Winter weather is hard on garden equipment and metal items left outdoors, including barbecues. Putting your outdoor cooking gear into storage will extend its life for improved sustainability, and give you peace of mind through the wintry weather.

Clean your barbecue before storing it

A barbecue is best stored clean. This will prevent grease, black carbon and smells transferring to domestic items stored close to your barbecue. For some guidance on cleaning your barbecue, see our post.

Store your outdoor cooking equipment when it is dry

It’s really important to ensure that outdoor domestic goods are dry before you put them into your storage unit. This will prevent rust, and keep your storage unit as dry as possible.

It’s worth checking in on stored outdoor equipment after a few days to deal with any puddles that may have flowed out of a hidden cranny.

Check your barbecue over before putting it into storage

Make any repairs to your barbecue now before you forget how it is supposed to look. Check for rust and damage, and tighten any loose nuts. Bag up accessories so that they don’t get separated from your barbecue over the winter. Include any tools and utensils that you only use with the barbecue so that they are not cluttering up your living space when it’s too cold and wet to cook outside.

Can I store charcoal, lighter fluid and barbecue gas in my storage unit?

Charcoal is probably okay to keep in a storage unit – but check with your storage company before bringing it in. Barbecue charcoal just needs to be kept dry, and it lasts indefinitely so it will be ready and waiting for you next summer.

Most storage facilities ban flammable liquids – such as lighter fluids. You will not be allowed to keep gas tanks in a storage unit, either. Gas bottles can be kept at home. Gas cylinders should be stored at home, upright and in a well-ventilated outdoor space that is away from entry and exit points, and away from drains. Calor has some more detailed advice on storing gas cylinders.

How much does it cost to store a barbecue each month?

Storage companies offer many different sizes of unit, and the cost of storage space varies depending on where you are in the country and what sort of facility you need. The best way to cost up storage is to work out how much space you need and then get some quotes from several nearby storage companies.

If you have a smaller barbecue, it could be kept in a smaller sized storage unit such as 10 square foot, which is the size of a phone box. If you have more domestic goods that you would like to store with your barbecue, then a single-room sized storage unit is 35 square foot.

To ensure you get a good deal on your storage, check the monthly costs once any special offers run out. And check that the company is not overcharging you for self-storage insurance. You can often get a good deal from a specialist provider of self-storage insurance, rather than accepting what your storage company offers. Get a quote from Store and Insure to start you off.

Store your barbecue safely through the winter

By following these tips, you will have a barbecue that is ready for action as soon as the weather improves next spring.