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Propane located on Oak Ridge Road will accept
your old gas grill LPG tanks for a $10.00 fee.
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Gas
Grills Safety |
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Many
injuries are caused each year when gas
grills are improperly used and consumers
take
uneducated chances regarding grill safety.
A fire or explosion can occur when
consumers first
use a grill that has been left idle for a
period of time or just after refilling and
reattaching the grill's gas container. To
reduce these risks, consumers should
follow
these gas grill safety tips. It might
prevent a tragedy.
- Liquid petroleum (LP) gas or propane,
used in gas grills, is extremely
flammable.
Consumers should use extreme caution and
always follow manufacturer's instructions
when connecting or disconnecting LP gas
containers. Never attempt to repair the
tank
valve or the appliance yourself. See an LP
gas dealer or a qualified appliance repair
person.
- A gas grill should be checked for leaks
every time the cylinder is replaced.
- Check the tubes that lead into the
burner for any blockage from insects,
spiders, or food grease.
- Use a pipe cleaner or wire to clear
blockage and push it through to the main
part of the burner.
- Check grill hoses for cracking,
brittleness, holes, and leaks.
- Make sure there are no sharp bends in
the hose or tubing.
- Move gas hoses as far away as possible
from hot surfaces and dripping hot grease.
- If you can't move the hoses, install a
heat shield to protect them.
- Replace
scratched or nicked connectors, which can
eventually leak gas. |
Storing
/ Transporting LP Gas
Always
follow the manufacturer's instructions that
accompany the grill and
use caution when storing LP gas containers.
- Always keep containers upright.
- To avoid accidents while transporting LP gas
containers, consumers should
transport the container in a secure, upright
position.
- Never store a spare gas container under or
near the grill or indoors.
- Never store or use flammable liquids, like
gasoline, near the grill.
- Never keep a filled container in a hot car or
car trunk.
Heat will cause the gas pressure to increase,
which may open the
relief valve and allow gas to escape.
Check for gas leaks!
-
Check for gas leaks, following the
manufacturer's instructions,
if you smell gas or when you reconnect the grill
to the LP gas container.
- Follow the manufacturer's instructions,
however you can also
take a soapy solution (one part dish soap, five
parts water) and pour it over
the connections. The solution will begin to
bubble if there is a leak.
- If you detect a leak, immediately turn off the
gas and do not attempt to light
the grill until the leak is fixed! Do not
attempt to repair or fix the leak yourself!
- Keep lighted cigarettes, matches or open
flames away from a leaking grill.
- See an LP gas dealer or a qualified appliance
repair person.
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As of April 1, 2002 cylinders without OPD's
cannot be used.
An OPD
(Overfilling Prevention Device) is a safety feature
that helps prevent small propane cylinders from being
overfilled.
There are
limits to how much propane can be put into a
cylinder. A properly filled cylinder will have a
vapor space left in the top of the cylinder to allow
room for expansion of the liquid with a change in
atmospheric temperature. An overfilling
prevention device is a secondary means of assuring
that cylinders are not overfilled.
There are at
least two ways to identify OPD equipped
cylinders. New cylinder wrappers and/or warning
labels will include this information. Second,
most cylinders with OPD's have special triangular the
letters "OPD" (However, some OPD's were
produced before the letters on the valve handles and
valve bodies were required so check the wrapper or
label or ask your propane refiller to identify the
type of valve on your cylinder.
Beginning in
October of 1998 all newly manufactured small propane
cylinders (capacity of 4 pounds up to 40 pounds) are
equipped with an overfilling prevention
device.
All outdoor grills have the potential to lead to
tragedy when
carelessness causes structural fires or serious burns to people
and pets. According to the Insurance Information Institute,
backyard barbecues result in more than 2-thousand fires,
over 300 grill related injuries and 3 or more deaths each year.
Please follow the safety tips on this page when
using your gas grill or barbeque.
