As we head into the end of summer, you might be planning a barbecue. Do you know the recommendations by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission for your grill? One of their recommendations is intended to help prevent fire damage to your home and it reads:
“Never use a grill indoors. Use the grill at least 10 feet away from your house or any building. Do not use the grill in a garage, breezeway, carport, porch, or under a surface that can catch fire.”
As a roofing and construction company, we’ve performed many roof repairs and replaced siding of homeowners who didn’t follow this recommendation. All it takes is some grease hitting the flame and sending it skyward to melt or catch part of your home on fire. The heat from your grill can melt parts of your home and an errant spark can cause significant damage. Here are some examples of damage we’ve repaired from grills being too close to the house.
Siding Damage
Vinyl siding melts, aluminum siding discolors, and wood siding can catch fire or the paint can melt. No matter how little of your siding is damaged by heat or fire, you may have to replace all of it. Rarely can a small section be replaced and look good on your home because the new product will look new as your old siding will likely have faded. Keeping your grill at least 10 feet from your home will help protect your siding.
Roof Damage
Many parts of your roofing system can sustain damage from heat. On many recently built homes the soffits are made of vinyl. If they melt from the heat of the grill your attic won’t be able to breathe as it should and you’ll end up with damage in your attic. Fascia board is typically made of wood or a composite wood material. Both can catch fire which can quickly spread to other parts of your roofing system.
Although most asphalt shingles are Class A fire resistant, that doesn’t mean fire proof. Most errant sparks won’t catch fire if they land on your roof but if they land in your gutters that are filled with dry leaves, it’s another story. Gutters are a big reason for roof fires and cause big damage requiring a roofing and construction company for repair. Yours may contain the fuel a spark needs to quickly spread to your roof.
If your home sustains fire damage to the siding, gutters, or roof, let Cooley Roofing and Construction company help. We can work with you on new siding, gutters, roof or just roof repair. Whatever your damage is, we can restore your home. Call 366-766-6488 today for your repair estimate or fill out our contact form and we’ll call you.
