Grilling with Traeger is just fun if you do it in the right way!
Traeger takes your grilling experience to the next level. Isn’t it?
What if there is rainy or extreme cold outside?
This just inclined you to use your Traeger in the garage.
Now you may wonder, can I Use My Traeger in the Garage?
some grillers use their Traeger in the garage without any issue.
But as per my opinion, I don’t recommend using the Traeger in the garage.
You can use a Traeger in the garage but you probably shouldn’t for several different reasons.
It is not completely safe to use the electric smoker in the garage.
But still, you want to use the Traeger grill in the garage, you have to take care of all precautionary measures without any fail.
Let’s get to know in detail about using your Traeger in the garage and its safety measures.
Is it safe to Use a Grill/Smoker in The Garage?
As per the discussion in the forum, some grill owners have been using their pellet grill/ smoker in the garage without any problem until now.
But it is not totally safe.
You have to follow some safety precautionary measures for using grill in the garage.
Any grill you can use indoor, you can use it in your garage without any hustle.
As any grill like Traeger contain flame and they are not intended to use in the garage or indoor under any circumstances.
They are specially designed for outdoor cooking.
Of course, there are some electric grills that can be used indoors like the open grill and the folding contact grill.
But Not all electric grills are built to use indoor.
The most dangerous thing is Carbon Monoxide.
Electric smokers like Traeger emit Carbon Monoxide.
It is most dangerous when you are not careful and having exposure for longer periods.
So, it is not completely safe to use the pellet grill in the garage, but if it can be done with some precautionary measures.
Can I Use My Traeger in The Garage With The Door Open?
As I mentioned above, I am against using the Traeger in the garage.
If it is a closed area there is a high risk involved.
But some of you may ask, Can I use my Traeger in the garage with the door open?
Then as per my opinion, still there is risk involved but it is lower than a closed garage.
You can use the grills in the garage that are intended for indoor use.
The outdoor grills like Traeger come up with a warning that doesn’t use in the garage.
Pay close attention to it. If you do not, it may lead to dangerous effects on your life.
Traeger uses ignitable fuel sources, so safety is in the first place while using in the garage.
Essential Aspects to Consider While Using Traeger in Garage
You should pay attention to the following aspects while using Trager in the garage.
Install a carbon monoxide detector
When you burn wood pellets in your Traeger, it emits carbon monoxide.
The longer exposure to carbon monoxide can kill.
So, use the grill in an open space where they can emit their carbon monoxide into the air.
Certainly, electric smokers emit less amount of carbon monoxide than cooking with a regular smoker.
But still, they could be dangerous if you are not using them carefully.
You may think, it is over precautionary, but it worth the risk.
There is one good solution to lower this risk.
You can install a carbon monoxide detector and keep the track of carbon monoxide in your garage.
Make sure it is installed properly and working all the way through.
Ventilation is must
If you are going to use Traeger in your garage, ventilation is the essential aspect worth considering.
Due to the emission of carbon monoxide, ventilation is important.
Make sure the garage door is open.
The smoker should be placed as close to the outdoors as possible ensuring there is enough airflow.
The smoke emitted with the grill goes outside. The garage should have an open window.
Electric smokers like Traeger may also cause serious smoke damage.
So, ventilation is crucial to avoid such smoke damage.
I know most of you love that smokey smell, but excessive smoke may lead to ruin the walls or other equipment in the garage.
If there is no enough ventilation in the garage, the equipment in the garage may become visibly greasy.
Even there is enough ventilation, the equipment in the garage lingering little smoky smell after cooking.
Store wood pellets safely in the garage
You may look like wood pellets harmless, but if it stored in normal condition, they emit carbon monoxide.
As there is a chemical reaction occurs that forms carbon monoxide gas even when you just store the wood pellets.
If the wood pellets are not stored properly, this Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas, leads to harmful health effects.
If you are going to store even just pellets in the garage, it is essential to store wood pellets safely.
Make sure there is enough ventilation in the garage.
If you are storing your pellets in a garage, make sure they are not exposed to high heat such as your cars or the water heater.
If you bought new pellets and still stored them sealed in a bag, they can ignite if exposed to extreme heat.
Clean your Traeger frequently
Cleaning your pellet grill is most important even if you going to use it in an open space or the garage.
If you don’t clean it regularly, there is a lot of grease accumulated on the drip tray, this may cause your grill to catch fire.
So, the simple solution is to use a liner on your drip tray and change it every 1-3 cooks.
These Traeger drip tray liners are heat resistant and allows ease for cleaning.
Using grill in the garage becomes safe as long as you keep them clean.
So, cleaning your Traeger grill regularly is crucial if you are using it in the garage.
Traeger should not be exposed to high heat or flammables
If you are going to store your Traeger or pellets, make sure they are not exposed to high heat.
The grill should be stored and used far from the things like a water heater or car etc.
Is There Any Alternative to Use Traeger in a Garage?
If you are concerned about rain or extremely hot weather outside while using Traeger, then you have a great alternative.
You can get a BBQ canopy and cover the area where you going to use your Traeger.
I think it is a safer alternative than using the grill in the garage.
These BBQ canopies provide shelter and ventilation to your Traeger so that you can use your grill safely.
You can use the ABCCANOPY Grill Shelter Replacement Canopy to protect your Traeger from rain or hot summer.
Its Vented double tiers are made of durable and waterproof.
You can do your grilling better as you can protect your grill from the sun and rain.
Can I Use Traeger in the Rain?
Are you wondering, can I use Traeger in the rain?
Then there is no straight forward answer.
Yes, you can use it in the rain but you should not, due to several reasons.
There is extreme care that should be taken if you are storing your Traeger outside in the rain.
You should make sure water doesn’t get inside the hopper as pellets get wet.
If the moisture is trapped inside the pellets, it will clog the augur.
So that you should cover your grill with a reliable grill cover while storing outside in the rainy season.
As per the Canadian Traeger website, you can use Traeger in the light rain. But there is a different definition for different folks for light rain.
And they don’t clearly mention why light rain is ok and why heavy rain is not.
If you want to use your Traeger in the rain, make sure won’t mix electricity and water for safety purpose.
While using the Traeger in rain, there are other most notable things to care about are power connection and control panel.
The water may get inside the power connection and control panel and your grill not going to work.
There is a complaint about other lower end pellet grills is rust accumulation.
But it is less likely rust to happen with Traeger.
If your Traeger grill is constantly get contacted with water and humid condition for longer, it might get rusted.
Final Thoughts
There could be myriad reasons that inclined you to use your Traeger in the garage.
But in my opinion, it is not completely safe.
Though a lot of folks still using it in the garage.
Of course, you can also use your Traeger in the garage.
You should strictly follow the above-mentioned precautionary measures before using the grill in the garage.
Resources:
https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/emergency/weather/carbon_monoxide/docs/pellets.pdf
https://www.traegergrills.com/learn/tips-and-tricks-winter-grilling
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/safe-to-smoke-in-garage.144872/
Related Articles:
Can You Use Traeger Without Pellets?
Does Traeger Pro 575 have a Smoke Setting?
