LakewoodGrill Cleaning & BBQ Repair

Lakewood went up fast after World War II, with thousands of modest single-story homes built on a grid of nearly identical lots. Seventy-odd years later, nearly every one has been remodeled in its own way, but the backyards share a pattern: a patio off the back of the house, often covered, with a grill under or beside it.

That covered patio matters. A grill tucked under a patio roof is protected from sun and rain, but it can also collect smoke and grease on the ceiling above, and the grill tends to get pushed close to the house wall. When we clean, we check clearances and look at what's above the hood. A few inches more space between the grill and a stucco wall or wood beam makes a real difference.

Lakewood is several miles inland from the beach, so salt air isn't the main problem. Summer heat is. Grills sitting in direct afternoon sun cook their knobs, gaskets and igniter wires, and plastic parts get brittle.

It's one of the most common questions we get here. Converting a grill from propane means changing the orifices and regulator (or using a conversion kit from the manufacturer), then connecting to a gas line with the right fittings and a shutoff. Not every grill can be converted, and running a new line to the patio is a separate job for a plumber if there isn't one already. We'll tell you whether your grill is a candidate. The guide on propane vs. natural gas covers the trade-offs.

Lakewood's streets drain toward the San Gabriel River, which runs straight to the ocean. We work on drop cloths, catch all the rinse water, and take it away. Nothing goes on the lawn, in the alley or down the driveway. More detail on our eco-friendly cleaning page.