Why does my Traeger keep telling me to clean the grease trap?
Thus the Traeger WiFire control app sends you notifications to remind you to clean your wood pellet grill and empty the grease trap. Though even after you do, it will continue to send you reminders, until you clear the notifications. You can do this in the WiFire main menu under Settings.
Is you're gonna hit the menu. Button scroll down to settings go ahead. And click settings. And then
The grease trap on your Traeger Timberline Grill acts as a barrier to redirect the cold smoke up towards the heat shield/chimney. In order for it to work correctly, follow these easy steps: NOTE: As you use your grill, the water in the grease trap will slowly be replaced by grease from the drip tray.
For a thorough cleaning, utilize the shop vacuum to suck out any lingering FOGs from the grease trap. Next, refresh the grease trap and free the tank from obnoxious odors with a little elbow grease, a steel pot scrubber, dish soap and tepid water. Thoroughly scrub down the grease trap's baffles, sides and lid.
How to Clean a Traeger Grill - YouTube
After the firepot is empty, put the grill on high and wait for the auger to become filled with pellets. Once you start to see pellets fall into the firepot again, turn the grill off and place the internal pieces back into the grill. At this point you will be able to restart your cook.
Pellets remain in the auger tube after shut down, so there's no need to prime the auger. The only time you need to prime it is if you run the hopper out of pallets.
We recommend cleaning the grill after every 2-3 cooks--at least every 20 hours of cooking. However, you may need to clean it out more often when cooking greasier foods or after a long cook.
The simplest explanation is that you've run out of pellets, so there's nothing to burn. It may be that the outside temperature is so cold your Traeger can't get up to temperature. There may be debris that's plugging your fire pot and preventing ventilation (you need oxygen for a fire).
BBQ/Grill Tips: Should I Clean or Replace My Grease Tray - YouTube
Why is there smoke coming out of my pellet hopper on my Traeger?
This may seem alarming, but seeing smoke coming from the hopper during a cook is indicative of an airflow issue--not the pellets in the hopper ready to catch on fire. Typically, the fan is not blowing enough to create the correct pressure to vacuum out the exhaust, thus allowing smoke to escape from the hopper.
Detergent soap can be used on a Traeger pellet grill, even on the grease bucket and drip tray. However, harsh cleaning agents or power washers should never be used to clean the grill.

We recommended cleaning your wood pellet grill once every five grills on average. Your grill should also be cleaned after every extended grill as well (over 8 hours).
On your controller, navigate to SELECT AUGER > PRIME AUGER. Once pellets begin to fall into the firepot, select Done to turn off the auger. Turn the selection dial clockwise to 350°F (177°C) and press the controller knob to set the temperature. Close the lid and press IGNITE on the front of the controller.
If you find grease leaking out of the sink, the pipes or water lines, this may be a sign that the grease trap is full and you need to have it cleaned out. This is because when the trap is clogged, the grease will find its way out in other ways. It is important to have the grease trap cleaned on a regular basis.
Chemex 33 GTC is a multi-strain bacterial solution that is specifically designed to break down fats, oils, and greases (FOG's), as well as other food waste items in drain lines, grease traps and grease interceptors.
You should never spray a hose inside the grill, so it is difficult to clean out the cleanser residue entirely. Second, the hard cleansers may damage the surface of the grill. We recommend using Traeger Cleaner for all grill and smoker cleaning.
When should you use a water pan in a Traeger? You can use a water pan to help boost the moisture in the cooking chamber when you are cooking brisket or a pork shoulder that will take quite a long time or if you are cooking at a higher temperature and want to avoid any chance of burning drippings on the drip tray.
How to Clean a Traeger Grill - Regular Grill Cleaning Routine - YouTube
3 -YEAR WARRANTY
Traeger Pellet Grills LLC warrants this barbecue grill against defects in material and workmanship under normal use and maintenance for a period of three (3) years from the date of original purchase.
Can I run my Traeger without pellets?
