Grill Safely This Spring & Summer | SERVPRO® of Gwinnett County South

6/22/2021 (Permalink)

Restoring fire and smoke damage is one of our specialties. Contact SERVPRO of Gwinnett County South to learn more.

Spring gives us a fresh invitation to life. Cold weather is behind us, days are growing long and the weather is mild.

Kids are anticipating school’s end, vacations are being planned and we’re all itching for some outdoor activity before summer swelters take over.

Spring also begs us to break out the grill and get cooking. Whether it’s a cookout or a reunion, a gender reveal or a graduation celebration, we’ll find nearly any excuse to grill some chicken wings, burgers or steaks.

But this increase in outdoor activity also portends a rise in accidental fires. In fact, spring sees more daily fires on average than any other time of year. So before you get fully into your backyard activities, let’s look at a few causes of backyard blazes you can take care of this season.

The grill. The combination of flame, heat, grease and gas makes grills a prime suspect for backyard fires, and rightfully so. Here’s a quick checklist for safe grilling: Make sure the grill is in good working order, with no leaks or rust holes, and keep it away from anything flammable (including the house). And don’t forget how important it is to keep your grill and its components clean. Almost 20% of grill fires are due to poor cleaning.

The fire pit. Conversations and marshmallows abound around the fire pit, and everyone loves to spend a cool evening at the social center of the backyard. But make sure you’re operating it safely; you’re literally hosting an open fire. Use a grill grate, and avoid adding leaves or pine needles to the fire, as they create embers that are easily carried by a gust of wind into the yard or toward the house. And use a bucket of water as a safety measure, allowing you to douse any errant flames and safely, slowly, extinguish the fire when the night is over. Make sure everything is cool to the touch before you go.

Chimneys and dryer vents. While fire safety is on your mind, clean the ash and soot from your chimney to avoid flammable situations in the fall, and check your dryer’s vent pipe to make sure there’s not built-up lint in there waiting to be ignited.

Your local SERVPRO technicians are on hand ²⁴⁄₇ for emergencies. If you encounter fire damage at your home or business, no matter the cause, we will be there faster and have it cleaned up sooner. Call or click today and experience the SERVPRO difference.