Warmer weather and longer days call for firing up the grill and cooking delicious food. But you may need to take extra precautions. Grills cause an annual average of roughly 10,600 home fires each year. With less space, apartments are especially susceptible. Nothing puts a damper on summer barbecues like a visit from the fire department or having to head to the emergency room to deal with burns.
Luckily, these grilling safety tips will keep you, your family, your neighbors and your apartment safe.
Top tips for apartment grill safety
Prevent accidents and serve up some of the best barbecue cooking around with these grilling safety tips.
1. Check your local laws and regulations
For fire hazards and health and safety reasons, many municipalities, cities and towns have rules about grilling near or around apartment buildings and multi-family housing developments. Sometimes, landlords prohibit certain types of grills, while other times they’ll keep the grill a certain distance away from a structure.
2. Make sure you’re allowed to have a grill in your apartment
First things first, you should never use a grill intended for outdoor use inside your apartment. The smoke and flames can set off fire alarms, start fires and produce toxic amounts of carbon monoxide. No apartment complex will let you use an outdoor grill indoors. If they do, run as far away from that property as possible. It’s probably not a safe place to live if they allow you to grill inside. So, don’t even think about grilling inside your apartment. Try other options like ovens or stoves.
Secondly, you need to double-check what rules your landlord or apartment building has about using grills. Some may allow it with conditions, while others will flat-out prohibit it. Before investing in that great grill you saw, confirm your apartment complex and landlord actually allows it.
3. Can you use gas grills or charcoal grills?
Similar to reading the fine print of your rental agreement to see where you can use a grill in your apartment, you also need to see if there are rules about what kind of grill you can have. There are many different kinds, from solid-fueled grills to gas or charcoal.
Charcoal and gas grills are the two most popular and best known. Charcoal grills are great for adding a smoky flavor to your food. Gas grills use either propane tanks or natural gas. If your apartment doesn’t allow either of the above, electric grills are safe, easy to use and just as good at cooking as the other options.
4. Figure out where you can have a grill in your apartment
Location, location, location. When it comes to grills, it’s one of the most important factors. Your landlord might have strict stipulations about where you can use and store a grill. Some will allow grills on balconies or patios but may have specifications about how far to keep it from the building. It’s possible to safely grill on patios and balconies provided it’s not enclosed and the grill isn’t close to anything flammable.
5. Keep the grill secure
One minute, you’re grilling on your balcony or patio, preparing delicious food for your family and friends. The next minute, a strong gust of wind blows it over. Secure your grill to something sturdy and non-flammable using a strong chain. Also, keep it on a flat surface where it can’t roll away or fall over.
6. Keep starter fluids out of reach and safely stored
Another apartment grilling safety tip is to keep anything that could provide fuel and boost flames or coals away from the grill when not in use. This includes charcoal starter fluid, lighter fluid and any other flammable liquids. Securing them inside a metal container is one option.
Potentially dangerous grill accessories, like the meat thermometer, should also be kept out of reach of tiny hands.
7. Have a fire extinguisher on hand
You should have one in your apartment already. But just in case you don’t, make sure to get a fire extinguisher to keep by your grill.
8. Keep baking soda and salt close by
If you have a gas grill or charcoal grill, these two basic ingredients are your two best friends. Why? They’re excellent tools for stopping fires. In the event of gas grill fires or a grease fire, remain calm and follow these steps.
First, turn off the heat source if you can. Next, try to smother the flame to cut off its oxygen. This could be closing the grill tightly or placing a pot or pan over the flame. If you can’t cover the open fire completely or safely, throw salt or baking soda over it to extinguish the flame.
One thing to remember: NEVER throw water on grease fires. It will only cause flare-ups and make the fire even bigger.
9. Keep your grill clean
It’s important to keep your grill clean of built-up fat, cooking residue and other detritus. Fat buildup on grills can cause flare-ups as it melts and drips onto coals or other heat sources. So, make sure to thoroughly clean your grill after each use.
10. Keep the grill away from flammable materials
Place your grill in an open area far from anything that could easily catch fire. This is anything from other structures, like wooden partitions or columns on a balcony, to hanging baskets or furniture. Also, be careful of things like apron strings, shirttails and loose clothing. All it takes is one gust of wind to blow an apron string too close to the coals and lighting on fire.
11. Keep grills in a well-ventilated area
Smoke and carbon monoxide build-up are serious risks, so make sure to grill in well-ventilated, open-air places.
12. Check your gas grill or propane grill for leaks
A gas leak can turn grilling time into a disaster in no time at all. To check for leaks, mix some water and light soap together to form a soapy water solution. Using a spray bottle or brush, apply the mixture to the connection spots between the gas source and grill. Turn the gas grill on and watch for bubbles forming in the solution. If you see bubbles, that means there’s a leak.
Check for leaks when you haven’t used the grill in a while.
13. Keep children and pets away unless supervised
Never let young family members, children or pets play or hang out too close to the grill. Bumping into the grill can cause burns or worse.
14. Never leave the grill unattended while cooking
It doesn’t just put your meat and food at risk of overcooking or burning. Leaving your grill unattended is an invitation to all sorts of problems. Something could catch fire or someone could hurt themselves. Always monitor the grill when it’s in use.
Even after cooking, keep the lid closed at all times. Charcoal can stay hot for hours, and hot coal blown out of the grill can start a fire.
15. Keep a first aid kit handy
Hopefully, you won’t have to use it because you’ll be using all of these grilling safety tips. But sometimes, hot fat drips or grease can splash onto skin, in which case it’s great to have a first aid kit close at hand.
16. Use the common area grill
Some apartment complexes will have community grills in communal outdoor areas for everyone’s use. If you’re prohibited to have a grill in your own apartment, this is a great backup option for grilling food for events and gatherings.
All the above safety tips should still be closely followed. Since anyone in your building can use the grill, you don’t have a guarantee that everyone is taking proper care of the grill, like cleaning it correctly or frequently enough.
17. Use an electric grill
If you can’t have a gas or charcoal grill and your apartment building doesn’t have communal ones, you can always invest in an electric grill for indoor use. Completely safe for indoor use, an electric grill will still meet all your grilling needs without potentially lighting home fires.
Grill safely and happily with these tips
Just because you live in an apartment doesn’t mean you have to forego homemade barbecue. With these grilling safety tips, grill and cook food safely in your apartment without worry.
Source: rent.com