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Grill Safety Tips

Statistics have revealed the obvious: placing combustibles too close to grills and leaving cooking unattended are the two leading causes of grill fires. Your grill may be too close to your residence if you notice melted vinyl siding, charred wood siding or hot oil stains on the deck. A third major cause of fire is a break in the connection or hose on a gas grill.

Grill safety tips

Keep you, your family and your home safe from grill fires with our grill safety tips. Always keep grilling areas on a noncombustible floor surface, and at least 10 feet away from any residential building.

A pavilion-type structure would be acceptable so long as it is freestanding and the 10 foot separation is maintained.

A fire extinguisher should be mounted in the grilling area for emergency use.

Talk to your neighbors about grilling safety. Be sure their charcoal or propane grills are not being stored and used in close proximity to your home.

Electric grills can be safer, but can still cause burns and heat damage to buildings. They should not be used in wet conditions and they should always be plugged into an electrical outlet that provides Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) protection with cords that are in good condition.