the Winter choose to completely remove the faucets from their outdoor kitchen for the Winter season however this is rarely needed in Southern Nevada. Shutting off the water lines and draining the lines while leaving the faucet valves open is typically good enough. If water comes out from the faucets, check the source water line and ensure that it is fully closed. Use stainless steel polish to keep the sink in good condition.

Refrigerator and Ice Maker

Turn off the refrigerator and unplug it. Remove any items in the fridge and clean the interior with mild soap and water. Remove the toe plate and vacuum any debris from under the refrigerator. Reinstall the toe plate. Due to issues with moisture build-up, covering the fridge for the Winter is not recommended. Wipe and polish the surface with stainless steel cleaner or another conditioning cleaner that works with the appliance material.

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