Storing BBQ Equipment For the Winter Time

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Barbecuing is an undeniably American activity that’s loved across the country, with millions using their favorite barbecue equipment to create delicious meals for their families. From the famous “Big Green Egg” to smokers, broilers, and more, everyone has their favorite BBQ gear! At the end of the barbecuing season, however, storing your BBQ equipment is essential so that, next season, it’s ready to use once again. To help you do that, the storage experts at Move It Storage have compiled this list of the best tips and hacks for storing barbecue equipment. Read on to learn how to keep your equipment in top shape during the off-season.

1. Clean Your BBQ Equipment Well Before Storage

As with anything you wish to store long-term, cleaning your equipment before storing it is crucial. You need to remove any ash, grease, and food particles so they don’t cause corrosion or nasty smells. Also, cleaning food off your BBQ equipment will prevent pests like insects and rodents from gathering in your gear for a free meal.

2. Use a Heavy-Duty Grill Cover

The average barbecue grill costs about $180, and some can cost substantially more, making your grill a considerable investment. For that reason, investing in a heavy-duty grill cover is highly recommended. A grill cover offers several benefits, including protecting your grill from rain, sleet, snow, and falling debris.

3. Consider Insurance or Coverage for High-End BBQ Equipment

Purchasing extra insurance might be a good idea if you have high-end BBQ equipment. For example, a Big Green Egg or similar grills/smokers can cost upwards of $2200! If something were to damage your grill and BBQ equipment, it could be a financial disaster. Extra insurance/extended coverage would soften the blow.

4. Purchase a Weatherproof Cabinet to Store Your BBQ Equipment

Barbecuing is typically done outdoors, so that’s where all of your BBQ equipment needs to be when you’re grilling. Let’s face it: running back and forth inside your house every five minutes to grab something could lead to overdone steaks, ruined shrimp, or some other food disaster.

To prevent that, one suggestion is to purchase a weatherproof cabinet that can stay outdoors. These cabinets are typically very sturdy and offer ample storage for your BBQ gear, including forks, brushes, spatulas, tongs, charcoal briquettes, and anything else you use to cook up your favorite foods.

5. Invest in a Good Rolling Cart

Moving heavy grills or smokers can be challenging and, in some cases, downright difficult. To make the chore easier, many manufacturers make heavy-duty rolling carts where you can place your BBQ and most of your equipment. Of course, the beauty of these carts is the ability to roll your barbecue out of the garage or shed for use and, after the grilling is done, roll it back into storage easy-peasy. Also, most of your gear will be in one convenient place.

6. Smokers Can Be Stored in a Garage or Shed

Most smokers use wood, wood chips, or charcoal, not propane gas. For that reason, if you have a smoker you want to store, you can do it in your garage or shed. One thing to note is that you should empty your smoker of any wood or charcoal before storing it so that there’s no risk of anything catching fire.

7. Keep Your BBQ Gear Well Organized

There’s nothing worse than wanting to grill some delicious food outdoors and not being able to find the gear you need. For that reason, keeping it well organized is a must. You can use the methods below to do just that.

Install hooks or a pegboard near your barbecue area to hang utensils and tools.
Use a weather-proof storage container like the one we mentioned earlier.
Set up a dedicated shelving area in your garage or shed for your BBQ equipment so it’s all in one place.

Can You Store a Propane Tank in a Storage Unit?

Although you can store most barbecuing equipment in a storage unit, one thing you should never store there is your propane tank. There are several reasons for this, including:

Propane is highly flammable and can cause an explosion or fire if your tank leaks.
Temperature fluctuations can lead to high pressure and the risk of rupturing your propane tank.
Most storage units lack the proper ventilation for storing a propane tank, especially if a leak develops.
Move It Storage does NOT allow you to store propane tanks in their storage units.

If you have more questions about what you can and can’t store in a storage unit, visit our Storage FAQ. For information on the proper storage of propane tanks, read the label on the tank.

Store Your BBQ Equipment with Move It Storage

If you have a lot of barbecue equipment to store or other household items, and you want everything to stay safe and secure, count on Move It Storage. At Move It, we offer safe, clean storage units of various sizes. We recommend our 5×5 or 5×10 storage unit for barbecue equipment (unless you’re storing more stuff). Please remember, however, that you can’t store propane tanks in our storage units. When ready, you can reserve a storage unit from Move It online. Until then, have a fantastic time grilling up all your favorite foods!