Summer is just around the corner and most of us are ready for warm weather gatherings with family and friends. If you enjoy entertaining outdoors, make sure your grill is ready to use. Here are a few grilling safety tips you can use to keep everyone safe this season.
Position the Grill a Safe Distance from the Home
Because a grill generates a lot of heat, it’s important to keep it a safe distance away from the house and any outbuildings. A distance of at least ten feet away from the house and 15 feet from any flammable items are good general rules to follow.
Grilling Safety: Keep Children and Pets Away
This smell of food on the grill is appealing to curious kids and pets. Make sure an adult aside from the cook is present to keep an eye on pets and small children. Teach children to stay at least five feet away from the grill at all times. Explain to children that they should be careful around the grill and grilling utensils.
Never Leave a Hot Grill Unattended
After you’ve fired up the grill, never leave it unattended. It only takes a second for an accident to happen. If you realize you’ve forgotten something in the kitchen, ask someone else to get it or keep an eye on the grill while you step inside.
Cleaning is Important for Grilling Safety
Before firing up your grill for the first time this season, make sure it has been cleaned. Clean the grill grates thoroughly by soaking them in hot, soapy water and then scrubbing them with a wire brush. Wipe down the inside and outside of the lid and remove food particles, dirt, and grease from inside the firebox.
Don’t Grill Beneath an Overhang
Just as the grill should be a safe distance from your house, make sure it isn’t positioned under low-hanging trees, a canopy, or an awning. If a flare-up was to occur, the grill could set fire to the materials above it.
It is unsafe to grill on an enclosed porch because carbon monoxide and other toxic gases can build up in a less ventilated space. Make sure that you grill in an open area that has plenty of airflow.
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