BBQ Grill Safety Tips 2023

Jun 19, 2021 | Personal Insurance

BBQ Grill Safety

The 2023 grilling season has started. Barbecue grilling is common during picnics and family gatherings. Everyone is together. From kids to adults, who doesn’t adore smoky charred meat? Americans love outdoor BBQ. As a result, over 64% of U.S. homes own an outdoor BBQ grill. Make sure that you fire up the grill, not your home! That’s why we are sharing these grilling safety tips for 2022.

Barbecue Food

pack of uncooked ground angus beef — Angus Ground Beef by Nebraska Star Beef – Prestige -The Ultimate Gift for a Hamburger Grilling Party (10)

2 packs of beef hotdog franks — Ballpark Ball Park Beef Franks, 15 Oz (4 Pack) 32 Total Hotdogs, Black

box of hormel bacon — Hormel Black Label Fully Cooked Bacon (72 Slices)

BBQ Injuries

As enjoyable and tasty as a barbecue is, it has risks. Did you realize grilling causes burns and fires? Each year, grilling causes 10,600 residential fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Most grill fires start on gas grills, where July is peak grill fire month. And over 19700 ER visits are due to BBQ cooking.

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Grill Safety Tips 2022

Educate yourself with grill safety tips in 2022 to guarantee you have a fun and satisfying grilling experience with your family. It is important to avoid risks that may cause a grill fire. It is also essential to maintain proper food preparation to prevent food-related illnesses. There are various types of grilling, and it is important to know the right grill suitable for your home.

Gas Grill Safety

Most Americans prefer using gas grills for their convenience. 61% of U.S. households use gas grills for BBQ grilling.

Before lighting the grill, check the gas tank for leaks. 84% of reported grill fires utilized gas. Gas grills cause 8,900 house fires annually. Leaks and damage cause most gas barbecue fires.
Properly assemble, use, clean, and maintain propane gas following manufacturer’s specifications.
Fill propane tanks carefully. Warm propane expands. Fill tanks to 80% to allow for growth.
Never barbecue inside using propane. Propane leaks can potentially create carbon monoxide buildup. Carbon monoxide toxicity results from buildup.
Always close the cylinder valve after use to prevent gas leaks.
Check the propane tank and hose. Check the tank for corrosion, dents, and leaks. Check for wear, abrasion, and leaks.
To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, store cylinder tanks outdoors.
Propane cylinders should be kept in a well-ventilated, 120°F area. Elevate it.
When preheating, open the grill lid. Closed lids trap carbon. Carbon and grease cause fires. Flare-ups are abrupt, excessive grill flames.

Want to learn more safety tips? We have the right blog for you. Click here for more about: Gas Grill Fires.

Charcoal Grill Safety

For people who prefer the authentic smoky charbroiled flavor, charcoal grills are the best. Though it may take some time to lighten up this type of grill, it is more affordable than the gas grills.

Do not suddenly light up charcoal after putting in lighter fluid. Wait at least 10 minutes to give lighter fluid time to evaporate.
When lighting charcoal grills, always stand back to avoid fire injury in case a sudden big fire ignites.
Always close lighter fluid after use and store it away from the grill.
Use a chimney starter to light up charcoal. A chimney starter is even better than lighter fluid as it doesn’t have a chemical smell that can affect your food.
Do not use highly flammable liquids like gasoline or kerosene to ignite the charcoal. These liquids may cause an explosion.
It is vital to properly throw away used charcoal after grilling. Ensure coals are completely cold before discarding them in a metal container.
Never put lighter fluids on red-hot coals. Hot coals can vaporize lighter fluids which can cause flare-ups.

Electric Grill Safety

This is the safest and the easiest to use among the three types of grills.

.Do not let the plug, cord, or heating element get wet.
Inspect all electric grill connections for any damage. Do not use electric grills with damaged plugs or cords.
Make sure the electric grill is turned off before plugging it into an electrical outlet.
Unplug the grill from the outlet before cleaning or after every use.
Secure electrical cords properly during grilling. An unsecured electrical cord can be easily damaged or cause trip accidents.
For protection against electrical shock, use a ground fault interrupter outlet when grilling.
Do not use an electric grill when it is raining.

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Food-handling Safety Tips

Maintain food sanitation by frequent handwashing. Always wash your hands before handling meat to avoid food poisoning.
Thaw meat properly. Cook unrefrigerated raw meat within an hour. Bacteria can grow rapidly in unrefrigerated raw meat. These bacteria can cause foodborne illnesses.
Separate different kinds of meat to avoid cross-contamination.
Use different chopping boards, utensils when preparing foods for grilling.
Store food in the fridge or cooler until it’s ready to grill.
Clean the grill with a moist cloth or paper towel before grilling.
Use a food thermometer to check if food is properly cooked, especially for meats. Different types of meat need to reach a specific temperature to kill harmful bacteria when grilling.

