Refresh or Renew Your BBQ and Fire Pit: A Contractor's Seasonal Guide
Your outdoor cooking setup can look brand new without the price tag. Here's what to restore, what to replace, and what actually makes a difference.
Planning to fire up the grill or gather around the pit this season? Before you spend money on a replacement, most BBQs and fire pits can be restored to near-new condition with a few hours of work and less than $100 in parts.
BBQ Grills: What to Fix vs. What to Replace
Most gas grills fail in predictable ways — and almost none of them actually require buying a new grill.
Grates: Porcelain-coated grates that are chipping or heavily rusted should be replaced. Cast iron grates can be re-seasoned. New grates for most common grills run $20–$60 and are available directly from manufacturers or by searching your grill model number online.
Burners: Uneven heat zones or a burner that won't stay lit usually means the burner tube needs replacing — a $15–$40 part. While you have it apart, clean the venturi tubes. Spiders love to nest in them, and it's the most common reason a burner won't light.
Igniter: A grill with a dead igniter isn't broken — the piezo module is a $10 part. If the module is fine but it still won't spark, check the electrode and its ceramic insulator, which can crack and cause it to ground out.
When to actually replace it: If the firebox is rusting through, repair costs exceed the grill's value. A thin spot that hasn't fully rusted through can be treated with high-temp grill paint, but once it's through, it's done.