Summerset · Winterization
How to Winterize a Summerset Grill
Winterizing a Summerset is five jobs: deep clean, shut down and burn off the fuel line, protect the burners from pests and moisture, dry and store the LED and electrical components, and cover it once the cook box is cold. Plan on about 45 minutes. Minimum ambient operating temperature is 0°F per the TRL Pro manual — below that, any grill is a cold-start risk.
By Reed · Updated November 8, 2026
What you need
- Soft brass or stainless grill brush
- Plastic putty knife or scraper
- Dish soap, warm water, and a soft sponge
- Microfiber cloths
- Non-chlorine stainless steel cleaner
- Cooking oil and paper towels
- Pipe cleaner or venturi brush
- Breathable, fitted Summerset cover sized to your model
- Work gloves
- Burner covers or aluminum foil for pest protection (optional)
Winterization quick reference
- Minimum operating temp
- 0°F (-17.8°C)
- Burn-off duration
- 10-15 minutes on high, lid open
- Fuel purge time
- 60-90 seconds after tank valve closes
- Cover type
- Breathable, fitted, non-vinyl
- Battery pull
- Yes — electric ignition AA cell
Step by step
Pick a dry day and run a 15-minute burn-off
With the lid open and the grill still hooked to fuel, run every main burner on high for 10 to 15 minutes. The carbon turns to ash and the inside of the cook box wipes down in a quarter of the time. On TRL Pro and Sizzler Pro, let the LED knob harness cool fully before you start the wet-cleaning pass.
Clean the grates and cook surfaces
Brush the grates, pull them out, wash in warm soapy water, rinse, and dry completely. Wipe with a thin film of cooking oil — a tacky barrier keeps winter moisture out of the pores on 304 stainless. Scrape the heat distribution plates, wash them, and dry thoroughly before reinstalling.
Clean the drip tray and empty the grease cup
Pull the drip tray, scrape, wash in hot soapy water, dry, and reinstall with a fresh grease cup. Old grease attracts mice and raccoons over winter — the reason spring-start service calls are 70% pest damage, not cold damage.
Shut off the fuel and burn the hose dry
Close the propane tank valve or natural-gas shutoff. With the grill lid open, click the ignition until the flame dies — usually 60 to 90 seconds on a 20-lb propane line. This purges the hose of residual LP so the regulator does not latch into bypass mode over a cold snap.
Protect the burners from pests
Cover each main burner tube with aluminum foil or dedicated burner covers (Summerset sells these; dollar-store foil works almost as well). Spiders and wasps nest in warm venturi tubes over fall and build the obstructions that cause first-fire frustration in spring. Remove the covers before spring light-off.
Dry and store electrical components
On TRL Pro and Sizzler Pro, unplug the 120V cord that powers the LED knobs and coil it inside the cabinet. On any grill with an electric ignition battery, pull the AA and store it indoors — cold drains batteries and a leaking cell kills the ignition module. On the Hybrid Pizza Oven, cover the top vent louvers so snow and ice do not back up into the cavity.
Cover with a breathable fitted cover
Wait for the cook box to be fully cold to the touch, then install a breathable fitted Summerset cover. Vinyl and non-breathable covers trap condensation against the stainless and cause the same surface-rust the Gold Standard Warranty excludes. On a built-in, cover only the hood and control-panel area — a full-wrap cover on an island traps moisture under the cabinet.
For the Resort mobile grill, roll it under shelter
The Resort is built for mobile use but it is still outdoors over winter. Pop the propane tank out of the cart, wheel the grill into a garage or under a dry overhang, and cover it. Resort grills left exposed on an open patio for a full northern winter crack more hose fittings than any other Summerset model.
Common mistakes
- Covering the grill while it is still warm. Residual heat raises cover-interior temperature, condensation forms as the grill cools, and that water sits on the stainless for weeks. The resulting surface rust reads as a warranty damage claim that will be denied.
- Using a non-breathable vinyl cover. Cheap vinyl covers trap moisture against the stainless and the control panel. Summerset's own covers are breathable for exactly this reason — the fabric choice matters more than the fit.
- Leaving the regulator connected to a pressurized tank. A closed valve on a tank still under residual line pressure can latch the regulator into bypass mode if temperatures swing. The symptom at spring light-off is a weak flame that never recovers — the fix is a 60-second reset but the smarter move is a seasonal purge.
Hands-on tips
- Take a photo of the data plate and serial-sticker inside the left cabinet door before you cover the grill. If anything cracks or warps over winter and you need to file a warranty claim at spring, you will not need to lift the cover to find the model number.
- If your grill lives in a coastal environment, add a weekly wipe-down over winter — salt spray stays on stainless even under a cover and the Gold Standard Warranty excludes salt-related corrosion.
- Keep a spare AA battery in the drawer — the ignition battery you pull in fall is rarely the one you want in spring.
- On a Griddle Pro, apply a heavier film of oil than usual before covering. The plate is the one Summerset surface most prone to winter pitting if it goes to storage dry.
- Mark your calendar for a 6-week mid-winter pest check. Lift the cover, look inside, confirm nothing has moved in, drop the cover back. Ten minutes of prevention beats a June rebuild.
Questions people ask
Can I leave my Summerset outside uncovered over winter?
Not advisable. Stainless is corrosion-resistant but not corrosion-proof, and winter precipitation that sits on the grill long enough will leave surface rust the Gold Standard Warranty excludes. Use a breathable fitted cover at minimum.
Do I need to shut off the gas at the main?
If the grill is on a natural-gas line and the line is dedicated, yes — close the shutoff valve. If it is on an LP tank, detach the tank and store it outdoors in a dry upright position. Either way, run a short burn-off to purge residual gas from the hose.
What about the Hybrid Pizza Oven over winter?
Same burn-off and dry-cover routine as the grills, plus cover the top vent louvers so snow and ice cannot back up into the cavity. Do not insulate the oven — it is designed to shed heat and trapped moisture inside a wrapped oven corrodes the ceramic stone retainer.
Can I store the Resort grill in an unheated garage?
Yes, as long as it is dry. Pop the propane tank out of the cart and store it outdoors upright. The grill itself can go in an unheated space — the issue is moisture, not cold.
How do I spring-start after winterization?
Pull the burner covers first (do not skip this). Run a soapy-water leak check at every union fitting. Light each burner one at a time with the lid open and watch for an even flame. If the flame is weak on one burner, suspect a venturi obstruction before you suspect the regulator.
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