Barbecue safety tips and NY home insurance!

We all love a barbecue, right? According to the Insurance Information Institute, Americans have more than 3 million barbecues a year. While most of these are enjoyable, some turn out disastrously. A barbecue fire can be deadly, cause major property damage, and lead to a claims on your NY home insurance.  Are you aware of the appropriate safety precautions to take while barbecuing?

Here are some basic barbecue safety tips:

• Do not fire up your barbecue in a confined space. NY can be particularly dangerous for barbecuing because of the density of housing. Charcoal barbecues should be 10 feet from a building, while gas barbecues should be used on the ground, not on decks or patios.

• Wear safe clothing, nothing with frills that can get caught in the barbecue and catch alight. An apron and oven mitts are recommended.

• Do not leave the barbecue unattended, and keep children and pets away from the barbecue.

• Do not pour flammable fluids on a barbecue. It could cause a flash fire.

• Make sure the wind is blowing away from you when barbecuing.

• Make sure you are using the correct type of gas for your gas barbecue.

• Ensure you are properly covered by your NY home insurance policy. A gas explosion or fire can cause significant damage and it would be devastating if you were not able to recoup the damage bill.

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