Summer Pests and your Pizzeria Pronto

We understand that sometimes you have to spend a little time apart from your Pizzeria Pronto. The oven is lightweight and portable enough to take on picnics and camping trips, but occasionally you'll have to journey to the rare place where your Pronto can't follow. (We don't recommend trying to bring your Pronto on a cruise ship, airplane, or to your cousin Sally's wedding.)

Whether you've come back from vacation or are pulling your pizza oven out of storage for first time this season, it's a good idea to give it a once-over to ensure everything is in good working order. Specifically, if your Pronto has stood unused for some time, you'll want to check that there aren't any hidden intruders inside. Insects – especially spiders – can find their way into your oven's burner tube, creating difficulties when lighting it. In this blog, we'll go over how to check for creepy critters, and how to evict them if necessary.

The Source of the Problem

It all started with a few phone calls. A customer was experiencing a strange problem with his pizza oven. He would try to light his oven, only to have flames emerge from around the temperature control knob. Our faithful Pronto fan sent his oven back to us for troubleshooting. After taking the oven apart and finding all the parts in order we were puzzled, but there was only one thing left to check: the burner tube. Sure enough I found not one, but two spiders webs almost completely blocking the inlet tube of the burner.

The Fix

It can be a rather puzzling and annoying problem, but evicting unwanted pests from your pizza oven is a relatively easy process. All you’ll need is a little free time (about 30 minutes) and a Phillips head screwdriver. Let’s take a look at how to clean your burner tube.

Step 1

First, remove your oven hood and pizza stones. You’ll then need to remove your oven’s temperature control knob.

Once the knob has been removed, take out the two screws that secure the valve assembly to the oven.

Step 2

Turn the oven upside-down. Remove the third and final screw that holds the valve assembly to the oven, behind one of the front oven legs. Remove the valve assembly and set aside (being careful not to drop any screws).

Step 3

Remove the three screws that secure the burner tube to the oven frame. Remove the burner and check for any nests or blocks.

Using a pipe cleaner or coat hanger, scrape the inside of the tube as far as you can all the way around to clear any blockage.

Step 4

Re-attach burner and valve assembly using the screws you removed in steps 1-3. Replace temperature control knob, pizza stones, and oven hood. Test oven to ensure everything is functioning properly.

Itsy-bitsy spiders are usually pretty harmless, even if they're a little creepy. Still, you don't want their webs to stand in the way of another great pizza dinner. Keeping an eye on your Pronto and its burner tube will help you enjoy your fresh-baked pizza without any worries!