Grill
Flare-Ups Every Time Food Hits the Grates
Grill flare ups are sudden bursts of flame that leap through the grates when fat drips, char the outside of food, and die down within seconds once the dripping stops.
Mon–Sat, 8am–8pm
- 5 checks before you book
- 5 questions that narrow it
- 6 causes, cheapest first
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What it
usually means.
A flare-up is fat meeting a hot surface. A few are part of grilling; a grill that flares under every burger is holding grease it should be shedding. The layer above the burners, whether bars, shields, briquettes or radiants, is meant to catch drips and turn them into flavorful smoke; once it is crusted over, it keeps the fat and lights it instead. Below, the firebox floor slopes toward a drain slot that feeds a tray and a cup. If that slot is choked with carbon, or the tray is full, grease pools in the bottom and every drip adds to a small fire waiting for its moment. Habits count as much as parts: high heat under fatty meat, the lid lifted every minute, marinades heavy with oil and sugar, and every burner on so that there is no cooler zone to move food to. A cart grill parked on sloping paving can also tip grease away from the drain. A flare-up that burns out when the food moves is normal; one that keeps growing after the food is off is a grease fire and belongs on its own page.
The 6 causes, cheapest first
Answer these first
Do flare-ups die within seconds, or keep burning after the food is moved?
When were the tray and cup emptied and the bars scraped?
Are the heat shields crusted, cracked or rusted through?
What was cooking, on how many burners, and at what setting?
Does the grill stand level, so grease runs toward the tray?
Check these
before you book.
Grill flare ups: 5 checks, and none of them costs anything.
Keep one burner low or off as a safe zone and move food there when a flare starts.
Empty the tray and cup once the grill is cold, and scrape the firebox floor toward the drain.
Scrape the bars and shields while cold, and note any rust holes.
Also worth checking
- Trim excess fat and let oily marinades drip off before food goes on.
- Never spray water on a flare-up; close the lid only if it is safe, and use the grease fire page if the flame keeps growing.
How soon does it need a visit?
Flare-ups that die down are not urgent, and a cleaning before the season is often enough. A fire that grows after the food is off is a grease fire; follow that page now.
The causes,
cheapest first.
6 things grill flare-ups every time food hits the grates turns out to be, from fatty food over every burner on high to shields rusted through over the burners.
The cost guide-
01 no repair
Fatty food over every burner on high
With no cool zone, there is nowhere to move food when fat drips. Leaving one burner low or off gives a safe side.
-
02 no repair
A tray that is already full
Once the tray overflows, fat backs up on the firebox floor. Emptying it when cold ends that source.
-
03 no repair
Cart grill standing off level
On uneven paving, grease runs to a low corner instead of the drain slot. A flat spot or leveled feet fix it.
-
04 low
Bars, shields or briquettes crusted with fat
A thick crust holds grease and lights it. A cleaning visit scrapes the bars and firebox and clears the drain path.
-
05 low
Drain slot clogged so grease pools
Carbon in the slot to the tray keeps fat inside the firebox under the burners. It is cleared and the floor scraped.
-
06 low to moderate
Shields rusted through over the burners
A hole in a shield lets fat fall straight onto the flame. Shields made for the model are fitted.
What else
it could be.
Most often confused with grease fire in the grill that won't die down, then grill uneven heat: hot spots and cold corners on the grates.
All problemsCodes that come with it
Also related
The makes
it happens on.
23 makes on this site; grill flare-ups every time food hits the grates can show up on any of them. Each mark opens that make's own page.
All 23 brandsGrill Flare-Ups Every Time Food Hits the Grates,
where we come out.
9 metros, each with its own page.
All service areasTampa BayFL · 31 areas
Miami / South FloridaFL · 47 areas
New York MetroNY · 75 areas
HoustonTX · 36 areas
ChicagoIL · 50 areas
Los AngelesCA · 95 areas
San DiegoCA · 31 areas
Questions about
grill flare-ups every time food hits the grates.
Are some flare-ups normal on a gas grill?
Should we keep a water spray bottle for flare-ups?
Does lining the grease tray with foil help?
Do ceramic briquettes flare more than steel bars?
Back to your everyday
Still seeing grill flare-ups every time food hits the grates?
Book with what you checked above — 5 answers save the technician the first part of the visit.