covers in very wet regions


 
Jim Owen

Jim Owen

TVWBB Fan
What do people who live in very wet places like the Pacific Northwest about covers. I don't have a place to put my grill out of the rain so I bought a king kong cover. It works great, but I don't think I should put it back on the grill when it is wet. What do people do in this situation. It rains for multiple days at a time here and I still grill in the rain.

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Even if you cover a dry grill before precip it will become very wet just from humidity in general. My grills only get covered to keep snow and ice off
 
Summer is probably the worst for covers. They heat up in the sun all day and when the sun goes down, they cool off and moisture develops under the hood. since the grill cover is water proof, it not only keeps the rain out, but it also keeps the moisture in. Not good every day, day in and day out. You need a cover with very good ventilation. Those nice tight covers that cinch up real good around the bottom are terrible. The old Weber ones with the large rectangular mesh panel in them were a good design. But some times, covering a grill is worse than not covering it.
 
Interesting that this comes up now, we are just getting a skiff of snow and there is no room in the garage! So, it’s living on the new deck under a cover. I’m wondering if I should fire it off once in a while to keep some of the moisture down?
 
I keep my grill covered 7/24/365. There's always something to keep off -- sun, dust, dirt, pollen, bugs, leaves, rain, snow, ice.

My key is to use a cover that is loose and has good ventilation. I buy super cheap generic covers ($25 or less) that are slightly oversized for my grill.

Then I put a beer can chicken rack on the top of my lid before putting the cover on. So the top of the cover is tented -- the slope gets rain and snow to roll off and also creates some air space/air flow inside. Make sure the bottom is open and doesn't drag on the ground. If the bottom is too long, trim it with a scissors (do it in the back and the DIY won't be visible) or hook the cover up over the wheels to create some clearance.

You also want to make sure the cover had good vents -- for air flow and also to make sure the grill doesn't go airborne in a big wind. Like yours, my grill lives backed up against the side of the house. So I cut a hole in the back side of the cover below the cook box. Minimal rain/snow can get in back there, the hole lets in a lot of air, and the front still looks neat and tidy.

20 years, zero rust. Colorado is pretty arid in the summer (which definitely helps for rain, but not for sun) but also has lots of snow during the winter (which makes a cover mandatory).
 
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Here in the Arizona mountains it isn't the moisture it's the sun that's the enemy. I keep all of my grills covered, I use King Kong covers for the most part as they last the longest. Weber covers maybe a year compared to my to oldest KK covers are four years old and still in good shape. When we get snow I wait for it to melt then I take the covers off for a couple of days to let the grills air out. So far so good.
 
So it sounds like the vast majority of people don't use covers unless it is to keep sun off it or snow and ice. Hmmm. I will have to ponder what to do, and maybe experiment a bit.
 
Do you have a black hood?

If so, you are sure to get the dreaded and irreparable fade from the sun eventually unless you use a cover.

These boards are a small sample. Almost all people do cover their grills. And as long as your cover is not too air tight, it is definitely the way to go. The old Weber covers were nice because they had a built in mesh vent. Here's my 2000 Silver B which has been out in the weather every day for 20 years. ZERO rust. Because it is covered 365 days a year.

Those nice wood slats you have don't like being rained on constantly. Would you leave the nice wood on your boat exposed constantly to the elements? That wood wants to be covered up.

Notice the beer can chicken rack on the right. That is what I put on top of the lid to create a tent on the top. It is the pro/power move.
 

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I live in the PNW, just south of Seattle and I have and use covers on my WSM, Mastertouch Kettle and my pellet grill when ever not in use. No problems
 
If you are really phobic about putting a cover on a wet grill, keep a small squeggee handy. Most of your grill's big surfaces are flat. So you can get them almost dry in a couple seconds.
 
Honestly I don't see the point of it. The grill will be just as wet with no real chance of evaporation. As well the outside of the grill is not where damage takes place. Yes to keep ice and snow off for convenience sake but not worth the trouble for just rain unless it's a grill like my Wolf where drainage into the grease collection area is an issue. But also rust will never be an issue on that grill as it's every inch 304SS
 
But also rust will never be an issue on that grill as it's every inch 304SS

Lot of wood on that grill. Which will hold up better if not constantly exposed to rain, snow, ice and sun...

And if you don't use a cover, then you can't really store much on the storage shelf. Since anything stored there will get hit by rain, snow, ice...

TL/DR: I think there's reasons why Weber makes covers for its gas grills...
 
For my 2 cents (free), I think if I lived in a place with a lot of rain and no way to keep my grill out of it, I would use the new style Weber covers (or at least a competitor with similar design). They breathe very well, don't get brittle and of course look nice on a Weber grill! The goal, to me, would not to try and keep the grill dry but protected from sun, dust and dirt - especially the wood slats. The new Weber covers would allow the grill to dry out much better between those rainstorms. King Kong covers go the other extreme with what to me is kind of a rubbery texture. They probably are the best option to keep rain OUT, but once your grill gets wet they keep that moisture IN. Perfect for Rich's dry climate, but I don't think for yours.

Obviously, the best option is to find a covered, dry place for your grill. With that, a cover isn't really needed at all.
 
Jim C in Denver said:
TL/DR: I think there's reasons why Weber makes covers for its gas grills...
Click to expand...

Yah, it is called money. They make about $50 profit on those covers made in China by little old ladies. You put the Weber logo on it and sells for double what an unbranded item would cost.

Just look at all the accessories that Weber has made over the years. Some good and some not so good, but all came at a premium price.
 
My dad used to use a Weber cover on his Genesis when it was outside. It had vent slots. The wood grew mushrooms. No I am not kidding. I honestly don't know why everyone is so afraid of the grill getting wet. It's STAYING wet that's the issue here. No matter how many vent slots the cover has it will stay wet.
 
I run the older Weber vented, rubberized covers on my Weber's. These allow air to past through so moisture is not an issue. I run the same cover on my Weber Flame.
I feel bad for my latest Weber as it sits outside in the elements.
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Jeff
 
We just got almost 16"of snow here yesterday here in Mass so I had to clean her off just in case.
 

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But also rust will never be an issue on that grill as it's every inch 304SS

So if Larry is right about this, then covering a wet grill with a cover will not cause any rust concerns. Which is the primary reason cited by folks on here for not covering a grill.

So if we are not worried about rust, then what are we worried about then? Mushrooms and black mold? Seems like a stretch to me.

If rust is not an issue, then you can go ahead and cover your grill with an even clearer conscience. And that cover will keep off lots of sun, snow, ice, dirt, leaves and pollen.

But to be extra sure on the rust (just in case Larry is wrong), make sure your cover allows for some decent ventilation and breathability. If the material of your cover is too waterproof/rubbery, just make sure air can come in from the bottom and/or some built in vents. And maybe also cut a hole (like I always do) in the back if you grill is backed up against a wall.
 
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I guess I will be happy that the cover I have is a bit oversized, I will take it off when I want to use it and leave it on when it’s snowing. The maroon lid is in good shape and the durawood slats should be just fine.
Glad you got the snow Jeff, we will get spanked with that later, I’m sure. Just got off the phone with a guy in NYC who said they had been snowed out yesterday!
Thanks,
 
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