BBQ...Is this safe?

[Kevin]

I remember a while back, someone posted something about propane bbq grills. Or some sort of mishap with a propane tank, I don't exactly remember what.

But is this safe? Our neighbors down at the beach have this up on their deck. It's a propane grill on a wood deck out in front of the house. I've thought about doing something similar, but wonder about the heat bothering the wood. I suppose it would also be pretty messy after a while.

 

[hittman]

Ours is on a wood deck with a mat under it made specifically for that purpose.
It does need to be pulled away from the house or they will melt the siding.

 

[WAYNO]

Nope, not safe, but people do it, usually get away with it, and claim fire safety is overblown.












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[Pat-inCO]

But is this safe?

I had one inside my back patio for thirty years. The only time it became a problem was
when the grease had built up in the cover. Fortunately I had a spray bottle handy and when
it caught fire, I was able to put it out very quickly.

That said, I had a window just above it and a LARGE fan mounted in the window. I also did
not leave it unattended for more than a minute or so.

I got by with it, but I would not recommend it.
P.S. Sitting on CONCRETE, and nothing combustible close.
P.P.S. IMO, I got LUCKY!
P.P.P.S - - Really nice in a January snow storm. ;)

 

[any ruger]

Key word clean.

 

[woodsy]

I do not have a gas grill. When I use my charcoal ones (several) they are NEVER closer than three feet from flammable surfaces. That's just me.

 

[Jeepnik]

Also consider what is above the BBQ. Back in BP (before propane) days just about everyone used eithe charcoal or wood. And most BBQ's were open topped. We had a heck of a time putting out an attic fire when some numbskull set his BBQ under his patio cover. Cover caught and the flames drafted right into the attic through the eave vent.

 

[Kevin]

Thanks for all the input. I have a gas grill. I think I used it perhaps 2 years ago…. Otherwise, if I cook outside it’s over wood or charcoal.

But I have thought about carting the gas grill down to the beach, but I think I’ll pass…


And what’s above the gas grill is important….didn’t even consider that.

 

[Mobuck]

Just keep the propane grill at least 2' away from combustibles. Most of the time ours was less than 2' from vinyl siding w/o even causing a wrinkle.

 

[redhawker]

I believe I remember that thread you mentioned. If memory serves there was some type of malfunction with the propane tank or BBQ that caused it to vent a large amount of the propane all at once which caused an uncontrolled fire. If a propane grill is functioning properly don't think it would be a problem on a deck as long as it was monitored. I don't think it would radiate enough heat under normal operation to bother a deck. Now, that said, we had one in my neck-o-the-woods a few years back where they had a charcoal grill on a wood deck on a beachfront home. They lit the charcoal and went back into the house to let it get up to temperature. In the meantime, since the grill was a few years old and had had many BBQs in its lifetime and was subjected to salty ocean air every day the bottom had corroded and as the charcoal heated up it fell through the weakened bottom of the BBQ and lit the wooden deck on fire. They lost that home and the homes on each side of it also before the fire department got it under control.

 

[powder smoke]

Grills on a wood deck or porch! Most folks are smart enough not to do that without
proper protection or precautions. I have a concrete Patio where I grill, happy as a clam! ps

 

[blume357]

Don't see the problem as long as proper precautions are taken... I've seen more of a problem with people having their grill too close to the vinyl siding on the house. The issue with what is safe is that if you take it all in then there is really practically nothing safe. Fire is hot and it burns things... if you really want to be safe then stay away from it and only eat things raw that have just been picked or killed.....

This thread has actually been helpful... because my wife and I rent a beach house twice a year and I'm trying to recall where the fire extinguishers are... I think at least one will be on my list to take next time.

 

[Mega Twin]

They make a pad for use under a wood burning stove that should give you peace of mind about the wood deck.

 

[Ka6otm]

For the last 18 years I've had my propane grill on my back patio on concrete.

Not a problem in the world, but I don't leave it unattended.

 

[37fed]

Mine has been on a wooden deck for 20 years. Heat goes up, flame is 30 inches above deck. My gas logs are right down on the floor level in the living room and are safe. You do need to pull grill out from siding and railing when in use. Don’t ask how I know. I have one of those sheet metal fire pits I sometime use with screens. I have a heat shield under it and a pallet to give circulation. Works fine.

 

[powder smoke]

Ours is on a wood deck with a mat under it made specifically for that purpose.
It does need to be pulled away from the house or they will melt the siding.

