Propane Safety for Your Barbecue - from Budget Propane Ontario

Summer is grill time and every family enjoys a meal cooked outside on a barbecue-from steaks to hotdogs, it's a national passtime! Let's be safe this summer and follow these tips by the Canadian Propane Association on the maintenance and use of your propane barbecue.

Check for Leaks:
Always check all cylinder connections for leaks before using your barbecue for
the first time, after an extended period, or any time you replace the cylinder.
• Brush a commercial leak detector solution (or a mixture of 50% liquid soap and
50% water) onto all connections and valves. If rising bubbles appear, you have
a leak.
• Close the service valve, tighten the leaking connection, and test again. If
bubbles continue, shut off the service valve and contact a qualified service
technician.
• Never use matches or lighters to check for leaks.

Lighting the Barbecue:
• Always open the barbecue lid before lighting.
• Use the service valve on the propane cylinder to turn on the gas supply. Next,
turn on the burner and immediately use the igniter switch.
• When finished with the barbecue, turn off the service valve first to ensure
there’s no propane left in the hose; then close the burner control valves.
• Make sure the gas grill is shut off and has cooled completely before covering it.

Everyday Use:
• Always use and store your barbecue outdoors, upright, in a secure, wellventilated
area, at least three metres (10 feet) away from sources of heat or
ignition, windows or doors, clear of the house, and far from anything that might
obstruct the flow of air around the grill.
• Store cylinders off the ground on a non-combustible base and never store or
place spare cylinders under or near the barbecue.
• Follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions for clearances from
combustible walls, fences, etc. Keep the area clear of branches, leaves, or other
combustibles.
• Never use lighter fluid, gasoline, or other accelerants on the grill. Never use
propane with natural gas appliances, unless the appliance has been modified by
a qualified service technician to accommodate propane.
• Keep children away from the barbecue.
• Ensure all lines not attached to the barbecue are closed and terminated with
caps or plugs.
• If you suspect damaged or corroded pipes, a leak, smell an odour, or hear a highpitched
whistling noise, turn off the cylinder valve immediately and contact a
licensed professional.
• Ensure you have authorization to store or use a barbecue on your balcony.

Leave Repairs to the Professionals- If an appliance is not working correctly, or you are unable to operate it, contact a qualified service technician. Never modify or repair a barbecue or cylinder parts, including connectors, regulators, valves, burners, and controls.

Budget Propane supplies propane fuel to homes and cottages throughout central Ontario for residential heating and appliances. If you are building in Haliburton or Muskoka, or elsewhere in central Ontario, call us about propane service to your new home. 1 888 405.7777