Four of our neighbors in the last few weeks have had explosions with their outdoor BBQs. It appears that the holes in burners become plugged and propane leaks down into the space below the BBQ. With a spark, in several cases this has resulted in a blast that has blown the doors of the cabinet below the BBQ causing not only damage to the BBQ cabinet but in most cases causing severe burns to the owner.

WHAT TO DO.

1. As propane is heavier that air it sinks. Make sure that the doors on any cabinet below your BBQ are louvered or have holes in them near the bottom to let leaking propane escape. One of the BBQs that recently exploded had solid metal doors on the bottom, which were blown off in the blast. Luckily, the owner wasn’t standing right in front of them at the time.
2. Make sure that the holes in your BBQ’s burners are cleaned regularly. Use a Q-tip or paper clip to clear all of the holes of grease.
3. If you are not planning to use your BBQ for a while turn off the propane either on the small tank or on the feed line.
4. Check your propane lines for leaks. You can use simple soapy water to see if there is any leak in the lines or connectors.

Please do this maintenance or have your property manager take care of it to ensure the safety of your family.