How To Maintain Your Outdoor Kitchen
Are you planning to close up the swimming pool and pack away the outdoor furniture now that Labor Day has passed? When you’re buttoning your outdoor living space up for the off-season the geothermal professionals from Symbiont Service Corp in Englewood, Florida have tips for how to maintain your outdoor kitchen so it survives the offseason.
Florida residents are fortunate in the fact they can use their outdoor living spaces almost year-round — especially the outdoor kitchen and grill. Also, if a swimming pool owner has a geothermal swimming pool heater the pool can be used almost year-round; that is certainly something to consider for those pool owners who only get to use their pools a few months of the year.
How To Maintain Your Outdoor Kitchen
Even though your outdoor kitchen equipment is built to withstand the elements and are weather and waterproof, you will still want to take some time to maintain them before you either close them up for the winter or won’t be using them as frequently as you did in months past.
Caring for the outdoor kitchen
- Thoroughly clean all the counter space and surfaces including cupboard doors and drawers
- Empty the refrigerator and clean all of the shelves. Donate or use condiments and other items that have been in the refrigerator all summer.
- Sweep and mop the outdoor kitchen floor space. Grass cuttings, grease and other kitchen detritus will have fallen to the paved area and should be thoroughly cleaned.
- Power wash the area if you know you can do so safely and without harming any of the finishes
- Empty cupboards and take food into the house.
- Close up the cupboards for the season to keep mice or other vermin from making a home in the cupboards.
- Cover any equipment that you can. If you invested in covers for the stove, refrigerator, sink and counters, put them on to protect the outdoor kitchen from the elements now that you won’t be using the area as frequently.
Clean the grill
- Turn on the grill’s heat to medium for a few minutes to burn off grease and fat
- Brush the grates and other grill components
- Empty the grease trap and thoroughly clean it
- Don’t use soap and water on the grill — use only grill cleaning products
- Cover the grill for the season unless you know you will still be using it on the offseason
Once you’re certain your outdoor cooking and grilling season are at an end, disconnect the utilities and unplug the appliances and turn off the gas to the grill. If you live in an area prone to freeze, drain the water lines to prevent them from freezing.
The steps you take today will make your spring opening easier and help assure your outdoor kitchen components survive the offseason.
We educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For information about home ventilation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Symbiont Service Corp. serves Englewood, Florida and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!
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