Grill Fires are the highest in July.

7/16/2020 (Permalink)

Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the grill area. (Credit:National Fire Protection Association)

It is summertime and we are taking advantage of the weather by spending as much of it outside as we can. One outdoor activity we Iowans enjoy is grilling or smoking meats. There’s nothing like beautiful grill marks on steak, burger or hotdog to really stamp the summer season. We don’t want your summer to go up in smoke because of a nasty grill fire or grill caused injury so here are 5 ways to stay safe while grilling. 

Here’s the Drill, Grill SAFE! 

1. Keep your grill at least 3 ft away from your house.  Yes, that means NO GRILLING ON YOUR PORCH. 

1. Keep your grill away from anything that might catch fire such as outdoor umbrellas, cushions, garage, or dry plants. 

1. Keep your children and pets away from the grill and let your children know why. 

1. Do not leave your grill unattended when you’re cooking. This can save you from fire AND a burnt burger. 

1. Clean your grill from any left-over food and grease. Crumbs and fats can catch on fire. 

Keep your grill clean. 

Some of you may think that a dirty grill can actually make your food taste better but whether or not that’s true (it’s not!), we still recommend you clean it. It’s not just the grates you should clean but clean all the parts of the grill especially the main chamber where food and fats drop from the grates. In the long run, this will help with the longevity of your grill and prevent fires. Please take a look at the references for more information on grilling safety tips and how to clean a grill. 

If you experience smoke or fire damage, give us a call. We can help.  

References 

Grilling safety - https://www.nfpa.org/grilling 

How to Clean a Gas Grill - https://youtu.be/xmIQVDvkvZs 

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-clean-your-grill-grill-grates-are-just-the-start/ 

https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips-techniques/grilling/grilling-food-safety