With spring now upon us, it’s time to dust off the grill and get to cooking. However, before you jump to it, it’s best to be reminded of several grilling tips that will ensure you and your family’s safety. That’s because grill fires on residential properties kill about 10 people per year, cause around 100 injuries, and result in around $37 million in property loss. As they say, it’s better to be safe than sorry. As such, here are several grilling tips to help keep your home and family safe. To begin, let’s start with the most obvious.
Only Grill Outdoors
You might not think that it’s a bad idea to set your grill up under your covered balcony or in an open garage, but grills are designed to be used outdoors where there is plenty of ventilation. You can be walking right into a hazard if your grill is anywhere near combustible items. That is why you need to find a flat surface away from any structures, which leads us to our next tip.
Place Your Grill Away from Your Home
Much like the first tip, it is important that you grill at a safe distance away from anything that can catch fire. This includes your back door, a railing, or any wood structures. Be sure to keep your grill at least 10 feet away from your house or any other structure.
Always Clean Your Grill After Each Use
Would you be surprised to know that not everyone cleans their grill after each use? Sounds gross, right? Not only is it disgusting, but it is a huge safety hazard, as well. This is because grease collects on the plates and inside the grill tray. If not cleaned, the grease will build up and act as fuel and catch fire. Clean your grill with a brush and empty the grease tray when it fills up.
You might also like: Budget-Friendly Ways To Turn Your Backyard Into An Oasis
Keep a Spray Bottle Handy
Grills typically will flare up as fat drips from the meat and cooks. This will cause portions of your grill to remain on fire even as the fat burns away. If left alone, the flames will continue to burn and cause smoke to billow from under the lid. A spray bottle will be useful so that you can extinguish smaller flames before they spread.
Disclaimer: The stock image is being used for illustrative purposes only, and it is not a direct representation of the business, recipe, or activity listed. Any person depicted in the stock image is a model.