Can My Grill Cause a Fire?

Warmer temperatures usually means that our indoor spring cleaning is behind us and we can turn our attention to the outdoors.  It’s time to finish planting our spring/summer flowers, crank up the lawn mower, dust off our yard furniture, and pull out the grill in preparation for backyard bar-b-ques (one of my favorites!).  While cooking outdoors can be somewhat healthier, easier to clean up and a fun way to entertain, if we aren’t careful, could turn into a disastrous grill fire nightmare.

Let’s take a look at a few grilling facts:

• 75% of all households own at least one grill
• 8900 home fires are started by grilling on average each year
• gas grills account for 64% of these fires and over $37 million in property damage
• July is the peak month for grilling fires followed by May and June

While we can’t prevent a grill fire from occurring, there are a few tips we can follow that can help us have a fun and safe bar-b-que.

• Rub down the hose–check your propane tank hose for leaks by rubbing a soap and water mixture on the hose and then turn on the gas.  If you see any bubbling or smell gas, quickly turn off the gas and have the hose replaced.
• Know your surroundings–grills should be placed at least 10ft from the house or other structures.  They should also be clear of overhangs, eaves and low hanging branches.  Never use a grill indoors and make sure kids and pets are kept at least 3 feet away from the hot grill.
• Get rid of the grease, but wait on the ashes–make sure to clean your grill before use.  Grease accumulates on the grates and in the grease traps which can ignite if it gets too hot.  Make sure charcoal ashes are completely cool before discarding (24-48 hours after use)
• Open the lid–don’t forget to open the lid to your gas grill before you ignite.  If the flame goes out, wait 5 minutes before re-igniting.  Also, never put charcoal starter fluid or other flammable liquids on hot coals.

PHC has already assisted a couple of homeowners this year restore the exterior of their homes that sustained fire damage to the vinyl siding and decking.  We hope these facts and tips will help you enjoy safe grilling and fun BBQs!

If your home suffers damage as a result of a grill fire, electrical fire or a kitchen fire, give PHC Restoration a call.  We have teams on call 24 hours a day ready to respond to your emergency.  We have been offering top-quality, compassionate restoration services to Lillington, Raleigh, Fayetteville and the surrounding areas for over 45 years.

Visit NFPA.org for more grilling safety tips.