A lot of planning goes into settling into a new home. With any big decision like this, comes many challenges that you have to overcome. One of the biggest challenges you will face is when you have to pack and move those important delicate appliances. Especially if you decide to do it by yourself.
One of the main things that make any house a home, is a home cooked meal. And the grill is one appliance that brings the whole family together and really cements the idea of a home. The fragrance, sound and sight of food being cooked out in the open, while being surrounded by your friends and family, is an experience you would never want to leave behind as just a distant memory.
Luckily, our guide on how to make a grill makes sure that doesn’t happen and your priceless grill can join you in your new adventure.
Disclaimer: This is just a general guide on packing and moving your grill. There are many varieties of grills out there each with their unique build and parts. We advise reading the owner’s manual or researching online for accurate steps for your specific grill model.
Packing Materials Needed To Move A Grill
As we mentioned earlier, each grill will have certain unique aspects specific to that make and model. However, the tools required to dismantle and pack your grill are common across all types of grills. These tools are necessary and you should make sure that you have these ready and handy before you get to work.
- Moving Blankets or Sheets: These blankets are what will be used to wrap most of the grill and its parts. They act as padding to prevent damage to the grill.
- Shrink Wrap or Saran Wrap: These have to go over the moving blankets. They help hold the blanket in place and keep moisture and dirt out.
- Bubble Wrap: The smaller parts of the grill can be easily wrapped in bubble wrap to be kept safe from damage.
- Ziploc Bags: Use these to store parts like nuts, bolts and other bits that you can easily misplace.
- Moving Containers/Cardboard Boxes: These will hold the larger parts of the grill secure during the move. The owner’s manual will have information on the size of the grill or on the size of the boxes required, so make sure to get these accordingly.
- Packing Tape: This is quite obvious. Use these to secure the moving boxes and prevent them from opening and launching that beautiful grill all over the back of your moving truck.
- Moving Straps Or Rope: These will be used to secure the grill for transport.
Once you have all these tools ready with you, then you are ready to get to work.
Also Read: Best Packing Materials And How To Use Them
Preparing The Grill For A Move
In this step, we will walk you through the general and most common process of preparing your grill for packing. Depending on the type of grill you own, this process may vary and so it’s best that you always consult your owner’s manual. Your very first step is to cool your grill. Let it rest for a day to cool down and then we can get started on cleaning your grill thoroughly.
Charcoal grills are the most commonly used grill, and your first area of focus should be to clean the grates. When you purchase your grill, you may have been advised to purchase a wire-brush along with it. This brush is what we will use to clean the grates. Alternately, you can use a foil ball. Take the grates out and use mild soap and the wire-brush to scrub the grates clean.
Next, you need to remove all the ash from the rest of the grill. That doesn’t just mean the ash from the inside walls and bottom of your grill, you also have to make sure you remove and soot and ash from the vents of your grill. It may seem like cleaning the vents is not necessary as no one will notice them and they may be hard to reach, but it is always good to make sure that your vents are not blocked or clogged with ash or dirt.
Once you got all the less stubborn ash, soot and dirt out of the grill and the vent, it’s time to get to the scrubbing. Now we suggest that you do some stretches beforehand, to warm up and get the blood flowing, because this next part is nothing short of a workout. Grab your mild soap and your wire-brush and put your muscles to work, scrubbing away at the stubborn ash that coats the interior of the cook box. While you’re at it, scrub clean the outside of the grill too. If you do have a grill cleaning spray handy, go ahead and use that on the outside of the grill.
And finally, now comes the last part of the cleaning process. The wipe down. Grab a dry cloth and wipe your grill down, inside and out. Make sure that no part of the grill remains wet or damp. This is critical, as a damp environment can lead to mold and other unwelcome things from finding a home in your grill during the transit. Once you are done with making sure the grill is clean and dry, we can move on to tearing it down.
Disassembling A Grill For A Move
We cannot stress this enough. Always refer to your instruction manual when doing any step in this guide. You own a grill but there are a staggering variety of grills in the market, each with something that makes them unique in one way or the other. Your owner’s manual or instruction manual will have far more accurate instructions for each specific part or step in this process, as opposed to this general guide.
Some grills can be disassembled completely, while others only partially. If you ever come across something that does not make sense in your grill, refer to the manual. Now that we have that out of the way, let’s get to it.
Charcoal Grill
These are more commonly purchased and used grills and as such have far more variants in terms of style, make and model. In almost all charcoal grills, you can detach the legs of the grill from the cook box. The cook box itself, depending on the model, can be further separated by taking out the base, the grates, the grill utensils, racks and even the vents. So make sure to check thoroughly for the detachable parts. Some models may have some of these bits inbuilt, and so you will not be able to detach them. That is why before you go trying to yank everything free and possibly damaging your grill, it doesn’t hurt to refer to your owner’s manual.
Gas Grill
The other type of grill that is commonly used is one that comes with a propane tank. These tanks are what provide the gas fuel for the flames in the grill. It’s no brainer that you should first look to turn off the gas source. Ideally the tanks have a valve or a lever you can turn to cut off the supply. Once you have done this, look for any parts that are detachable and take them off. Most propane tanks are detachable for this very scenario of moving. The owner’s manual can assist you if you ever find any difficulty in this step.
If on the off chance you do happen to own a grill that’s connected directly to a gas line, then turn off the gas to the line and disconnect the line from the grill. The propane tank to your grill is usually considered a hazardous material, and so if you have hired movers to help with your move, they will not move this tank for you. You will have to personally see to the transport of the tank in your own vehicle. We do strongly advise that you do not travel with it as it is highly flammable. If possible, purchase a new tank at your new home.