Unlike an oven which uses electricity to provide heat, the sole source of heat in a Traeger grill comes from the burning of wood pellets. So, unfortunately, you cannot use a Traeger grill without wood pellets, as it simply won't heat up at all and will refuse to operate!
The answer is, “With proper care, cleaning and maintenance you can expect a Traeger grill to last at least five years. A Traeger will easily last 10-15 years when damaged components are replaced with readily available replacement parts.”
''Leaving unused pellets in the hopper can lead them to rot. They are exposed to the elements of your outdoor environment. Always empty your hopper after each cook and store any leftover pellets in a secure, sealed container. This way, your pellets are less likely to go stale or create jams with the auger.
What Traeger Recipe Should I Make FIRST? Traeger enthusiasts and Traeger themselves will recommend roasting a whole chicken first, and we do too. You can find our post about that here on the Traeger Grilled Chicken page. If a whole chicken isn't your thing, make this Grilled Buffalo Chicken.
UNLESS you purge and clean the auger tube, then you will have to prime the auger again.
BBQ/Grill Tips: Should I Clean or Replace My Grease Tray - YouTube
We recommend cleaning the grill after every 2-3 cooks--at least every 20 hours of cooking. However, you may need to clean it out more often when cooking greasier foods or after a long cook.
On your controller, navigate to SELECT AUGER > PRIME AUGER. Once pellets begin to fall into the firepot, select Done to turn off the auger. Turn the selection dial clockwise to 350°F (177°C) and press the controller knob to set the temperature. Close the lid and press IGNITE on the front of the controller.
The NUMBER ONE cause of temperature issues is poor pellet quality. If you are experiencing temperature issues, always begin your troubleshooting by removing and replacing your pellets and vacuuming out any residual sawdust from the hopper and from the auger tube.
As per estimates, three months is the cut-off time for the grease trap to reach this mark. Still, you should clean it out every three months even when the tray is less than 1/4th full.
How often should you clean the grease trap on a grill?
Clean your grill at least once a month. Make sure to clean it after a big cookout, as there may be more grease than usual in the grease trap. Cleaning cleaning debris off the grates after each use, and keeping the grill covered when not in use, will help your grill stay cleaner and make cleaning it a much easier chore.
Hose down your grill and lid, inside and out, to rinse out any residual ash. Now start scrubbing (with gloves on). You need hot water, a plastic scour pad, and either dish soap or degreaser. If you use dish soap, just scrub the entire firebox and grates with hot, soapy water, then rinse them well and dry.
Remove extra ash from the Firepot.
This step can be fast and easy by using a standard shop vac. Make sure all grill components are cold before vacuuming up the extra ash. We recommend cleaning your Traeger once for every 5 times you use it.
Gas or electric power washers can be used to clean grills. You'll need a unit that produces at least 1.3 GPM at 2,000 PSI to get the job done efficiently. A gas grill will be able to provide enough power to tackle really stuck on grime from grills that may have been neglected for several seasons.
Step 2: Wash Your Traeger Grill Grates
Though they may seem really greasy and grimy, the grates clean up quite well with warm soapy water.
Pellets remain in the auger tube after shut down, so there's no need to prime the auger. The only time you need to prime it is if you run the hopper out of pallets.
After you prime it once it is good to go every time. UNLESS you purge and clean the auger tube, then you will have to prime the auger again.
''Leaving unused pellets in the hopper can lead them to rot. They are exposed to the elements of your outdoor environment. Always empty your hopper after each cook and store any leftover pellets in a secure, sealed container. This way, your pellets are less likely to go stale or create jams with the auger.
The main reasons a pellet grill won't heat up comes down to old or moist pellets, blocked fire pot, bad weather conditions, or problems with the auger.
One of the most common reasons why your Traeger grill might be slow to heat up is that it has old or low-quality pellets in it.
How do you know if your Traeger Hot Rod is bad?
First, you may notice that the grill isn't cooking as evenly as it used to. This can be a sign that the hot rod can no longer generate enough heat to cook the food properly. What is this? Another sign that your Traeger hot rod has gone bad is if you start to notice rust outside the grill.