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Have you experienced a fire with your Traeger grill?
If so, then you may be wondering what is the proper way to clean these grills and make sure they are ready for the next smoking.
Keep reading to see what needs to be done when this happens, what can cause it, and how you can prevent it from happening.
How To Clean Traeger After Fire
If your Traeger catches on fire, there are a few steps that you need to keep in mind so that you can put it out quickly and with minimal damage.
- Unplug your grill and stop all power that is going to the grill. You also want to make sure that it is removed from anything else that can cause a fire or add to it.
- Close the lid on the hopper to keep the oxygen out of the fire. In most cases, cutting off the oxygen to the flame will force it to burn out and do so much quicker than leaving it open.
- Avoid putting any type of food, spice, or other product on the fire to put it out. That can add to the fire, making it worse and it can cause damage to the Traeger grill that you will have to clean or repair after it is over.
Can you still use a Traeger grill after a grease fire?
If your Traeger grill is victim to a grease fire, you may still be able to use it, you just may need to replace a few parts that have been damaged in the fire.
There may be a few cases where the grease fire gets so bad that it burns the grill in its entirety.
Keep in mind that unless there is a flaw with the grill most fires are not covered under warranty and you are responsible as the owner for repairing any damage to the Traeger grill.
What do you do after Traeger catches fire?
The first thing you need to do is not to panic when your Traeger catches fire.
Once you have the fire burned out, you want to quickly remove any of the ash from the grill and begin cleaning. The longer you allow debris to sit in your Traeger grill, the harder it will be to clean later on.
What causes Traegers to catch fire
There are two common types of fires that can happen with a Traeger grill. There can either be a pellet fire or a grease fire.
They have different causes and develop under the right circumstances. Grease fires tend to get hotter than pellet fires and are often misunderstood by the griller who is panicking when trying to put the fire out.
Traeger fire damage
The Traeger fire damage can vary depending on how long the fire burned and how the griller reacted when putting the fire out.
The longer the fire burned in the Traeger grill, the more extensive the damage may be.
Cleaning Traeger smoke stack
Before you clean the Traeger smoke stack, make sure that you first remove the chimney cap from the grill.
Be prepared to scrub, as you will need soapy water, a good degreasing solution that you prefer, and a wooden scraper to remove any of the debris from the grill.
Are Traeger grills a fire hazard?
Traeger grills are no more of a fire hazard than any other grill. Fires can happen, but as long as you keep your Traeger grill clean, maintained, and an eye on it when It is on, the hazard is reduced significantly.
A Traeger grill that has not been properly cleaned or had maintenance in a long time could be a fire hazard.
Final thoughts
If you have a Traeger grill and are concerned about the chance of a fire happening, keep in mind that there are preventative measures to put in place and protect your Traeger.
Should your Traeger catch on fire, it is critical to remain calm and put the lid down so that the fire will go off and you can get to clean.
As long as you are maintaining your Traeger regularly and keeping an eye on your grill when you are smoking, the chance of a fire happening is lower.
Robert is a certified Pitmaster, with over a decade of experience in smoking the best meats you’ll ever feast upon. He also has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio. When he’s not researching technical topics, he’s most likely barbecuing in his backyard.