If you’re a designer or developer, you’re no doubt aware of the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) and their safety regulations.
When designing an outdoor kitchen, fire safety is of the utmost importance. In this blog, we break down how NFPA regulations can impact your outdoor kitchen designs and recommend a grill that makes compliance easy.
NFPA Codes and Outdoor Kitchens
The most prominent code that impacts outdoor kitchens is NFPA 1. This is the basic fire code.
If your grill is fueled by propane or natural gas, you’ll likely be subject to NFPA codes 54 and 58 as well. These codes regulate the operation and storage of open flame grills and their sources of fuel.
To avoid dealing with NFPA 54 and 58, many builders opt for an electric grill, especially if the outdoor kitchen is above ground level as many local building ordinances prohibit open flames in these spaces.
With an electric grill, however, you’ll be subject to complying with NFPA 70, which regulates outlets, wiring, grounding, and weather-proofing electric components.
NFPA 1 & Grill Installation
To ensure outdoor kitchen safety and to reduce the risk of fire, NFPA 1 regulates your grill’s placement and amenity design.
Here is a summary of the code and its impact on your development:
- Grill must be a safe distance from flammable materials (e.g. building siding, grass, wood fixtures, etc.).
- Grill must be a proper distance from other open flames to prevent accidental ignition.
- If the grill is fueled by gas, it must have an accessible emergency shutoff valve.
- Gas tanks and grills must be properly installed, stored, and ventilated (see NFPA 54 and 58).
- If the grill is electric, it must follow NEC guidelines and have GFCI protection (see NFPA 70).
Depending on your outdoor kitchen, you may also need proper ventilation installed. NFPA 96 covers both hood installation and maintenance.
ElectriChef Grills – NFPA Compliance Made Easy
The NFPA code is regularly revised to increase occupant safety. Additionally, local building codes are increasingly making the installation of traditional grills more difficult.
This has led to designers and developers either designing outdoor eating spaces without a grill or abandoning plans to have an outdoor kitchen at all.
This is both unfortunate and unnecessary.
ElectriChef grills perform as well as (and even better) than traditional fossil-fuel-based grills, and are some of the most code-friendly grills on the market.
With an ElectriChef grill, you can provide tenants with an uncompromised grilling experience while remaining completely in code. Since these grills are flameless, they can be placed above ground and still comply with NFPA regulations.
All you need is an NFPA 70-compliant outlet, and you’re good to go! ElectriChef grills require no fuel source and are completely flameless.
