Summers aren’t complete without a backyard barbeque with friends and family. The coronavirus pandemic has temporarily dampened this tradition, but you can still have a barbeque. You’ll just have to make sure whoever is around for it is socially responsible.

Even if you’re apprehensive about inviting people over, you can grill some food for yourself and whoever you live with. Regardless of your reasoning, you should be careful when handling your grill. If you’re too reckless, you could hurt yourself, others, and even your house. Read on for a few tips to keep everyone and everything around the grill safe.

Cook Outside and Away from Your Home

This is a no-brainer. In fact, it’s probably the safest part of the barbequing tradition. Fire or small embers from the grill can result in burns to people and property. In addition, by outside, we mean you shouldn’t be covered by any kind of infrastructure. For example, don’t cook under a pergola or pavilion. Even though they’re outside, the roof structures can catch fire.

Additionally, you should make sure the smoke from your grill goes away from your home. Smoke can damage your home and will leave some black residue, which will require some disaster restoration services. Moreover, you should generally be careful with the grill’s smoke, since it can cause carbon monoxide poisoning. As a rule of thumb, keep the grill at least 10 feet away from your house.

Fire Response Equipment

Keeping some equipment to respond to a fire that gets out of hand can save you, others, and your house some burns. Keep a fire extinguisher or fire blanket nearby in case a fire starts. Moreover, grilling food produces grease, which acts as fuel to fire, causing those fires to flare up. This grease can stick to your grill and get everywhere. This is a good reason to carry a fire extinguisher. Water boils faster than most oils. The ensuant water vapor will carry grease particles. This can spread the grease around, which will spread the fire. Consequently, a fire extinguisher is your safest bet.

Clean your Grill and Watch Your Food

If you don’t clean your grill before using it, the aforementioned grease can accumulate on it. At some point, this can lead to a fire flaring up that can harm people and property. Moreover, if you’re grilling fatty foods, the fat can also cause the fire to flare up. These foods include pork, some kinds of chicken, and steak.

Despite these precautions, sometimes a grill fire can get out of control and cause damage. If you or someone else gets hurt, you should immediately call an ambulance and get the injured party to a hospital. After their safety is guaranteed, or if only your property was damaged, you should call a disaster restoration service. BMI Ottawa offers fire and smoke cleanup services, which include air purification and repainting, to regain your home’s curb appeal. If your home is damaged by fire, contact them to fix it.