Apartment Grilling Safety

Summer is approaching, and it's time to begin thinking of enjoying more time outdoors and inviting your friends over for a barbecue. The goal is to have fun, so make sure you follow a few safety tips so fun is all you will experience.

When you're ready to grill, make sure your grill is placed at a safe distance away from your apartment, wooden porch or deck railing, low-hanging branches, flammable liquids, and other combustible materials. Some experts recommend at least 10 to 12 feet of distance from anything susceptible to the heat of your grill.

If you have a charcoal grill, one of the most imperative safety measures you can take is to make certain your coals are completely out before you toss them. Just leave them alone – at least overnight to make sure. Sometimes a charcoal briquette can remain active even overnight if it's buried in the middle of the ashes. So even though you may think your coals have gone completely out, remember just one spark can cause a fire. If you need to get rid of the coals, remove them from the hot grill and use cold water to make sure all embers are completely cooled.

If you have a gas grill, you should take the time to make sure there are no leaks in the gas lines – before you light up the grill. You can use a product especially made to test for leaks or you can use dishwashing liquid to see whether air bubbles occur where the gas lines are connected. Play it safe and take just a little extra care and precaution to make sure everyone has fun on the patio and no one is injured from carelessness.