Packing The Grill For A Move
Let’s break this into 3 stages. First we will wrap the larger pieces like the cook box of the grill. Then move on to the medium size pieces, like the grates and the racks. And finally with the tiny parts, like the nuts and bolts.
The Large Parts
The largest part would usually be the cook box, most of the other parts tend to have detachable bits. Depending on the size of the grill, you may need an extra pair of hands to help you out. Actually, we strongly advise that you do.
Wrap the cook box in the moving blankets. Two layers should be good enough padding to keep the cook box from being damaged. The key is to have just enough layers to pad the item, but not too many layers that it adds to the bulk or weight. And for the final bit of security against moisture and dirt, you can wrap a layer of saran wrap around the moving blanket and secure it with tape.
Once you have finished wrapping the cook box and other equally large items, you need to pack them up. This is where the moving containers come in handy. You may assume that a cardboard box will be just fine, and if you do, then you will realize all too late, that the cardboard box will not be able to support the weight of the bigger parts. The moving boxes are usually plastic and will be able to hold the weight of these large parts.
Hopefully, you have followed our earlier instruction and got the boxes based on the measurements of the grill. if not, then we do hope that you lucked out and the boxes are large enough to accommodate the grill.
The Medium Parts
The medium parts comprise of items like the grates, the vents, and maybe even the legs of the grill. Wrap each of these parts in bubble wrap individually. If your grill has multiple racks, wrap them up separately. Wrap each of the parts in a minimum of two layers of bubble wrap.
You may wonder why we are asking you to wrap every single part separately rather than packing similar parts together. The reason we ask you to do this is to prevent parts from rubbing against one another and damaging each other.
Secure the bubble wrap in place with the packing tape. These can be packed into cardboard boxes. Before you start placing them inside, make sure to tape the bottom of the box with packing tape to avoid the risk of the box opening up from the bottom when being carried. Once this is done, you can start packing these parts into the boxes. We advise doing this methodically and keeping similar parts together. If the box is fairly large, you may want to consider wrapping the bubble wrapped parts together in a layer of furniture blankets, to create a more secure fit in the box.
The Loose Bits
Make sure that you are careful to store any small loose bits, like nuts and bolts and screws that you may end up with after dismantling a part. You can use the Ziploc bags to store these items. We advise that you store each of these loose bits in separate bags and along with their corresponding part, to avoid any confusion at the time of re-assembling your grill at the new home. You could also choose to pack the grill and its parts in wooden crates, for added security. However, this may require the need for professional help.
Loading The Grill On The Truck
Depending on the size of your grill, you may need an extra pair of hands to load the grill onto the truck. If your grill is on the larger side, or if you have many moving boxes consisting of grill parts, you might want to use an appliance dolly. You can load all your boxes up on that one dolly and make one single trip up the truck ramp. But a dolly may just be too expensive to hire out for a day, just to move one grill.
That being said, once you are on the truck, locate a good place to set down your boxes with the grill. Grills are expensive and damaging one would put a massive hole in one’s wallet. So we advise that you find a secure fit for your grill in the truck. If possible, set the boxes against the truck wall and secure them in place with the moving straps or the ropes, to stifle their urge to slide and tumble around the truck during transit.
OH and don’t forget to pack the owner’s manual.
Read Also: The Right Moving Truck Size for Your Relocation
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you transport a grill laying down?
You can surely do that contingent to a few factors. If the gas or propane tank have been removed, the other parts appropriately dismantled and the grill is completely emptied, then you could do so.
Are grills easy to assemble?
Assembling a grill is not really complicated once everything has been brought to your place. Of course, it boils down to the size and the type of grill you own, like a Kamado Grill, a Charcoal Grill or A Gas Grill. Keep in mind that some grills usually have many parts, like the grates, the chimney, the cook box, the vents and so on. The more number of parts already attached, the easier it gets for you to assemble the grill.
How do you move an assembled grill?
The best way to move an assembled grill is by wrapping it in a moving blanket and securing this with packing tape. Leave the base/wheels uncovered so that you can transport them safely, but don’t forget about closing up your lid before taking off!
Can you disassemble a grill?
Grills are generally not designed to be disassembled. Any attempt to do so will almost certainly cause severe damage, rendering the grill unusable, such as removing the heating coils without breaking them (and rendering them inoperable). Eliminating screws can lead to stripping out slots or damaging a non-metallic case.
Will movers move a gas grill?
Gas grills are very heavy, so it is difficult for them to be left unattended. Some people choose to move their gas grill, but in many cases, this can increase the price of moving services.
Can you fit a grill in a van?
You should be able to fit a grill in a van; however, if it has an extra lift kit on it, make sure the clamps are tight because they will sag over time. Your passengers may need to duck or bend their knees.
How much does it cost to assemble a grill?
It takes approximately an hour to assemble a grill, but the exact price of assembling a grill will vary depending on the style and features of the grill you purchase. Some models come with easy-to-install parts or pre-assembled, while some grills require some assembly time. The more features and pre-assembled parts on your grill, the lower your cost is likely to be since it will take less time to install them.
Conclusion
In all seriousness, it may just be risky to move a grill by yourself. We don’t mean to state that it is beyond your capabilities. What we mean to convey is that a grill is valuable, not just because of the cost, but also the emotional value that stems from one’s memories and experiences associated with the grill. We believe that if you can afford to, the grill is definitely worth the price of hiring professional help to aid you in its packing and moving.
See Also: Top-Rated Apartment Moving Companies