For whole cuts of pork, beef, lamb, or veal- 145 ℉
Fish- 145 ℉
Burgers and other ground meat- 160℉
Poultry and ready-made foods like hotdogs- 165℉

Lamb Shank with Portobello & Red Wine Sauce in saucepan — Cuisine Solutions – Fully Cooked Sous Vide – Lamb Shank with Portobello & Red Wine Sauce (Two – 10 Ounce Shanks) (2 Servings) – Gourmet Meal Starter

General Safety Grilling Tips

Clean the grill before summer. 29% of home fires began from filthy grills, according to NFPA.
Safely place the grill on a level surface.
Grilling gloves, tongs, and brushes helps prevent burns.
Paper and candles shouldn’t touch the grill. They’re flammable.
Unattended grills are harmful for children and animals. Children and dogs shouldn’t touch the grill. 3-foot safe zone around the grill.
Never roast in baggy garments. Loose clothing may catch fire on the barbecue.
Grill fires need a fire extinguisher. Install it close. Baking soda is an effective fire extinguisher substitute.
Keep the grill at least 10 feet from your home.
Your barbecue should also be near a water bucket.
Never put gasoline or kerosene near a barbecue.
Don’t overfill barbecue grates. These fatty drips can cause flare-ups and start fires.
Update and maintain your Homeowner’s Insurance. Your house insurance will protect you against a fire.

Did you know that you can save money just by having a fire extinguisher in your home? Know more in this blog: Homeowners Insurance Discount If You Buy A Fire Extinguisher?

Is your Homeowner’s Insurance Coverage Enough?

As the grilling season has started, take time to review your current home insurance coverage. It isn’t enough to have a homeowner’s insurance coverage. You need to have an adequate amount of home coverage to protect your home from various risks and hazards.

An adequate homeowner’s insurance coverage must allow you to:

Repair your home

Dwelling coverage will pay for the cost of your house repair when it gets damaged by covered risks. It covers all the structures of the house such as flooring, bathrooms, and fireplace. Detached structures like the garage, porch, and deck are also included in the coverage. To ensure adequate protection, it is vital to secure dwelling amount coverage equal to the replacement value of your house. An independent insurance agent can assist you in calculating the replacement expenses of your home.

Replace your personal property

Your homeowner’s insurance plan should have coverage that protects your personal belongings. It should cover your stuff like appliances, clothes, furniture, and electronics in case it gets damaged or stolen. Make sure you have enough coverage to replace all your personal properties. Oftentimes, people are unaware their personal property coverage is underinsured. As personal property accumulates over time, we don’t realize the actual value of personal belongings we own. It is best to create a home inventory checklist of all your assets to determine the total value of your stuff.

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Pay for bodily injuries and damages that occur on your property

Liability protection will shield you from medical and property damage expenses that occurred in your house. Home accidents like thermal burns, slipping, and falling happen more frequently than you can imagine. Pet owners should also be cautious about the risk of dog bite incidents. It is wiser to get more than the minimum liability coverage to be fully protected from lawsuits and expenses.

Compensate for additional living expenses (ALE) in the event of the loss of your home

Fire, tornadoes, and hurricanes can cause destruction which may render your house unlivable. ALE coverage will shoulder the costs of eating out and hotel bills in case your house gets damaged and becomes unlivable.

Extras

Every insurance policy has limits and exclusions. These limitations and exclusions can cause flaws in your homeowner’s insurance coverage. To fully protect your home from risks and hazards, it is best to secure these additional coverages that will make you sleep soundly at night.

Extended Dwelling Coverage

The estimation of replacement costs of homes is not precise. Some factors can affect it such as new building codes, additional home structures, and increasing construction costs. Extended dwelling coverage provides an additional amount of coverage in case replacement costs exceed your dwelling coverage. Insurers typically provide extended dwelling coverage of up to 25% of your dwelling limit.

Another good read for BBQ Fire Safety, here’s a helpful blog about How to Use a Kitchen Fire Extinguisher.

Jewelry Floater Policy

Most insurance providers offer personal property coverage up to $1,500. This coverage is not enough to cover expensive jewelry in the event of damage or theft. Homeowners who own expensive collections of jewelry should avail the jewelry floater rider. Combine this policy rider with personal property coverage to fully protect your valuable assets.

Pet Insurance

Pet insurance will cover any liability expenses caused by your dog. Fur parents must review their policy as liability coverage doesn’t cover all types of dogs. In addition, medical expenses are also included in the pet insurance coverage.

Dog breeds insurers do not usually cover:

Rottweilers
Pit bulls
Great Danes
Siberian Huskies
Wolf-dog Hybrids
Doberman Pinschers
Chows
German Shepherds
Alaskan Malamutes
A mixture of these breeds

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Higher ALE

ALE is usually 20-30% of the amount of extended dwelling coverage. Big families often need higher ALE. You can discuss this with your insurance agent, so they can help you get the appropriate ALE for your family.

Grilling in 2022

With people more open to hosting parties at home. Staying at home with your family need not be boring. You can still have a fun summer with your family, despite the current situation. Backyard grill helps provide safe and enjoyable gatherings with your family. Just remember to always follow grill safety tips in 2022 to avoid BBQ injuries.