Barbeque Safety

My favorite thing about summer time is eating barbeque! There’s just something wonderful about the smell of steaks or dogs cooking on the grill. But every year there are injuries and property damage because of accidents. Here’s a few tips for barbeque safety.

Have a fire extinguisher handy and know how to use it.  I like to have a spray bottle filled with clean water handy to quickly put out any flare-ups that may burn dinner.

Gas grills need to be checked and maintained.
Clean your grill on a regular basis so you don’t get a bunch of grease build up and cause a grease fire.

Gas Grill Barbeque Safety Tips

Gas grills need to be checked and maintained.
Check the hoses for gas leaks, are they aging, cracking or getting brittle?
Make sure the hoses are positioned safely, away from hot surfaces.
When starting a fire make sure you leave the lid open so you don’t have a gas build up that will explode on you while lifting the lid.
Do not store a spare a propane tank, or any tank with flammable liquids near a grill.
You don’t want to start a house fire so be sure your grill is a safe distance from any part of your house or garage. Remember to look up, make sure you are not placing your grill under a wooden overhang or close to an umbrella.
Make sure you don’t have hot grease dripping on propane hoses
Read the user’s manual for other safety tips.

Charcoal Grill Barbeque Safety Tips

Do not ever burn charcoal inside an enclosed space such as your home, garage, camper…
Burning charcoal produces carbon monoxide that can accumulate inside closed environments. Carbon monoxide gas is odorless and can reach deadly levels very quickly.
Do not add lighter fluid to hot coals, instead put new briquets into a metal container pour the fluid on the charcoal, then with long-handled tongs place them into the hot coals.
Do not put hot charcoals into the trash or around anything flammable. Charcoal get very hot and can take up to 48 hours to completely cool. After the coals have cooled you can pour water on them to dispose. Read the user’s manual for other safety tips.

I hope you have a great summer and enjoy time with friends and family. Be safe and be sure to contact us if you have any home owners insurance questions.