Vinyl siding Had to laugh being a Carpenter I refuse to do it. Somebody wants vinyl
I'm not your guy. The can train Monkeys to put that crap on. ps

 

[planetcat]

I barbecued for 15 years with my weber gas grill on my wood deck next to my house with wood siding. Since wood typically combusts at over 570*F, I don't think it's a problem unless you can get your bbq higher than that. Now if you use coals or open fire, I could see embers potentially starting something.

 

[eveled]

The firemen I know won’t have a propane grill on their property at all.

 

[coach]

A neighbor had a propane grill near the house and there was a flare up, not sure why. The flames went up into the roof soffit and lit up the siding and roof. The house was a total loss. Local code says says grills should be 10 or 15 feet from house.

 

[Dave P.]

That wood deck will get hotter from the sun than from the grill. As already mentioned be more concerned what's above and beside it.
Vinyl siding melts a a relatively low 160 degree range. Old house had a wood deck and the only issue was cooking grease spills or splatter
making it ugly.
The propane bomb, er I mean tank gets more heat than the deck.
And you did want to buy that fire truck.

 

[Mike J]

I believe you might remember a thread I started. I think it was a year or a year & a half ago. I was going to look for it a little but I'm not patient enough to take the time to find it.

The people across the street had a propane grill right against the back of their home. Either the tank was not attached correctly, or the seal was damaged or missing. The man said they had just changed the tank. When they lit the grill fire spewed out of it where the hose connects to the tank. It was against vinyl siding. The siding caught fire though the homeowner said he was wetting it down trying to keep it from catching. From there the fire went right up into the eaves & into the attic. The whole house was on fire in short order.

The grill was behind their home. I was sitting on my front porch. It took me a couple of minutes to figure out what was going on. First, I heard popping noises. I thought they might be running some sort of equipment. Then I saw white smoke (steam from where the homeowner was wetting the siding down}. Finally, I saw flames shooting across the roof. That was when I ran across the street. They were coming out of the house. I asked if everyone was out. They were. I realized then that I don't think I could have made it in. It was very hot.

I should have probably acted sooner but I didn't really know what was going on & I generally try to mind my own business. I thought they were running some kind of equipment & burning trash.

We have both a charcoal grill & a propane one on the concrete patio outside our back door. They are a few feet from the house though & they are not positioned with the back of the grill facing the house.

 

[KIR]

when the title has "bbq" in it, less talk about grills, covers, fire, etc. and more talk about the meats themselves...Yesterday went to the Best in the West Rib Cook Off in Sparks, NV. How do you like your bbq? pork ribs, burnt ends, pulled pork, brisket, pulled chicken...don't matter, anything slathered in various sauces works for me...lest we forget a Micheloeb Ultra to wash it all down with. Did I forget the bourbon baked beans? What's your fave? Sorry, if I stole this thread.

 

[eveled]

I guess the answer is no grills are not safe. People become complacent and dont leave room for the inevitable malfunction.

Like a car. Proper maintenance. Proper use. Common sense. All minimize the risks involved.

All of the manuals I’ve read say at least 2 feet from combustible materials. It goes up as the BTU rating increases.

 

[blume357]

Fire is never safe.... that is one of the main things I have learned and get to teach my customers......

 

[Kevin]

I believe you might remember a thread I started. I think it was a year or a year & a half ago. I was going to look for it a little but I'm not patient enough to take the time to find it.

Yes, I remember that thread. Lots of people commented on it.

This particular house is down at the beach. We bought a second home down there a while back. And this is our neighbor. His house is probably just 10 or 12 feet away.

Both houses have hardy board siding.

Last time I was down there. I looked over and the same neighbor with the bbq grill now has a giant 7 or 8 person hot tub up on the deck also.

I talked to a friend of ours that builds houses there at the beach. He said no way are those decks sturdy enough for hot tubs. So this neighbor doesn’t use very good common sense. I’ve only seen him a few times. They are just some nice retired people.

Next time I talk to my builder friend, I’ll ask him about the bbq grill. I wonder what he thinks.

 

[Mike J]

Hardie Board siding is made of cement, sand & cellulose. I expect it would not be as flammable as vinyl. I still don't think it is a good idea to have a grill very close to the house. If something goes wrong it will make a problem worse. The house across the street has still not been rebuilt. The neighbor came back about a year ago & spent some time working with a bobcat. Grading & taking down trees. I don't know what the problem is. The last time I spoke to them they wanted to rebuild. Maybe they are having an issue with financing the rebuild.

I am checking behind my wife with the propane grill these days. The other night she came to me & said she couldn't get the valve on the propane tank to open. I went out there to see what was going on. She couldn't open it because it was already open from the last time she used it.

 

[Joe Chartreuse]

Meh. To me, a gas grill is just an outside stove. Why bother? Charcoal grills only for me.