There are many reasons that people decide to opt for natural gas grills, and one of those reasons is that a natural gas grill is safer than a propane tank.
It is a regulator that makes natural gas a safer alternative. So, to answer the question, ‘do you need a regulator for a natural gas grill?’
Yes, if you have a natural gas grill, you will almost certainly need a regulator.
What Are Natural Gas Grills?
Natural gas grills are still not the norm, which is why it is okay to be confused as to what a natural gas grill is or how it works.
Hence, before we talk about regulators and their role in gas grills, we have included this brief section containing an overview of natural gas grills.
For the most part, a natural gas grill works like any other grill – it requires fuel to cook the food.
The difference is that a natural gas grill uses natural gas that is installed in our homes.
Natural gas is installed through the main line.
Normally, what we refer to as natural gas is simply methane that has been compressed into a vapor.
Also, the methane is often refined, which makes natural gas more efficient than other types of gases.
Natural gas is distributed by the county, city, or state (depending upon your residential location).
Generally, though, the distribution is contracted out to individual companies or business, in much the same way that electricity is.
Then, against a monthly charge, you can use natural gas in your home.
You will need to hire an expert to install the natural gas line in your house, so that you can access natural gas and use it to flip burgers on the natural gas grill.
Reasons to Opt for Natural Gas Grills:
An increasing number of people are going for natural gas grills, and there are good reasons behind this decision.
Below are a few brief pointers, outlining the most essential of those reasons:
- The fuel (that is, natural gas) is already present in your house, so you do not need to buy it every time you want to use the grill
- Natural gas is extremely efficient
- Natural gas is cheaper in the long term
- Natural gas grills, too, are often cheaper than other types of grills
- Natural gas grills are safer than propane tanks
Although all these advantages are significant, for the purpose of this guide, the most important benefit is the last one.
Natural gas grills are safer than propane tanks – because this is where a regulator comes into play.
Regulators and Natural Gas Grills:
Like we just mentioned, the fact that natural gas is regulated is what makes it safer than propane.
This means that the main gas line in your house will already have a regulator.
Thanks to this regulator, the flow of natural gas is restricted to 110 PSI (Pressure per Square Inch).
This restriction is important; without it, the gas pressure would be extremely unstable and, therefore, dangerous.
You might still think that this does not answer the, ‘do you need a regulator for a natural gas grill’ question.
Well, the answer, like we mentioned, is ‘yes’.
However, since your main gas line already has a regulator and you do not need to get another one separately, you might feel that, logically, you do not need a regulator.
Application Regulator:
An application regulator is simply a regulator that you attach to the appliance that will require the natural gas.
Almost every gas grill will require a regulator, since it regulates the amount of gas flowing towards the grill, and makes the entire process safer.
A natural gas grill cannot work with unstable or unregulated gas pressure, since the adapters, gas hoses, and valves are not tailored to function with high gas pressures.
So, if you do not install a regulator with your natural gas grill, the prolonged elevated gas pressures might end up damaging your grill components.
This, in turn, could lead to high flames and even gas leaks.
So, to sum this section up, the main natural gas line installed in your house is regulated and, therefore, perfectly said.
Having said that, an appliance regulator or application regulator will still be required to make sure that your gas grill is safe to work with and does not present a high risk.
How Does a Natural Gas Grill Regulator Work?
It is important to learn about the types of gas grill regulators and how they work.
The most common type of natural gas grill regulator is the ‘diaphragm regulator’.
This regulator contains two essential components:
- The valve body – this is attached to the gas grill.
- The valve head – this is attached to one end of the valve body. The hose for the natural gas, in turn, is attached to the valve head.
When you turn the natural gas on, it will enter the valve body and head.
A needle, spring-loaded valve regulates this entire process. This valve is present inside the valve body, and allows the gas to safely travel towards the valve head.
So, why is it called a ‘diaphragm’ regulator?
The reason for that is a kind of diaphragm that is present inside the head, and forms a kind of seal as soon as the gas makes its way inside the head.
Thanks to this seal, the natural gas is prohibited from leaking back into the main gas line.
This whole process limits the amount of gas that your grill can burn at any given time.
This, in turn, keeps the flames under control which, in turn, makes the natural gas grill safe to operate.
Wrapping Up:
An appliance regulator is an essential addition to any natural gas grill, minimizing the chances of gas leaks, high flames, or even explosions.
Once again, let us iterate that the natural gas that comes into your house is already regulated.
But you will need an application/appliance regulator for your natural gas grill.