Off-Season Care: Getting Ready for Winter

4 min read

However mild or harsh your winter actually gets, a little end-of-season attention makes a real difference in how your Jupiter appliances perform when you fire them back up in spring. Here's what we recommend before you close things down.

The Seasonal Look-Over

Before winter sets in, give everything the full quarterly check called for in your care guide:

Inspect hardware, gas connections, ignition, and door seals
Clear the grease tray and drain channels completely
Refresh the finish with a stainless polish
Confirm your covers still fit well

This is also the moment to double-check that the insulated heat liner is still properly installed in your grill and side burner — it needs to stay in place year-round, not just through the season, and running the appliance without it voids the warranty.

Winterizing Your Refrigerator

If your outdoor refrigerator won't be used through the off-season, make sure to unplug it, wipe the interior and shelves, and dry it out fully before shutting it down. Leaving any moisture inside over a long dormant period is exactly the kind of thing that causes problems later.

Cover It, Properly

A fitted cover is the simplest and most effective thing you can do heading into winter. Put it on once everything is fully cool and dry, and keep it on for the duration of the off-season. Even under a covered patio, a cover matters — a roof alone won't stop wind-blown salt, humidity, or pollen from reaching the stainless.

Climate-Specific Notes

Freeze-thaw winters: A core principle for any maintenance — never let water stand — matters even more once temperatures drop. Make sure everything is fully dry before covering for an extended period, since trapped moisture that freezes and thaws repeatedly is harder on stainless than cold air alone.

Coastal environments: Salt air doesn't take a season off. Keep rinsing exterior stainless with fresh water weekly, and always after a storm or heavy salt spray, even during lower-use months — salt left to sit is the single biggest cause of surface rust, in any season.

Desert and humid climates: The same core habits apply regardless of what's driving the risk — keep it clean, keep it dry, keep it covered. A quality cover protects against sun and temperature swings just as much as it does against moisture.

Getting Ready Again in Spring

Do a full inspection before the first use — hardware, connections, and grates
Run the grill empty on high for a few minutes to burn off anything that settled over the off-season
Give everything the same soap-and-water, with-the-grain clean-down described in our stainless steel care guide
Confirm the insulated heat liner is still properly seated before your first cook of the season