Gas barbecue grills are so much easier to use than charcoal grills. You don't have to struggle to light the grill — at least, not usually. You can turn the grill on and off in an instant. But this does not mean using a gas barbecue grill is always problem-free. Here are some common problems people experience with their gas barbecue grills and how to solve them.

Your food isn't browning or getting grill marks.

Is your food cooking, but never developing those grill marks and browned crusted spots that you've come to associate with grilled food? The problem here is likely that your grill is not hot enough before you're putting the food on. Make sure you let the grill heat up for at least 15 minutes before putting any food on it. You should also turn the grill up higher at the beginning. For instance, you can sear the food for a few minutes at 450 degrees F, and then continue cooking it at 350 degrees F until it is done.

Your food is burned on the outside, but raw on the inside.

Maybe you're cutting into your chicken or a burger and find that the food is raw inside, even though it looks grilled on the outside. The problem here is usually that your gas grill is too hot. Try turning the temperature down a bit. Most items do not need to cook any hotter than 350 degrees F, aside from perhaps a brief sear at 450 degrees F as discussed above. If you're cooking a really thick burger or another larger piece of meat, you'll want to turn the temperature down even further to 300 degrees F. Cook longer at a lower temperature for more even cooking results.

Your grill isn't getting very hot.

Maybe your gas grill is turned on, but the temperature is just not climbing as high as it should. This problem usually comes down to clogged as jets. Turn the grill off and let it cool. Then, use a metal brush to brush back and forth over the gas jets. This should clear out the gunk clogging the jets. Turn the grill back on again, and it should get hotter.

Gas barbecue grills can turn out some delicious food, especially if you know how to troubleshoot common issues. Keep the advice above in your back pocket, and pull it out whenever you're struggling with your grill. For more information, contact a gas barbecue service, such as Thompson's Gas Inc, to learn more.