To keep egg from freezing shut

Martini Mark in PTC

Last year Mike in MN had a problem that plagues most of us up here in the snowcovered tundra - You go to use your BGE only to find the lid, cap, vent or any/all frozen shut. I eliminated that a few years ago by recovering after every winter usage, along with duct taping the edge of the vent door to keep moisture out. Someone suggested making a sheet-metal ring or something else between the felt. Has anyone done this? What about the non-felt versions of the gaskets? Any experience on how these hold up to winter's sleet/snow & ice?

Jethro

Martini Mark in MSP,[p]I've had a lot of success using two small (about 1"x2") pieces of cereal box tops. After cooking I just place them, one on top of the other, on the gasket near the handle.[p]since most of the pieces are in the Egg they don't weather that much. Simple and cheap.[p]Keep em Smokin,
Jethro

usa doug

Jethro,
How about putting a drop light on the grill and shut the lid on the cord. Before using it the next time plug the light in about an hour before you are ready to use it. That should solve the problem.[p]Doug

fishlessman

Martini Mark in MSP,
i live on the mass/ new hampshire border on the windy side of a lake where the ice and snoww really packs around the egg. the felt gaskets freeze together often in the winter, but the rutland has fewer problems. the glue that the rutland uses does come loose from time to time in the winter, but i kept the tube that came with the kit and do some minor reglueing when i see a spot coming loose. i have not had it really stick together like with the felt,have had it on for about 1 year. we will see what happens this year.

Seth

Martini Mark in MSP,
Slip a piece of wax paper between the felt after your cook and you are good to got when ever you want to cook. I will be welcomed home tonight by 17 lbs of pulled pork tonight. MickyT #4 ring holding a dead solid 275*. Predictable as heck.
Good eggin to ya,
Seth

Citizen Q

Martini Mark,
After every cook I open the slide daisy and the bottom vent all the way and let the Egg heat up for 20 minutes or more to burn off any grease and to dry out the Egg as much as possible, this helps to prevent both freezing in winter and mold in summer. This is usually sufficient to keep my Egg operating freely throughout the winter, but not always, as being near the coast we tend to get very wet winter storms followed by the frigid temps that can lock down just about anything that's got a little water on it, especially car doors and windshield wiper blades. I don't cover my Egg at all, and the ice can build up pretty quick, but I wouldn't think of placing any type of spacer between the gaskets cause I'd be afraid of moisture infiltration that could build up and tear apart sections of gasket upon opening. All I do to unfreeze a frozen Egg is take off the rain cap, gently chipping away any ice that might be holding it in place with my ash tool and drop a lit sawdust starter cube down onto cooking grid, the dome usually opens up in under five minutes without prematurely lighting the lump. A while back, somebody else posted that they tackled this problem by sticking a drop light down through the chimney with great success also. It doesn't take very much heat at all to thaw out.
I cringe every winter as I read posts from Eggers who have reached for hammers and chisels upon encountering a frozen dome for the first time or had a snow covered umbrella snap off and dump a load down their neck as they slip and damage tailbones because they didn't shovel a proper path due to the shovel being smashed against the side of an uncooperative snowblower. Let's be careful out there, okay? We don't want any more steamed hamburgers for dinner now, do we?[p]Cheers,
C~Q

Jethro

usadoug,[p]I am not sure how large the cord is and thus how wide the lid would be open. Would also have to keep going outside to place it in after the Egg cools down and before it freezes back shut.[p]The theory is sound just don't know about the application here in Chicago.[p]Keep em Smokin,
Jethro

Unknown

fishlessman,[p]Where 'bouts do you live? I used to live in Manchester, NH in the early 90's. I absolutely love that part of the country!! Do to a corporate transfer, I got back to my home state of MN.[p]I an picturing that you live somewhere like Pelham.[p]Becks

fishlessman

Becks in MN,
i grew up in salem and plaistow nh, now i live across the border from pelham in methuen ma on forest lake. ocean, ski country, boston all within 45 minute drive. fishing canoeing skating all within 30 seconds to the egg. not to many reasons to leave.

Unknown

fishlessman,[p]That is exactly what I used to tell my friends when they asked me if I liked it out there!! Everything you could ever want with a 1 hour drive, can't beat that.[p]I do a fair amount of business with Brockway-Smith in Andover, MA.[p]Happy Holidays to you!
Becks

Unknown

Martini Mark in MSP,[p]Invest in a vinyl cover. Or, if you are frugal, go to a second-hand store, and find a cheap poncho or rain slicker, or tarp...[p]Cover it after use (wait for it to cool down...) and ***PRESTO*** no more freeze-ups![p]MM

Martini Mark in PTC

fishlessman,
Please keep me informed, I am curious how it will hold up for you. Also, if cold and damp affects the gasket more than just 'dry' cold, as we tend to get in a few more weeks.

stike

Becks in MN,
hey
i got you both beat[p]i used to live in salem AND i do business with brockway smith![p]hahahaha[p]really
born in methuen 1966, lived in salem til 93 or so, wakefield mass now since then[p]we got a real reunion going here.

stike

Jethro,
was doing a lo and slow the other day in a snowstorm, and though i didn't NEED to (turns out the egg stayed warm the whole cook), i placed strips of aluminum foil between the gaskets in case they froze together.[p]funny thing was, when the cook was over, i pulled the foil out and shut the egg down.[p]when i went to cook a few days later, i'd found that it had frozen together