Dacor Outdoor Grill Repair & Cleaning

Dacor started in Southern California and built its name on high-end indoor cooking appliances. It's now owned by Samsung. Along the way, Dacor sold outdoor gas grills meant to match its kitchens, and they went into some well-appointed outdoor kitchens around Los Angeles.

The important point for homeowners today: Dacor outdoor grills haven't been a current product for a long time, so most of the ones we see are older. That shapes every repair conversation. The stainless body and firebox are often still in decent shape, while the parts that wear (burners, igniters, valves, grates) may no longer be made in their original form.

• Ignition that quit. Spark modules and electrodes wear out with age. Universal ignition parts can often take their place. See electronic ignition module.
• Corroded burners. Rusted or cracked burners with uneven flame. See burner replacement.
• Worn grates and heat distribution parts that have warped or rusted through.
• Valves and knobs. Stiff valves, missing knobs and faded bezels. See knob and bezel replacement.
• Grease buildup on grills that haven't been fully cleaned in years.

A full cleaning is often the first step on an older Dacor, because grease hides problems. We pull grates, heat distribution parts and burners, clear ports, and scrape and degrease the firebox with a biodegradable cleaner. The grease tray and drip path get cleaned out. As we go, we note cracks, rust-through and parts that need replacing, then test ignition and flame on every burner. Rinse water and grease go into our containers, not your patio. See BBQ grill cleaning.

With an older Dacor, there are three paths. Some original parts still turn up, and we'll check for them. Grates, burners and ignition parts can often be matched with well-made equivalents, which our OEM vs. universal parts guide explains. Gas valves and regulators are different: they need to be the correct part, and we don't improvise on gas controls.

When too many systems are failing, the practical answer is a new grill in the same island. We're a dealer, and we can measure your cutout, recommend grills that fit, and install one. Read replacing a built-in grill in the same cutout and how to measure a cutout to see what's involved.

The rating label on older Dacor built-ins is usually somewhere under or inside the front of the grill. It may be faded or missing, which is fine; photos of the grill and its parts are often enough for us to work from.