How safe are the propane gas grills so many will be using this weekend?
The National Fire Protection Association estimates that there are 20 deaths a year due to propane gas grill fires and explosions. Improper use and problems with the equipment cause about 6100 accidental fires and explosions. There are about 20,000 emergency room visits and almost $30 million dollars damage each year.
How competent are most of the people using those grills?
The single biggest problem I see causing grill fires is spiders! They crawl into the venturi tubes and build a web that backs up the flow of gas to the burner. The propane is flowing through there at very low pressure, so it doesn’t take much of a restriction to back up the gas. Once it gets to be a big enough cloud it gets ignited by the small flame at the burner and you have an uncontrolled fire at the controls that burns the hoses and controls and everything up!
THIS IS PREVENTABLE PEOPLE!!!!
When you light your grill…Stay with it for a minute or two! Make sure the flame is nice and blue, all the way around the burner and an even size throughout. We all make the same mistake! We turn on the grill and then go back in the house to get the steaks ready! By the time we get back the grill is up in smoke! Literally!
The other thing I see a lot is people turning off the grill controls and leaving the cylinder turned on. Always turn the cylinder off and let the flames die out at the burner. This removes any fuel left in the lines.
There are other causes of accidents but these are by far the most common. Be safe and enjoy your grills! You don’t need to be afraid of propane, but you certainly have to respect it!
They are safe if kept clean and used properly, but most are not kept up or used properly. I’ve had to remind a neighbor every year that it isn’t safe to operate a gas grill on his deck.
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most people are fine with them but there,s always those that shouldn,t be allowed to play with fire.
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If you go by the directions, inspect the burners for rust and wear, and use the proper equipment, then I would say they are pretty safe. Just as safe as charcoal and very convenient.
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20 deaths and 100 million households….i think my odds are pretty good i will survive…good luck to the rest of you…
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The single biggest problem I see causing grill fires is spiders! They crawl into the venturi tubes and build a web that backs up the flow of gas to the burner. The propane is flowing through there at very low pressure, so it doesn’t take much of a restriction to back up the gas. Once it gets to be a big enough cloud it gets ignited by the small flame at the burner and you have an uncontrolled fire at the controls that burns the hoses and controls and everything up!
THIS IS PREVENTABLE PEOPLE!!!!
When you light your grill…Stay with it for a minute or two! Make sure the flame is nice and blue, all the way around the burner and an even size throughout. We all make the same mistake! We turn on the grill and then go back in the house to get the steaks ready! By the time we get back the grill is up in smoke! Literally!
The other thing I see a lot is people turning off the grill controls and leaving the cylinder turned on. Always turn the cylinder off and let the flames die out at the burner. This removes any fuel left in the lines.
There are other causes of accidents but these are by far the most common. Be safe and enjoy your grills! You don’t need to be afraid of propane, but you certainly have to respect it!
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20 years experience in the propane business.
As noted propane grills are quite safe if used properly. It is rare that they would explode if kept clean but pouring a bottle of Jack Daniels over ones steaks and on the tank just may get it to go.
My cynical guest would be that idiots get injured more with deep fried turkeys in November. People do that (search MN, WI news) indoors because it is cold. They drop a frozen bird in near 400F oil. They drink too much and get clothes covered in alcohol and oil then a fire results.
Most people who use any tools are competent. Otherwise humans would not have progressed to this point. The rare deaths are what makes them newsworthy. Sadly, too much attention will get some group to seek to ban such tools. Some places here in MN or WI have outlawed charcoal Grilles due to either fire hazards, air quality, or jealousy.
Let’s not prohibit outdoor cooking.
Hey, it is summer time — people have to earn their Darwin awards.
Just last week, parents took boy 6 boating on wind swept lake without a life vest. Two heroes swam to save the boy but both heroes drowned — cold water does that quickly.
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I will bet that beer is the cause of more accidents than spiders. People get really stupid around fire and water when they are drinking.
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