If you've bought a grill or fire feature, whether from Barbecues Galore or the other guys, we highly advise you check out that owners manual - you know, the booklet that you looked at for two seconds and threw back in the box after looking at the pictures. Time for you to fish it out and start reading.
What is a grill and fire table heat clearance?
Read long enough and you'll find a very important section about the safe distances you need between combustible materials and your new machine, also known as "clearances." Each barbecue has their own specific clearance measurements. As an example, as stated on Napoleon's website for general safety:
"Maintain proper clearance to combustibles. As per the manufacturer’s suggestions, we recommend 20 inches to the rear of the grill, 7 inches from the sides, and 24 inches if the grill is placed near vinyl siding."
Why are grill and fire table clearances important?
These clearances are something you'll want to take note of because not doing so could result in damage to your outdoor patio furniture, your deck, or - most commonly - the siding of your home.
Of course, the photo you see here is a very bad case of melted siding and most of you won't have this happen to the combustible materials around your grill. You may not even see any damage a while, however, damage can still be done overtime, if you are not within the safe clearance distances.
One way this happens is that the hot air from the barbecue will heat up it's surroundings over and over again. Despite the wood, or some other combustible material, appearing undamaged because it doesn't go up into flames, the material is getting drier and drier each time you use your barbecue. This means that each time the material doesn't combust during your cook, it's only more likely to burn or melt the next time.
Are barbecues and fire tables unsafe?
We don't mean to frighten you out of adding a grill or fire feature to your home by making you second guess the safeness of them. On the contrary, we love to profess the safety features in all of the gas appliances we sell - and trust us, we take pride in what we sell. With our carefully selected brands and models, we ensure their quality and safety. Also, if you use our Barbecue Butler services for in-town deliveries, your grill or fire table will go through two safety inspections (one when it's assembled and another at your home at delivery) before you start using it.
In conclusion, as long as you maintain the proper clearances that your owners manual specifies for your unit while it's in use, everything will be just fine.
Barbecues Galore has the best selection of barbecues, patio furniture, and outdoor heating supplies. We sell barbecues, accessories, and everything else you need for exceptional grilling and backyard experiences. With locations in Calgary and the GTA, you can visit us in store or shop online. North Calgary Store: (403) 250-1558 | South Calgary Store: (403) 258-4440 | Burlington Store: (905) 639-5952 | Oakville Store: (905) 844-3224 | Etobicoke Store: (416) 546-3266