Why Gas is Not Advisable When Lighting your Charcoal

November 1, 2017

Using gas to light charcoal is a common practice when preparing to grill food. However, just because it is an age-old practice or that a lot of people still use, it doesn’t mean that it is the best way. In fact, using gas to light charcoal is not advisable.

Here are a few reasons why you shouldn’t use gas to light charcoal:

1. Gas is highly flammable and dangerous.

Pouring gas on charcoal is actually an improper way and unsafe way of starting a fire, and some people even mistakenly pour gas on burning charcoal. It cannot be forgotten that gasoline is a highly flammable liquid – meaning, it catches fire easily and burns violently. Gas also has a high flash point and vapour density, properties which may cause it to ignite up to 12 feet away from sources of heat and fire.

This explains why if you pour gas on burning charcoal, the flame will travel the length of the stream of gas right back to the gas container, which could then cause the gas container to explode, resulting in skin burns and serious injury.

Using gas or any flammable liquid to light charcoal or to increase the heat of a fire has been linked to a rise in burn injuries related to grilling and cooking.

2. Gas poses health risks.

Gasoline doesn’t just simply evaporate and vanish into thin air when it is burned. No, it releases two poisonous hydrocarbons into the air – methane and benzene. Both are known to cause carbon monoxide poisoning when inhaled, which poses a greater risk when grilling indoors.

Charcoal also produces carbon monoxide when burned, and the addition of gasoline only causes more toxic fumes to be released into the air. When grilling indoors, the combination of charcoal and gasoline can be problematic even if there is adequate ventilation.

What makes carbon monoxide even more dangerous is that it’s both invisible and odourless. A person can inhale large quantities and not even notice it. Regular carbon monoxide poisoning can lead to permanent brain damage, or even death.

Light Charcoal with Heat Beads Firelighters Instead of Gas

Since using gas and flammable liquids to light charcoal is not advisable, it is highly recommend to use safe self-igniting charcoal, such a Heat Beads Firelighters from John Tiras Pty Ltd, a trusted wholesaler and retailer of self-igniting Heat Beads Firelighters, premier charcoal and firewood for commercial companies, restaurants, and residential properties.

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