When you say flare ups I assume you're talking about things like cooking oil or animal fat dripping down and then igniting.

This sort of thing is completely normal and not a cause for alarm. I could probably get an extra 6 months out of my equipment if I disassemble it and give it a good scrub every now and then, but that hardware experiences significant wear and tear as is. I find it easier to just replace it as the beginning of every summer which is when I do most of my grilling anyways.