AEI Corporation

Natural Gas vs. Propane Grills for Multi-Family Properties

Posted: March 04, 2024 at 11:52 AM

10 minute read | Grills

If you are looking to install or upgrade new patio grills for your multi-family properties, apartments, or condos, finding the right grills with the features you need to promote safety and offer high-quality grilling results is a high priority. Whether you are an owner, manager, or a developer needing multi-family grills, your residents will be most satisfied knowing they have the safest and best natural gas grill or propane grill to cook on. And you will be happy knowing that your patio grills offer the safety features you want while staying economical and durable enough to last through numerous uses.

AEI Corporation knows how important providing excellent quality grills is, and we offer you several options including having both natural gas and propane versions of each of our grills. PGS Grills by AEI Corporation are used on thousands of residential patios throughout North America as well as apartment common areas, bed-and-breakfasts, golf clubs, sailing clubs, and even outdoor environments of some of the finest restaurants. Here are some guidelines when it comes to purchasing commercial grills for your multi-family properties.

Buying Commercial Patio Grills

Buying a commercial grill means different things in different settings. At AEI, we believe a commercial grill should be a grill engineered to withstand the rigors of multiple usage day in and day out. We believe to achieve this our PGS T-Series grills must be built only using the most durable materials, while at the same time keeping to their straightforward design. A proper commercial grill should provide value and safety, such as a one-hour gas-flow timer, and be backed by a warranty that leads the industry.

When you invest in a PGS T-Series grill you know you are getting one of the most reliable products on the outdoor cooking market today. PGS T-Series natural gas and liquid propane outdoor grills focus on durability and quality. PGS also offers a thorough warranty that is one of the best in the gas grilling industry. Many of the parts on a PGS grill are included in the full-year and lifetime warranties. For example, burners, cooking grids, and other major components may all be protected by warranty.

Why PGS T-Series Commercial Grills?

PGS has a proven history of producing excellent commercial gas grills with exceptional construction packed into a no-nonsense design. These natural gas and propane patio grills are known to be carefully crafted with exact dimensions. So if you are looking for a replacement grill, there is likely a PGS product that is suitable with the features you need.

PGS offers a uniquely positioned commercial-grade heat indicator that is mounted on the right side of the grill, next to the cooking grids, in order to give you an accurate indication of the heat on the actual cooking surface. Coupled with heavy-duty burners and cooking grids, PGS T-Series commercial gas grills can cook just about anything to the requirements of a professional chef.

PGS T-Series natural gas and propane grills are made with stainless steel components and heavy-duty burners. They also are manufactured with cooking grids that are spaced so you can grill without ever having to worry about food falling through the cooking grids. This feature makes T-Series commercial grills perfect for cooks of every type of experience, from novice to professional.

How to Choose Your Grill

Here are some guidelines for choosing your multi-family property commercial grill fuel source.There are two main considerations when choosing your grills:

• The location of your natural gas fuel lines
• Whether you will need to move or reposition your grills

Choosing Natural Gas Grills

Natural gas is piped into your grills from your property's natural gas utility line through a direct gas line. This means you don't need to worry about having and refilling a fuel tank. In order for this to work, the natural gas grills need to be mounted in place so that they are unmoveable or stationary. But you don't have the inconvenience of swapping out fuel tanks.

Natural gas grills can be mounted in a variety of ways, including on a pole, a pedestal, a grill cart, as part of an outdoor kitchen countertop, or on a prefabricated grill island.

The disadvantages of natural gas grills are:

• It's difficult to move the grills after they are installed and mounted.
• Natural gas lines may not be located in the best place for your grills which can require construction to move or install new lines.
• You can't use natural gas grills if your property doesn't have access to natural gas utility services.

Choosing Liquid Propane Grills

Liquid propane grills, also called propane grills, use a fuel tank to hold the propane. The propane fuel tank is usually stored below the grill, hidden from easy view, which potentially allows the grill to be a portable grill. This type of grill is generally the only option to choose for properties without any natural gas lines.

