Barbecue Safety

We all enjoy a good barbecue and with Alberta’s world-renowned beef there’s no better way to eat alfresco so let’s do it safely.

So first off make sure your barbecue is at least 10ft or further away from your building envelope ie your wall cladding. One common issue I see in inspections is melted vinyl siding.

  • Never use it inside! Apart from the obvious fire risk, grills create Carbon monoxide which can be deadly.
  • Check all gas valves and connections for leaks. Use a solution of dish soap and water around fittings to check for bubbles indicating a leak. Your nose works great too!check all gas lines for damage and worn areas and renews if lines are not in satisfactory condition.
  • Never start a Barbecue up with a closed cover. Gas can build up with explosive results!
  • Never leave your grill unattended. Fires can double in size in a minute!
  • Keep a fire extinguisher handy and know how to use it.
  • A spray bottle of water can prevent flare ups getting out of hand and won’t ruin the food.
  • Safest most effective fire extinguisher is a dry powder type that smothers the fire and don’t eat the food after!!

Get Your Grill On!

Clean off any debris and lightly bate your grill plates with canola oil.

TIPS

  • Cleaning your grill with a wire brush is not recommended. The loose steel wire can be left behind and get embedded in the food and there’s enough iron in the meat without that!
  • Use a brillo pad style or pumice blocks. Modified cedar plank-style work or put barbecue parts in your oven on self-clean mode.
  • Use a meat thermometer so internal temperatures of meat are safe.
  • Generally at minimum chicken at 165f, burgers, and sausages at 160f and steak at 145f.
  • Let the barbecue heat up first to kill off any.
  • Be sure to turn off the gas at the end of the grilling time and shut off propane tanks and store them away from heat and ignition sources. let your barbecue cool down before placing the cover back on.

There are many things to consider for safe barbecuing for you and your family and these tips should help towards a great safe outdoor experience be it summer or winter.

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