Your Guide to Avoiding Grill Fires This Summer | SERVPRO® of Alamo Heights

7/25/2020 (Permalink)

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It is summertime, which means it is prime time to grill up everything, from meats to veggies to fruits for dessert. While grilling is a great way to get outdoors and keep your home’s kitchen cool, it is important to remember that grills still involve open flames, making them a big fire risk if you neglect to use them safely.

The U.S. Fire Administration estimates that there are over 5,500 grill fires annually, which cause millions in damage. Thankfully, with good grilling habits, you can significantly lower your risk of this happening.

Good Habits to Avoid Grill Fires

Create a safe zone around your grill. While it is certainly convenient to set your grill up on your deck, it may not be the safest place to plant your station. Grill flare-ups can seriously damage anything around, including porches, patio railings and decks—they have even been known to melt vinyl siding. It is recommended that you keep at least a three-feet safe zone around your grill at all times.

Clean your grill grates often. When you make heavy use of your grill, there is ample chance for food and fat to build up on the grates, which can pose a fire hazard. Getting into the habit of cleaning your grill after every use is a great way to prevent flare-ups due to these stuck-on particles.

Never leave the grill unattended. Even if the lid on the grill is closed, it can still create a fire risk that can quickly get out of hand. You should never leave your grill unattended, even for a moment, and make sure a fire extinguisher is always nearby so you can extinguish any stray flames right away.

Inspect the grill regularly. If you have a charcoal grill, there are fewer things that could lead to a sudden fire, but with gas grills, it is important to check them regularly and do maintenance where necessary. The propane tank, hoses and connectors can all wear down over time, leading to gas leaks that could cause a serious fire hazard next time you go to light it.

If you have a grill fire do 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.