Grill Your Ribs, Not Your House

The other day I was showing a house and my client and I walked out onto this wonderful deck that overlooked a nice wooded back yard. A cool breeze was blowing and we were talking about how great it would be to sit out on the deck and eat dinner. We were talking about the bar-be-cue and how much we loved to grill out.

When we turned to go back into the house we notice a big circle on the chimney approximately 3' in diameter about 4' off the ground. Upon closer examination, it was melted vinyl. I had experienced the same thing about 5 years ago on a house made from EIFS construction, where the grill had melted the siding on the house.

According to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA), nearly 80 percent of households own some sort of an outdoor bar-be-cue appliance and nearly 60 percent use them year round. I know here in Hoover, Alabama we use the grill for summer picnics, regularly during football season and even on those rare occasions when it snows. But firing up a grill with an open flame presents a clear and present fire danger, especially in confined spaces.

The U.S. Fire Administration's National Fire Data Center estimates that barbecuing accounts for more than 6,000 fires, 170 injuries, a half dozen fatalities and $35 million in property loss each year. Wow!

There are some simple rules to follow - like don't get too close to the building, make sure you have plenty of ventilation, don't grill under an overhang, don't move the grill while you are cooking, keep children away from the grill, etc. If you would like to read more about grilling safety, check out my July Newsletter (I know it's not July anymore, but the tips still apply).

Many homeowners these days are installing outdoor kitchens. The gas and charcoal grills are built in to a stationary counter top. The outdoor kitchen also includes a sink, refrigerator (mostly a minifridge), and sometimes an ice maker.

If you would like to find a New Home that has a perfect place for a grill and that back yard bar-be-cue, you can look for homes on my website at www.ToniBird.com/search.asp? Call me and we can go looking together!