Summer is the season for barbecuing, whether at home, at the campsite or at the cottage. But a barbecue mishap can turn that favourite culinary activity into a nightmare.

By following a few simple steps, you can help ensure your gas barbecue is in good working condition and minimize your risk of accidents.

“A lot of barbecues have been stored all winter,” says Capt. Mike Strapko of Toronto Fire Services. “The first thing to do is make sure there are no bugs, nests, spiderwebs or other kinds of debris built up inside the grill.”

> Preparing Your Barbecue

Clear all loose debris and then use a pipe cleaner or wire to clean the burner ports to ensure they are clear. Next, remove the rocks and grates for a thorough cleaning to remove all grease.

Do not use the barbecue if any hoses are cracked; a cracked hose can send out a stream of gas that can catch fire.

“The second thing,” Strapko says, “is to check for leaks.”

Apply a 50/50 mixture of dish soap and water to the hoses and connections using a brush or a cloth, then turn on the gas. Any bubbles will indicate a leak. (Do not use a match or lighter to check for leaks.)

If you find any leaks, replace the defective items. Parts are available at most hardware stores and building-supply centres. Call a certified appliance repair person if you do not feel comfortable replacing a part yourself.

Replace your propane tank if it is rusty, damaged or more than 10 years old.

> Placement Of Your Barbecue

Where you locate your barbecue is an important safety decision. Do not barbecue in the garage or in any enclosed space, or you risk carbon monoxide poisoning.

“Cooking with the barbecue in a closed garage is just as dangerous as running the car engine,” Strapko says. “Barbecuing should always be done outdoors and in the open, with no combustibles around.”

Ideally, the barbecue should be placed at least 1.5 metres (five feet) from the house or any fence, patio umbrella or tree — anything that could catch fire.

> Lighting Your Barbecue

Once you’re ready to light your barbecue, begin by opening the lid. Open your propane tank’s valve by a quarter- to half-turn. That’s all the gas the barbecue needs to operate, and the valve will be much easier to turn off should you encounter a problem.

If your igniter button is no longer working, insert a long match or a barbecue lighter into the side burner hole. Make sure your match or lighter has a flame before you turn on the burner controls. If the burner does not ignite, turn off the gas, keep the lid open and wait five minutes for the gas to dissipate before trying again.
@page_break@While you’re cooking, avoid wearing loose clothing, says Strapko. Roll up your sleeves and use long-handled tongs and brushes while grilling, as they keep you at a safer distance from heat, flames and grease splatters. Oven mitts and a heavy apron can be useful protection.

“Use the same precautions as you would while cooking over a range in the kitchen,” Strapko says. “Don’t leave the barbecue unattended. Keep children and pets away, and never leave them unsupervised in the vicinity of a hot grill.”

Never move a lit barbecue. And never use wood, charcoal, starter fluid or gasoline with a gas barbecue.

When you’re ready to shut your barbecue off, be sure to turn off the propane valve first. Then turn off your burner controls. This way, propane does not get trapped in the hose when the barbecue is not in use. Allow your barbecue sufficient time to cool off before putting its cover on.

> Fighting Fires

To prevent an accumulation of grease, which can cause a grease fire, keep your grill and burners clean. If you do have a grease fire, do not fight it with water, which will cause the flames to flare up more.

If there is a fire in the barbecue unit and you can safely reach the tank valve and burner controls, turn them off and close the grill lid. If the fire involves the tank, leave it alone, evacuate the area and call the fire department. If your clothing catches on fire, quickly stop, drop and roll.

If you burn yourself, run the affected area under cold water for five minutes. If the burn is serious, with charring or blistering, seek medical attention.

> The Propane Tank

Eventually, your barbecue’s propane tank will run out of gas and need to be refilled or replaced. Follow these safety precautions when transporting the tank:

> always carry the tank in an upright position;

> transport the tank on the floor of the passenger compartment of your vehicle — with the windows open — and secure it so it cannot topple over. Otherwise, Strapko says, the valve could open;

> never leave a propane tank inside a parked vehicle with the windows sealed, as heat could build up, causing the gas to expand and the tank to explode;

> refrain from smoking in your vehicle when transporting a propane tank.

“Do not keep the tank in a confined space such as the trunk of your car,” Strapko says. “Propane is a great fuel, but it’s very volatile.”

> Charcoal Barbecues

If you are using a charcoal barbecue, use only charcoal lighting fluid — never use gasoline — to get the charcoal going. Allow the fluid to settle for a few moments so that the explosive vapours have a chance to dissipate.

Place the lighter fluid a safe distance away before you light the coals. Make sure you didn’t accidentally spill any fluid on your skin or clothing, or in any area surrounding the grill. Stand back from the coals when you ignite them.

If the coals begin to die out, refrain from spraying the lighting fluid onto the hot coals.

IE