Baldwin ParkGrill Cleaning & BBQ Repair

Baldwin Park is mostly single-family homes on modest lots, many built in the 1940s and 50s, with backyards that get a lot of use. In plenty of yards the grill isn't a weekend toy. It cooks for birthdays, graduations and family get-togethers, sometimes for dozens of people at once, and a lot of homes run more than one piece of equipment: a gas grill, a flat-top griddle, a charcoal kettle or a smoker.

Heavy use is good for a grill in some ways. It stays dry and parts keep moving. But it also builds up grease fast, and in the inland heat that grease cooks onto everything. The grill that ran fine all spring starts throwing big flare-ups by August.

If you've got a big event coming up, book a cleaning a week or two before rather than the day before. That gives us time to order any parts the grill needs. A few things worth checking yourself ahead of time:

• Light every burner and make sure each one catches and burns blue.
• Look at the propane hose for cracks or stiffness, and check the tank level.
• Empty the grease tray and drip cup.
• Scrape the grates and look for broken or rusted-through rods.
• Make sure the griddle top is seasoned and not rusting.

Our grill safety checklist has the full list.

On a smaller lot, the grill is often right next to the house, the garage or the driveway. We put drop cloths down, use biodegradable degreasers, and collect the grease and rinse water so it doesn't end up on the driveway or in the street. We're in Baldwin Park and the surrounding cities regularly, from the neighborhoods near Ramona Boulevard to the streets around Morgan Park.