Grilling season has officially begun. Keep your family time or event running smoothly with these easy grilling safety tips.
- Choose the Right Location: When choosing the perfect spot for your grill, make sure the location is clear of children, pets, and flammable objects. Although ventilation should not be a problem outdoors, you still need to ensure that your grill isn’t near any shrubs, bushes or leaves. Place your grill away from your home, deck railings and out from under eaves. Grilling in garages, under carports, tents balconies or screen porches isn’t recommend.
- Prepare your Grill: Before you fire up the grill for the first time, make sure it’s in proper working condition.
- Gas: Check the gas connections and lines and refill the propane tanks as needed. Be sure you check the ignitions and grates as they will need to be replaced from time to time. Maintain your grill by checking gas lines before each use. Quick Tip: Rub soapy water along the gas connection. If bubbles form when the gas is turned on, tighten your connection or replace the line.
- Charcoal: All grill gates should be replaced annually, or at least every other year depending on wear and tear.
- Tools: Protect yourself from burns and injuries while cooking and handling hot food. Always use long-handled tongs and spatulas with heat-resistant handles.
- Safety Equipment: Keep a fire extinguisher nearby at all times. Never use water, salt or baking soda on grills to diffuse a fire.
- Interior Maintenance: Keeping your grill clean is of upmost importance. Leftover food can harbor bacteria and make food stick to the grates, by cleaning up after each use it makes it easy to fire up the grill next time.
- Gas Grills: Turn off all burners. Check the flame tamers, also called heat tents or vaporizer bars and brush off any debris with a wire brush.
- Charcoal Grills: Clean surfaces while they are still hot. Use a grill brush that dispensed water to steam-clean the grates.
- Chrome Wire or Cast Iron Grates: Coat with vegetable oil after cleaning to prevent rust.
- Porcelain Coated Steel Rods or Porcelain Coated Cast Iron: No coating is required unless the porcelain coating is missing prior to cooking.
- Clean venture tubes: Clean ventilation holes with a wire brush, paper clip, or small piece of wire
- Exterior Care: Keeping the outside of your grill clean is just as important as the inside. High heat and moving your grill from place to place can cause lids to form holes and legs and wheels to become loose.
- Porcelain Coated and Powder Coated Steel Lids: Treat this type of lid similar to glass by cleaning with mild soap and drying with a microfiber rag or paper towel. Don’t use any stainless-steel polish.
- Stainless Steel Lids: Clean with hot soapy water. If you have stubborn, baked on deposits, scrub with the grain using a piece of steel wool.
- Painted Lids: Use sandpaper and a scraper to remove any corrosion and wash the surface thoroughly with soap and water.
Grilling season is one of the best parts of year. Keep your grill in tip-top shape and enjoy time spent outdoors with family, friends, and fellowship. Use these key tips to keep you family safe this season. And remember, all grills come with an owner’s manual. Always use the recommendations and restrictions specific to your grill.