Having the right knowledge about Weber gas grill replacement parts will potentially save you a lot of money if your Weber ceases to work properly. There are several key parts of a Weber that are more likely to fail than others, and these include the burners, cooking grids, rock grates, heat shields, and valves. There are also several other parts, but these are the most likely to fail.Burners. The burner is a hollow, tube-like structure at the bottom of the grill that provides the heat for cooking. Most grills only have a single burner and oftentimes the burner forms the shape of a capital H, but it can also be oval, a figure eight, or other shapes. Some grills, typically more expensive models, have multiple burners that are usually straight. They are comprised of gas inlet holes in one or more key areas and outlet ports along the length of the burner.Burners will usually fail after about one to five years of usage. The reasoning for this is that the drippings of meat are devastating to burners. Drippings contain moisture and acids that cause the burners to rust and corrode.The cooking grid (or grate), the surface where the food is actually cooked, is another part that may need replacement. Chrome-plated steal grids are the cheapest and shortest lasting of the grids. Porcelain-coated cast iron and steel grates are mid-range types of grids. Stainless steel grids are the most expensive, but they will last the longest and they typically come with a lifetime warranty.Rock grates and heat shields may also need to be replaced. Rock grates are metal cases that hold lava rocks or ceramic briquettes while heat shields are a plate or tent-like sheet of metal that covers the burner. Heat shields have several other names and are often found on most newer models of gas grills. Both rock grates and heat shields share the same purpose; they both disperse heat from the burners and protect the burners from drippings.Over time, the valves on a gas grill will rust over and begin to fail. Because valves need to be exact copies of the original, they can usually only be obtained directly from Weber. Most of the time when there is a valve failure the grill will be thrown away and replaced.There are many other parts that may need replacing during the life of a Weber gas grill. Some of the other parts that are cheap to replace include knobs, handles, gauges, and condiment trays. Almost anything can be replaced.The thing to keep in mind is that most parts can be replaced with after market parts to save a little bit of money. If you purchase after market parts, make sure they meet the specifications set forth in your owners manual.Seeking out Weber gas grill replacement parts is a great way to keep costs down while repairing your grill and extending its usable life. Having a basic understanding of the components of your Weber grill will make finding those parts easier.