Propane grills offer the option of being mounted in place on a pole, a pedestal, a grill cart, as part of an outdoor kitchen countertop, or on a prefabricated grill island. But they can also be portable if they are mounted on a grill cart with wheels, so they can be used in more than one location, or stored when not in use.

The biggest disadvantage of using propane grills is the slight inconvenience of swapping out propane fuel tanks, and the need to stock spare fuel tanks on hand.

T-Series Grills for Multi-Family Properties

Our T-Series grills are designed specifically for multi-family properties like condos, apartments, and du/tri/quadplexes. Each T-Series grill model has a unique version for each fuel source, and the type of fuel is not interchangeable.

If you are looking for smaller, more economical cast-aluminum grills, the T30 and T40 models are a good size to work well for grill areas that need more than one grill in them.

If you prefer stainless steel grills, there are three sizes available - S27T, S36T, and S48T.

T-Series Grills Features

All T-Series natural gas and propane grills have the following features:

• 30,000 to 90,000 BTUs depending on the number of burners per grill, allowing for professional-level cooking ability
• Stainless steel cooking grids for ease of use, ease of cleaning, and no worries about rust or tarnish
• Stainless steel side shelves make it easy to take care of and clean
• 339 square inches to 960 square inches of cooking surface for plenty of room to feed your entire group
• One-year parts replacement warranty to keep the grill working at its best throughout the year

Standard T-Series Grills Accessories

All of our T-Series commercial grills come automatically with several very important features standard, including:

• 60-minute gas-flow shutoff grill timer
• Anti-theft control dials
• Laser-etched control directions

60-Minute Gas-Flow Shutoff Grill Timer

The 60-minute gas-flow shutoff grill timer is one of the most sought-after features for any commercial grill. The timer shuts off the flow of fuel to the grill after a maximum of 60 minutes of continual use. This feature prevents lost or wasted fuel and potential fire hazards from a resident accidentally leaving a grill running after use.

Anti-Theft Control Dials

Anti-theft control dials are designed to prevent kids or other mischief makers from absconding with the grill controls which makes the grills unable to be used.

Laser-Etched Controls

You never have to worry about faded or missing instructions with these grills. Laser-etched controls ensure that directions to use the grill never fade and will always be readable regardless of exposure to weather or the sun.

T-Series Grill Line is the Industry Leader

The PGS T-Series Grill line continues to prove it’s the industry leader in terms of improving multi-family communal spaces. The T-Series gas grills have emerged as the go-to resource for retrofitting and new outdoor grill installations. These cast aluminum and stainless steel grills are equally effective at using liquid propane or natural gas. Generating high BTUs of evenly distributed cooking heat, the advanced technologies T-Series grills employ help eliminate flare-ups.

Cast Aluminum Outdoor Grill Installations

The T-Series includes models known as T30 and T40 which are considered modestly-sized options. This patio grill line offers 330 to 434 square inches of direct grilling area and BTUs of 30,000 and 40,000, depending on which model you choose. Using stainless steel cooking grids, they are simple to clean and effectively handle intense weather.

As liquid propane grills, they can be cart-mounted and moved to green spaces, patios, or impromptu locations as the need arises. As a pedestal mount grill, they can be connected with natural gas lines for use on individual patios, hardscapes, and other popular gathering places.

Stainless Steel Grills for Condos

The PGS S48T, S36T, and S27T models rank among the larger stainless steel grills used in multi-family settings. With direct grilling areas that range from 720 to 960 square inches, these top-tier grills are designed to handle family gatherings, birthday parties, and celebrations with relative ease. Generating 67,000 to 90,000 BTUs, they are also ideal for built-in kitchen installations and use with specific prefabricated grill islands.

These commercial outdoor grill options also work seamlessly with natural gas or liquid propane. In terms of accessories, side burners, beverage centers, infrared rotisseries, and self-cleaning grids make them a multi-family community preference. But it’s the extensive list of safety features that often makes them the preferred choice among property managers and owners.

