It's commonly thought that Flavorizer Bars need to replaced when they develop some surface corrosion, but as long as they haven’t developed any holes or cracks in them they should work just fine.
Flavorizer Bars develop surface corrosion or rust due to their exposure to high heat and food drippings.
If you're seeing surface corrosion or rust on your Flavorizer Bars, what you're seeing is normal, and it just means that the bars are doing their job of protecting the burners.
Surface corrosion or rust on Flavorizer Bars doesn't pose any health risks, or negatively affect the function of the grill.
Below is an example of brand new Flavorizer Bars before they have been used. These specific Flavorizer Bars are used on our Summit Silver, Gold, and Platinum models from the mid 2000's.
The next example is of the same bars after a couple of years. You'll notice that while they do have surface corrosion, there are no holes or cracks in them, and they are still structurally sound. These bars do not need to be replaced.
Only if the Flavorizer Bars have developed any holes or cracks should they be replaced, such as the example below.
For more info on this topic click here.
For tips on cleaning your Flavorizer bars, and the other internal parts of your grill, click here.