A few years back, I’d just arrived at a friend’s house for a cookout when there was a loud scream from the back deck. We hurried outside to see our host with his hands over his face. He’d been lighting the grill when a fireball suddenly erupted from the burners. Fortunately, he stepped back before any serious harm had been done, but the smell of singed eyebrows literally hung in the air.

As it turns out, my friend had made the dangerous mistake of closing the lid to his grill when lighting its burners. “It's important to always keep the lid open when lighting your gas grill to prevent gas from building up inside the grill,” explains Nicole Papantoniou, who oversees grill testing at the Good Housekeeping Institute in her role as director of the Kitchen & Cooking Lab.

The buildup of gas can result in a fireball once the lid is opened, as happened to my friend. Even if it’s not so extreme as to cause bodily harm, the sudden blast of heat could damage your grill, warns Papantoniou.

To safely and effectively preheat the grill, first open the lid all the way, then turn the burner dials to high and hit the igniter button. Once the burners are lit, close the lid and give the grill 10 to 15 minutes to preheat fully.

More ways to stay safe when grilling

Outdoor grilling is behind more than 5,000 ER-treated injuries every year, with burns being the most common, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. In addition to keeping the lid open when lighting, follow these other safety tips.

  • Check for leaks. Periodically inspect gas hoses for cracking, brittleness, and holes. If you think you might have a leak, spray soapy water on the hose and look for signs of bubbling from escaping gas. Replace any damaged hoses.
  • Place it properly. Only grill outside in a well-ventilated area. Ideally, the grill should be at least 10 feet from any combustible materials, including the house. If the grill is located on a wood deck, consider placing it on a fireproof mat.
  • Keep it clean. In addition to cleaning the grates, remember to get rid of the drippings that collect in your grill’s grease tray, since they’re another fire hazard.
  • Stay vigilant. Never leave a hot grill unattended and always keep kids and pets at least 3 feet away from the grilling area.
  • Be prepared. Keep a fire extinguisher handy, ideally one that’s rated for wood and grease (most of the fire extinguishers we recommend can handle all kinds of fires).