Safety Tips - Outdoor Gas Grills and Barbecues
- Make a clean start. Before firing up your barbecue for the first time, carefully inspect burners and burner tubes for blockages due to dirt, grease, insects or rust buildup. Clean or replace any blocked parts or have a certified technician make repairs.
- Bubble up. Check for cracked, brittle or leaking hoses. To check for leaks, apply a 50/50 solution of soap and water to hoses and fittings, and turn on the main gas or propane valve while leaving burners off. Any leaks will show up as bubbles. Replace any damaged hoses or fittings.
- If in doubt, get it out. Propane cylinders must be inspected and re-qualified every 10 years in Canada. A date stamp on the cylinder indicates when it was last qualified. Do not use a rusty or damaged cylinder. If in doubt, have your tank replaced.
- Be fire friendly. Keep grills and barbecues away from combustible materials such as fences, trees, buildings, awnings and carports. Never use a barbecue in a garage!
- When purchasing or installing a gas barbecue, make sure that it carries the mark of an approved certification agency. For example, the CSA International Certification Flame for Canada or the CSA International Certification Star for the U.S. indicating that the barbecue meets applicable national standards. For more information on Gas Barbecues and Grills click here