Can You Grill Under A Covered Patio?

Many people love to enjoy the weather by sitting under their covered patio. You can spend time with your family and enjoy the view. The best thing is that a covered patio will also make your home more aesthetic.

You may also love hosting grilling parties at your home. This is why you may be wondering whether you can grill under your covered patio. If so, you're in the right place. Here is all you need to know about this.

Can You Grill Under A Covered Patio?

You can grill under a patio if you have a gas or pellet grill. These are suitable for use in different spaces. If you have a charcoal grill, you must not use it under your covered patio.

The answer will also depend on the height of your patio ceiling. It is also good to think about the space's ventilation before cooking anything. The general rule is to avoid grilling in small and crowded spaces.

If your covered patio does not have much space, you should avoid using any type of grill under it. This will help you keep your house and loved ones safe.

Also Read: Are Grill Mats Safe? The Complete Safety Guide For Fantastic Outdoor Cooking

Why Can You Not Use Charcoal Grills Under A Covered Patio?

No matter which brand you are using, charcoal grills are not good for working under a patio. This is because they give off a lot of smoke that can build up around you. So it can cause health issues later and harm your loved ones.

The risk of fires also increases when using a charcoal grill under a covered patio. This is because high airflow is necessary to cook things on this grill smoothly. If the wind is not blowing in the right way, you may risk harming your property.

Smoke can also trap around your patio's ceiling easily from a charcoal grill. It can affect the material of the roof and cause it to degrade with time. 

Tips To Grill Under A Covered Patio

Here are some tips that you must follow when using a gas or pellet grill under a patio:

Ensure The Ceiling Is High Enough

Cooking under a patio is only good if the ceiling is high enough. This is because, in small spaces, fires can occur with ease. Smoke can trap around the patio easily and react with flammable materials.

When a reaction occurs, you may experience a small or large fire. Sometimes it may be easy to put out a fire. However, your house can suffer serious damage if you're not attentive.

The ideal height of your patio ceiling must be 10 feet or more. This will ensure smoke can pass outside easily and cause less or no damage. It will also save your family members from health issues later.

So you can enjoy a better life by ensuring a high ceiling when using a grill under your porch.

Maintain Good Airflow

You may think cooking on an enclosed porch is safe as long as the ceiling is high enough. However, that is not the case. It is important to ensure good airflow around the patio for the safest experience.

The best way to get this thing right is by making sure your patio is wide. It is also good to create space around an area of your house that receives a good amount of wind. This will help you cook in different weathers with ease.

Another great thing about a large space is that it will prevent a smoky scent on your patio. The odor may remain on your porch for a long after grilling. Many people do not prefer the smell, and it can make them uncomfortable.

Grease fires will also happen less often if you ensure a good breeze around your porch. So you can keep your grill and loved ones safe by following this tip.

Always Use A Clean Grill

Cooking is always risky, regardless of the space around you. This is why you have to take some steps to make things safer for you. Using a clean grill is one of the best ways to enjoy a good cooking day.

The top benefit of cleaning your grill is that it helps you remove old food remains from the surface. You will also not have to worry about grease building up on the grill. This means the chances of a fire will reduce significantly.

A clean grill will also make sure the item does not release harmful smoke. You can understand this by seeing the smoke's color. Black is not preferable because it means the smoke has soot or other chemicals.

The ideal color you should wait for is light blue smoke. This appears a few minutes after starting the grill. It is easier to reach this stage on clean grills. This will also do cooking under a patio because you will not be inhaling bad smoke.

You will also not have to worry about the smoke degrading your patio structure. So be sure to clean your grill thoroughly.

Risks Of Using A Grill Under A Covered Patio

Here are some risks that you should be wary of when cooking under a covered patio:

Black Stains

Smoke and other particles from a grill can reach the ceiling and walls around your patio with ease. The worst part is that high buildup will cause black stains on your walls. These are very hard to remove and may require you to paint the area again.

Remember painting the space is not a good option if you grill often. This is because the stains will reappear. The aesthetics of your porch will also reduce due to the stains.

You may avoid this issue by ensuring a high ceiling and wide patio space. It will also be good to place the grill away from the side walls to ensure no stains occur. 

Fire

It is no secret that cooking in closed spaces can lead to home fires. Some of them are easy to put out if you take precautions during cooking. Meanwhile, it may be hard to control large fires if you have not taken safety steps.

One way to reduce fires is by being attentive when cooking. This will ensure no ember flies away without you noticing it. You should also not leave the grill unattended for hours.

If you do have to go away from the grill, you should use remote methods for monitoring. You may put a camera on your patio to keep an eye on the food.

Another way to keep an eye is by using a remote thermometer. This will help you ensure the food temperature does not rise to dangerous levels.

Char-Like Smell

Grilling can lead to different scents around you, such as the aroma of your food. It can also lead to a char-like smell that may become permanent on your patio if you grill often. The scent is mainly uncomfortable for most people.

It may irritate your nose in some cases if you are sensitive. The worst part is that getting rid of the smell will be hard if you don't notice it early. A good way to prevent a char-like scent is by using clean pellets for grilling.

You should also keep a gap between your grilling sessions under the patio. Maintaining a good interval will allow old particles to move outdoors with ease. So the buildup of particles and odor will not happen.

Safety Precautions For Cooking Under A Covered Patio

Here are some safety tips you should follow when grilling under a patio:

Keep A Fire Extinguisher Nearby

The most common accident that occurs due to grilling involves a fire. This is why you should always be ready to put out the flames and prevent the fire from spreading. A fire extinguisher is the best way to do this.

Always keep the safety tool near the grill to react fast when flames start to rise. This will save your house from greater damage.

Keep The Grill In The Air Direction

There are many places on a patio where you can put your grill. Always keep the item in the direction where the air is coming from. This will usually be away from your house.

The main reason behind this position is it will reduce the risk of fire by ensuring good ventilation. It will also help your patio get good airflow even when less wind is blowing.

So you will not have to worry about grease fires and embers reigniting after flying away.

Final Words

This is everything you need to know about "Can you grill under a covered patio." You cannot cook on your enclosed porch if you have a charcoal grill because the risks are too high.

Gas and pellet grills are more suitable for cooking on a patio. They are safer and have built-in mechanisms that can reduce the chances of a fire.

You should also ensure your patio ceiling has a height of 10 feet or more to use any grill under it. The space should also be wide to ensure good airflow. All these things will help you enjoy a good cooking day.