Practicing Grill Safety to Lower Your Chances of a Fire | SERVPRO® of Gwinnett County South

7/27/2020 (Permalink)

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Grilling is synonymous with summertime, both because it is an enjoyable reason to get outside and because grilled food always seems to turn out extra delicious. If you are like us and love to use your grill often, we recommend brushing up on your grill safety skills to avoid any harmful fires from popping up at your next cookout.

While this may seem like a minor concern, the U.S. Fire Administration’s research tells a different story, where nearly 6,000 fires are caused by accidents during grilling sessions annually. Making sure you know how to prevent this is key to grilling safely every time.

Brushing Up on Your Grill Safety Skills

Create a safe zone around your grill. Of course, convenience might be the factor that comes to mind when deciding where to place your grill, but do not forget about safety concerns as well. A sudden flare-up can ignite anything in its path, which is why a minimum of three feet of clearance is advised for wherever you set up your grill station.

Clean your grill grates often. Having food caked onto your grill grates is not just bad for your cooking experience—it is also a common cause of grill fires. Leaving grease and crumbs to accumulate on the grates can lead to a sudden fire if they become too hot, so cleaning your grill after each use is a good habit to get into.

Never leave the grill unattended. A grill flare-up can be sudden, and even if you are just walking away for a moment, it can lead to a fire that quickly turns out of hand. Never walk away from the grill without designating another person to watch it, and be sure you have an operational fire extinguisher nearby in case a flare-up does occur.

Inspect the grill regularly. Before you turn on the gas and get to cooking, inspect your grill carefully for any defects, wear or tear. Gas connection lines that run from your propane tank can fail with time, leading to a gas leak that can explode when a flame is applied. Instead of chancing it, a quick visual inspection will tell you everything you need to know.

If you have a grill fire that does damage to your home, we are here to help. You can call us any time, day or night, to have a quick response from our restoration experts.