Safety Tips For Propane Grilling

May 11, 2021

May is National Barbecue Month—a fun way to encourage us to explore all the wonderful opportunities for some down-home, outdoor cooking.

But it’s always a good idea to review some important safety reminders. Here are five tips to keep in mind as you get fired up for the coming season.

5 Grill Safety Reminders

Keep your grill at least six feet away from your home and position it on sturdy and level ground.
Never leave the grill unattended.
Never light a gas grill with the lid closed. To light your grill, open the lid before turning on the gas at the tank. If the grill doesn’t light after a couple of clicks, turn off the burner, turn the gas off at the tank, and wait 5 or 10 minutes before attempting to light it again. If you still have trouble, it’s time to call in a propane pro for help.
Close your grill lid quickly to extinguish small flare-ups. It’s also a good idea to have a portable fire extinguisher nearby—just in case.
Never attach or disconnect a propane tank or adjust fittings while the grill is operating. If you run out of gas while grilling, turn off all the burners, reconnect the new tank, and re-light.

You can read more safe grilling tips here.

Deep Cleaning Your Grill

You should invest some time to do a thorough cleaning of your propane grill at least once a year—or more if you use your grill a lot. This will keep it running properly and safely. (About half of the injuries involving grills are thermal burns that could have been avoided.)

You don’t need any high-tech tools to do a complete job of cleaning a propane grill from top to bottom. All you need are some basics: rubber gloves, aluminum foil, a grill brush, and a large bucket of hot and soapy water. Dish soap is recommended.

Make sure all the grill burners are off and that the dials are in the “OFF” position.
Turn off and disconnect the propane tank. If you’ve just finished grilling, wait until the grill is barely warm before doing this.
Take out the grease trap and turn it upside down over a trash can so it can drip.
Put on the rubber gloves and remove the grates as well as the burner protectors under them. Put the grates and burner protectors in the bucket of hot, soapy water for a good soak. Put the grease trap in as well.
Use aluminum foil to cover the burner tubes and other heating elements. Then thoroughly clean the underside of the hood and the inside walls. Wipe dry with paper towels.
Take the grates, burner protectors, and grease traps out of the bucket and clean those. Rinse well.
Take the foil off the burner tubes and gently wipe the tubes.
Carefully check burner holes with a toothpick to dislodge any clogs. Replace the burner covers, grates and grease trap.
Clean the grill exterior with a manufacturer-recommended cleaner.

Please visit this page to read more information on overall propane safety and operation tips.