How Far Should A Grill Be From The House?

When it’s time to grill, it’s time for a lot of fun and food for friends and family - and often, a fair bit of sweating and hard work too!

After all, cooking delicious food, and chatting with friends and family can get really tiring - honestly!

If you’re looking forward to getting your grill on, then you’ll want to do it as safely as possible!

Nobody wants to be stuck in the emergency room when they should be eating hot dogs - or worse, having to file an insurance claim, or even call the fire department!

No, you want to keep your grilling session as safe as possible, so you don’t ever have to worry about the fun and food stopping because of something silly and preventable happening!

Therefore - it kind of goes without saying that you’ll want to know the safest minimum distance you should keep your grill from your house!

After all, grills often mean flames, and flames can do very bad things to a house.

Why Can't I Put My Grill Right Next To My House?

Well, simply put - it’s really unsafe to do so!

Firstly, a grill is obviously a massive source of really high heat.

Depending on what sort of grill you’re using, you might even have open flames at some point - which should be all the clues you need to work out that your grill is perfectly capable of setting something on fire.

And the thing about fire is that it really, really likes to spread - you only need to wait a little bit of time for a small fire to become a huge, unmanageable blaze.

From the point of view of the house owner, an inferno on the patio is less than ideal - and the closer to the house it starts, the worse.

If you’re grilling right next to your house, you should really stop, and have a good long think about moving your grill somewhere else.

This is especially true if there’s any wood around at all - after all, wood is known for its ability to burn. Seeing as many houses use wood heavily in their construction, having your grill right next to your house can be a recipe for disaster.

For this reason - if the fumes weren’t enough - you should never consider grilling in your garage, if you have one. This is easily as bad, and probably even more dangerous than having your grill pressed right up to the wall of your house.

If something goes wrong when you’re grilling in your garage, the whole room could be overwhelmed by flame in a matter of seconds - and the rest of your house might well not be far behind.

Don’t grill in any enclosed area at all, in fact. The smaller the space, the worse it is - if you’re grilling in a shed, you’re basically poking around with a ticking time bomb.

Even if you think your garage or shed is large enough for it to be safe, even if you think you’ll be quick enough to make it to the door in time if the worst happens… no, just no.

If the worst happens, you’re in big trouble, and you put yourself there needlessly. Don’t be a fool - never grill indoors, or in a shed, or tent, or any other excuse you’re looking for! 

A Note On Built-In Grills

Many outdoor kitchens are kitted with a drop-in grill that's built into a counter.  If you're planning to install a built-in, your manufacturer will also provide guidance on minimum insulation and clearance requirements so that your grill can safely operate.

Also, you should be looking to pick up an insulated grill jacket if you're building your grill into combustible materials.  These liners provide necessary insulation to make any outdoor kitchen setup safe for operation.

How Far Away Do I Need To Keep My Grill?

Each manufacturer has different guidance on the minimum distance their grill should be placed from the house.

This is because each manufacturer designs their grills differently, with different materials, air flow, and insulation systems.

So the first place you should go to for safe distances for your specific grill is the manufacturer.

With that being said, accidents and mistakes will test even the most stringent safety rules - all it takes is a few seconds of uncontrollable flame, and you could well end up with a fire on your hands.  When in doubt, just play it safe.

With that in mind - three feet seems a little too short. There’s never anything wrong with playing it safe when it comes to fire. After all, when it comes to fire, a little goes a long way.

Anything that can burn or melt is fair game as far as fire is concerned - it’ll spread and destroy as much as it can. Don’t give it the chance.

Make sure that you keep any animals away from the grill too. It’s hard, we know - they smell the delicious food you’re cooking, and they just can’t help themselves!

And remember - even if it’s not flammable, YOU CANNOT SAFELY GRILL INDOORS OR IN AN ENCLOSED SPACE, SO DON’T TRY IT. 

What If An Accident Happens?

Well, accidents happen, sadly - but with proper preparation, and attention paid to safety precautions, you’ll be less likely to have something serious and dangerous happen.

The key to preventing accidents is preparation, after all! But if you find your grill gets out of control, you’re going to need some way of stopping it - which, again, is where your preparation comes in!

Always make sure that you’ve got an appropriate way of extinguishing your grill in case of any fire.

Whether that’s a fire extinguisher, fire blanket garden hose, or cutting the fuel or electricity supply - always make sure you’ve got a few appropriate ways to safely stop and extinguish any fires.

Remember not to use water on any electrical equipment - you’ll need a different type of fire extinguisher, such as carbon dioxide.

Conclusion

If you’re looking forward to grilling, then good for you - it’s a lot of fun, a great way to cook and eat, and definitely worth the effort! Just make sure to stay safe - and get that grill as far away from your house as possible!