Vents opened or closed when not in use?

[Tim McG]

On my WSM, which sits unused for a lot longer than my one-touch gold, I leave the top and one bottom vent cracked open to let a little airflow move through when it sits in my garage. I heard it is good to do in case any moisture is in there, so that it'll dry out and not sit/get moldy.

Do you guys do the same for a kettle, or do you close all vents when not in use? This grill sits outside on the deck with a nice heavy cover.

 

[Pat G]

I usually leave the bottom vent a little open on all my kettles when not in use.

 

[TonyUK]

I leave the vents wide open on my WSM & Kettles when not in use. They all have covers.

 

[Enrico Brandizzi]

I close all the vents and all are covered!

 

[DarrenC]

I close everything because there's usually live fire to be snuffed and fuel to be recovered next time. I try to get the cover on as soon as it's cooled, but I admit I could be better at that - oftentimes the cover end up going back on the next morning.

 

[Rich Dahl]

I leave the vents wide open on my WSM & Kettles when not in use. They all have covers.

Exactly what I do wide open and covered.

 

[T MacGreggor]

I shut my vents to extinguish the coals on both the WSM & kettle and they don't get reopened until I'm ready to cook next. They both stay out of the elements on a covered patio, so I don't use the covers unless a tropical storm is forecast. And I don't use water in the WSM. No mold problems or weird smells so far.

 

[ChuckO]

I leave my vents open so that when I use it next, I don't forget to open them up. One time I couldn't get my WSM to work and I was miffed (until I looked and discovered the vents closed) LOL

 

[Joe F]

Vents wide open and covered.

 

[Greg Y]

I leave the vents closed, because usually I am snuffing out the fire and always I am concerned about rodents going in there to see what that delicious smell is. It's never happened to me, but I've heard stories.

 

[NAR_Simpson]

I leave the vents wide open on my WSM & Kettles when not in use. They all have covers.

same here.

Ryan

 

[Bob H.]

I keep the vents closed to keep the critters out.

 

[Ray.S]

I use a cover and have set in all open and all closed with little visible difference between the two. We are low humidity here in Texas though. When we get back to Ohio probably going to have to try again.

 

[Manu]

I shut my vents to extinguish the coals on both the WSM & kettle and they don't get reopened until I'm ready to cook next. No mold problems or weird smells so far.

Same here, all vents closed, and if not on the shed, cover is on if outside.