Avoid Deadly
Grilling Dangers
- Keep a fire
extinguisher accessible near your grill area when you begin.
Be sure you know
HOW TO USE A FIRE
EXTINGUISHER
before you need it!
- Be sure all children know how to dial
911
for any emergency situation.
- Do Not wear loose clothing while cooking.
- BE VIGILANT WHEN YOU HAVE SMALL CHILDREN AROUND.
THERE ARE MANY POTENTIAL HAZARDS FROM the LIGHTER FLUID,
FROM the PROPANE TANKS OR JUST THE HOT SURFACES OF THE GRILL.
- Do not use the grill in a garage, breezeway, carport, porch, party
tents,
patio, fire escapes or under a surface that can catch fire.
-
All grills in use should
rest at least 15-20 feet from the house, car,
trees and party decorations.
- If you live
in a condo, townhouse or apartment complex, gas grills are prohibited on
balconies or covered patios.
- Never leave any grill unattended or allow children to play or run in
the area of the grill.
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Remember that alcoholic
beverages are flammable! Keep them away from the grill.
Gas Grills safety
features
Consumers
should consider purchasing grills that have these
safety features:
a device to limit the flow of gas in the event of hose
rupture;
a
mechanism to shut-off the grill;
and
a
feature to prevent the flow of gas if the connection
between the tank and the grill is not leak
proof.
*****
Check
our related pages
How
to Use a Fire Extinguisher
911
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Last
updated: Saturday, December 13, 2003 12:27 AM
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Gas
Grill Usage
- When
lighting the grill, keep the top open. If the grill does
not light
in first several attempts, wait 5 minutes to allow gas to
dissipate.
If
Your Gas Grill Catches on Fire
- If
the fire is in the grill portion and seems "out of
control" simply turn off the burners.
- If the fire involves one of the hoses and you can safely
reach the propane tank valve,
shut the tank valve off.
- If the fire involves the tank, leave it alone, evacuate
the area and call the fire department (911)
- If there is any type of fire that threatens either
personal safety or endangers property,
call the fire department (911)
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Charcoal
Grills
Charcoal
produces carbon monoxide (CO) when it is burned. CO is a
colorless,
odorless gas that can accumulate to toxic levels in closed
environments.
Each year about 30 people die and 300 are injured as a
result of poisonous
CO fumes from charcoal grills and hibachis used inside. In
addition to the
Carbon Monoxide hazard, charcoal grills can cause fires
and burn injuries.
To reduce injury and CO poisonings, follow these safety
tips:
- Never burn charcoal inside of homes, vehicles, tents, or
campers.
- Charcoal should never be used indoors, even if
ventilation is provided!
- Since charcoal produces CO fumes until the charcoal is
completely extinguished,
do not store the grill indoors with freshly used coals.
- When lighting a grill, the safest fire starters are
chemicals in cake form or
a charcoal electric starter.
- When using charcoal lighter fluid, follow the directions
carefully and do not
use too much charcoal lighter fluid. Use only fluid made
for charcoal grills
and NEVER any other type of fluid!
- To speed a slow fire, tuck dry kindling under the
charcoal. Make sure the
barbecue grill is level and steady and keep a container of
water nearby.
- Never add fire starter after you have started your
barbecue or on an open flame.
The heat from the coals could ignite the stream of liquid
and burn back to the can,
causing it to explode in your hands!
- Never attempt to re-ignite fizzling coals. The old coals
should be dumped and
replaced with fresh ones.
- After cooking, soak the coals in water. Dispose of
charcoal in a metal container
with a tight fitting lid. Many brush and house fires start
because hot coals,
thought to be cool, were dumped in leaves or trash cans.
- Since charcoal produces CO until the charcoal is
completely extinguished,
do not store the grill indoors with freshly used coals.
- A bag of damp or wet charcoal should be immediately and
properly disposed of,
as it can spontaneously combust.
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