How to Fix and Replace Air Shutters on a Gas Grill Burner

How to Fix, Adjust and Replace the Air Shutters on Your Gas Grill’s Main Burner

Whether you’re new to gas grilling or a seasoned grilling pro, you will need to know how to use and maintain each part of your grill – and how to replace any damaged grill parts. This includes your grill’s air shutters. So, what exactly are air shutters, and what do they do, in the bigger scheme of your gas grill?

Ultimately, your gas grill’s air shutters are responsible for creating the flames on each grill burner. The ideal looking gas grill flame burns steady and blue with a yellow tip. By managing the air-to-gas ratio that takes place inside your gas grill, air shutters help to achieve the ideal gas grill flame and ensure even heat distribution across your grill’s entire cooking surface.


Situated on your gas grill’s venturi tubes (the small tubes that connect your gas grill’s burners and control valves), air shutters are often fitted with small screens to prevent insects from entering and nesting within your grill. When your grill’s air shutters are free of any obstructions and correctly adjusted, they will create just the right type of flames to ensure perfect cookouts.

On certain grill models, air shutters can be replaced and adjusted. On other grill models, air shutters are factory-set, and cannot be adjusted. To find out what type of air shutters your grill is fitted with, consult your grill’s owner manual.


Over time, the air shutters on your grill burners may get filled with dust, lint, and dirt. In which case you will need to clean out your burner's air shutters.

If you’ve cleaned out your grill’s air shutters and it still doesn’t solve your problems, an air shutter adjustment may be required. In this case, you’ll need to know how to properly adjust gas grill air shutters, so that your grill’s burners can work as they should.

Need replacement burners? Find your parts here.

How to Adjust Your Gas Grill’s Air Shutters

It is important to note that air shutter adjustment procedures will often vary depending on the gas grill manufacturer who developed your grill model. Before attempting to adjust or replace your grill’s air shutters, it is very important that you first consult your grill’s owner manual for detailed instructions specific to your grill model.

• To adjust air shutters, there may be a metal slide on the tip of each burner’s venturi tube that can be opened and closed.
• On other grill models, you may encounter metal air shutters with screw-like hinges for opening and closing the flow of air.
• And in some instances, you may locate just a simple screw that will open or close the air shutters.

Whichever type of gas grill you have, you should be able to find the air shutter adjustment apparatus inside your grill’s firebox. Typically, it’s located at the end of each burner, behind your gas grill’s control panel.

As mentioned, information about the exact location of your grill model’s air shutters can be found in your grill’s owner manual, so do consult your owner’s manual as a first step to ensure you locate the air shutters inside your grill quickly and effortlessly.


The following are step-by-step instructions for how to adjust the air-to-gas ratio using the air shutters on your gas grill’s main burners. Generally speaking, there are two specific methods that you can follow, depending on the location of your grill model’s air shutters.

• If you can reach your grill’s air shutter adjustment mechanisms, please use the first method outlined below to fine-tune and adjust air shutters while your grill is turned on.
• If you cannot reach your grill’s air shutter adjustment mechanisms, follow the steps outlined in the second method below.

Air Shutter Adjustment Method 1

Use this method if you can reach your grill’s air shutter adjustment mechanisms:

1. Light your gas grill burner.
2. Disconnect the front control panel to reveal the burner or venturi tube valves and manifold.
3. Loosen the screws, and slide or turn the air adjustment shutter until you see blue flames with yellow points.
4. Lastly, repeat steps 1 through 3 on all the burners inside your gas grill.

Air Shutter Adjustment Method 2

Use this method if you can’t reach your grill’s air shutter adjustment mechanisms:

1. Remove the burners from your gas grill, following the instructions in your grill’s user manual.
2. Loosen the screw on each burner’s venturi tube, and slide or turn the air adjustment shutter to open the shutters, allowing for greater or lesser air-to-gas ratio.
3. Place the burner back into your grill, turn it on, and test it. If you see blue flames with yellow points, your burner now has the correct air-to-gas ratio. If you do not see blue flames with yellow points, try adjusting the air shutter on each burner’s venturi tube again, until you see such flames.
4. When the air shutter adjustments are complete, remember to tighten the screws on each burner to keep them securely in place inside your grill.
5. Continue adjusting the air shutters on the other burner venturi tubes in your gas grill to the same setting, until they’re all producing the desired flame (blue, with yellow points).

Need replacement burners? Find your parts here.

More Details About Cleaning and Adjusting Air Shutters on a Gas Grill Burner

Remember: air shutters are designed to ensure the right air-to-gas mixture ratio so that your burners generate the appropriate flames for grilling food properly. When you first purchase your gas grill, its burner air shutters are set according to factory regulations and should not have to be adjusted.

If your air shutters are looking dirty or clogged, you may need to clean the outside of the air shutter screens using a soft brush (such as an old toothbrush) and some water. To find these air shutter screens, look towards the ends of the burners, where the venturi tubes are fitted. It will most likely be located beneath the control panel, depending on your grill model.

Sometimes a grill’s control panel may need to be removed to reach the air shutters on the venturi tubes or burners.

When to Replace Your Gas Grill’s Burners

If your grill is producing yellow flames, no flames, or if burners constantly burn out, then you’ll need to make an adjustment to the air-to-gas mixture using one of the two methods outlined above.

Don’t forget to test your grill’s burners and ensure each is at the same setting once you achieve the blue flame with yellow tips.

If you’ve attempted to adjust (and thoroughly cleaned) your grill’s air shutters and you’re still having problems, then it may be time to replace the burners on your grill.

Remember to always follow the instructions in your grill’s owner manual for removing and replacing the grill parts (most likely venturi tubes or burners) on which the air shutters are fitted.

Find gas grill replacement parts here.

Additional Information on Replacing Gas Grill and Propane Burner Parts

When you’re searching for new parts for your gas grill, your best bet is to look through your grill’s owner manual. Most of the time, that manual will include a 7-digit model code that will help you to quickly identify and replace old grill parts.

Find replacement parts for your grill model.

If you cannot find your gas grill’s model number in the owner’s manual, this model number can often be located somewhere on the grill itself. The grill model number might be on a sticker that’s located on a side panel, rear panel, or on the inside of a cart door. The sticker’s location will depend on the fuel area as well as the make of your gas grill.

Search and Find Replacement Grill Parts on My Grill Parts

If you’re looking to replace grill parts or buy some grilling accessories, be sure to check out the My Grill Parts website page. At My Grill Parts, you can quickly search for gas grill replacement parts based on the brand of grill you own.

The brands included on My Grill Parts include:

• KitchenAid
• Expert Grill
• Jenn-Air
• BHG
• Member’s Mark
• Megamaster
• Nexgrill
• Perfect Flame
• Kenmore
• Backyard Grill
• BBQ Pro
• Charmglow

In addition, this handy website also provides information on all the regions in the United States and Canada where such gas grill replacement grill parts are sold. You can easily locate the grill replacement part you need by simply entering your grill’s model number in the search bar on the My Grill Parts homepage.

Search through the website to find a burner for your particular grill model. If there are any other grill replacement parts you may need, such as cooking grids, flame tamers or gas valves, you can find them on My Grill Parts too.

If you ever have any questions about the heating components of your grill, its burners, or its igniter, you can find many answers on this troubleshooting website page.

By following the directions and tips provided in this article, you’ll quickly be able to locate, adjust, and replace the air shutters on your gas grill’s venturi tubes or burners.

If your gas grill is having problems, expert help is at hand! Just do a quick search on the My Grill Parts website whenever you may be in need of replacement parts or accessories for your gas grill.