It’s a beautiful spring day; the smell of fresh cut grass is in the air. You’ve gotten your favorite cold beverage, nothing left to do but kick back and enjoy the sizzle of dinner on your new grill. Then it happens; the clouds move in and rain threaten your plans as you think… it would be nice to have a cover or screen porch to protect you at times like these. But just how safe is that?

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has reported as many as 6500 reported home fire involving gas or charcoal grills per year in the US resulting in an average of 27 million in property loss. Nearly one third of these fires are on a terrace or patio, another 21 percent are on exterior balconies or covered porches and as many as 5 percent are inside of garages, carports or storage areas. The majority of these fires are from gas grills and the leading cause is mechanical failure due to lack of maintenance, followed by operation failure, (primarily leaving grills unattended) which is tied with misuse of material (combustible material too close to heat). But where does the code stand on the installation of grills.

The International Residential Code (IRC) addresses cooking appliances in Section 2447.1and states; cooking appliances that are designed for permanent installation, including ranges, ovens, stoves, broilers, grills, fryers, griddles, hot plates and barbecues, shall be tested in accordance with ANSI Z21.1 or ANSI Z21.58 and shall be installed in accordance with manufacturer’s installation instructions.

There is a current trend in new construction to try to accommodate homebuyers faced with the problem of “rainouts” by installing outdoor kitchens with grills and hot plates under covers or in screen porches. None of the manufacturer’s instructions has allowed the installation of gas grills under combustible construction and advice against installing the appliances anywhere that is not open completely to the outdoors. Hoods over grills can help somewhat, but the lack of an interlock system can allow for the grill flame to continue without the hood being operated and wind can render the hood useless. If you are considering a permanent grill installation; here are a few tips.

·         Never install a grill under wood framed construction or inside an enclosure.

·         Never install a grill on combustible deck or patio that is not protected

·         Always check installation instructions for the appliances and check the required clearances 

·         Never install (or use) a grill near house siding or under eves. (10’ is a good rule of thumb)

John B. McLeod, CBO CFM                                                  Tony Longino, CBO

Building Official, County of Greenville                                    Chief Mechanical Inspector