Optional T-Series Grills Accessories

T-Series grills also have several optional accessories, including lift-assist grill handle, emergency gas shutoff button, infrared rotisserie burners, side burners, and beverage centers.

Lift-Assist Grill Handle

The lift-assist grill handle is an extension of the standard grill handle. This accessory lets anyone open and close the grill, even if they are seated in a wheelchair, without ever needing to reach over the hot grill, preventing the uncomfortable heat of the grill.

Emergency Gas Shutoff Button

The Emergency Gas Shutoff button is designed to be pressed in an emergency to shut off the gas flow immediately. The button also doubles as a 60-minute grill shutoff timer. This added safety feature is helpful for multi-family grills.

Infrared Rotisserie Burners and Spit

The Infrared Rotisserie Burners and Spit, which comes standard on the S48T, gives the family chef a range of new possibilities when it comes to open-air cooking. This addition is great for gatherings or parties during the outdoor cooking season.

Side Burners

Why only grill outside? Side Burners add the ability to boil liquids, make soups and stews, or cook in a pan. Stir fry meat and vegetables in a wok, cook eggs or French toast for brunch, or create a skillet dessert for your meal. All while grilling at the same time.

Beverage Center

An outdoor Beverage Center gives multi-family residents a place to keep cold food and drinks while grilling outside. Instead of needing to walk numerous times indoors to retrieve cold items, you can keep them right at hand ready for use while grilling.

How to Create an Outdoor Grilling Area

Transforming a common area into a viable outdoor grilling area does not necessarily require a massive investment. Portable patio grills are an excellent first step because they tend to be a cost-effective way to provide smartly-grilled food while holding outdoor events. The best portable patio grills are constructed from durable stainless steel or durable cast-aluminum. Products such as the PGS T-Series are considered ideal for this multi-family use. This commercial gas grill line offers liquid propane grills that can be cart-mounted and moved from place to place. With a fuel tank housed in the base, portable patio grills can be repositioned to accommodate additional seating and do not require a gas line installation.

In terms of revitalizing a passive common area into a complete outdoor kitchen that supports family get-togethers, birthday parties, and community-wide events, large stainless steel grills are usually the best option. The industry-leading PGS Grill line offers extensive commercial options suitable for multi-family communities and outdoor settings. For example, the S48T stainless steel outdoor grill can be installed into an existing countertop. It serves as the focal point for an outdoor kitchen and gathering area. The S48T remains one of the few natural gas grills that can be installed into prefabricated grill islands.

Another option, the use of prefabricated grill islands is a money-saving choice for multi-family properties. Designed to captivate the look and feel of a custom outdoor kitchen counter at a fraction of the cost and weight(which can allow them to be installed on patio rooftops with weight limits) . They can also be erected by DIYers who possess reasonable tool and assembly skills, prefabricated grill islands can be put together in a single afternoon. Grill islands also allow for the use of natural gas grills or liquid propane grills. They have ample room in the base to store fuel tanks. And because the grill islands are secured in place, natural gas lines can be connected.

It’s also essential to include accessories whenever possible. Side shelves, beverage centers, additional burners, and an infrared rotisserie. Each of these and other items widens the seasonal recipe possibilities and excitement of annual events. PGS grills also have a reputation for being reliable and backed by a parts replacement warranty.

Improve Immenities for Residents with Commercial Natural Gas and Propane Grills

With these unique natural gas and liquid propane grills, any of the T-Series grills designed to work in multi-family settings can offer high-quality cooking options that are safe for any resident to use. Residents will appreciate the flexibility, durability, and safety provided by these grills, and will be happy to take advantage of using them at your apartment building, condominium, or other multi-family settings.

High-quality grills for apartments and condos are essential value-added items that round out common areas and give residents a fun place to gather. Since they are made to be used in such a busy setting, these T-Series grills will stand up well to lots of use and retain all of their unique features along the way.