Outdoor Kitchens & Entertaining
“Outdoor kitchens” can be everything from a ‘simple’ grilling island to… well … an outdoor kitchen, complete with range, oven, fridge, cabinets and countertops. Allowing outdoor entertaining in all seasons, they can even include fireplaces, and they are catching on with greater appreciation of the outdoors. They take a lot of sometimes unpleasant aromas out of the home and some of its fire hazards with them.
The latter is true, of course, only if they are properly maintained in good working condition and regularly inspected by qualified professionals. Built-in cooking appliances of all types need to be periodically taken apart and inspected as well as thoroughly cleaned in their inaccessible spaces. This is not a job for home owners or their friends…the investment is too great and the risks are too high. A certified sweep knows what to look for to help prevent dangerous situations from developing.
Nicer Outdoors
Many homeowners spend forty hours a week at least inside a building, and when you can add the time spent shopping and running chores for the household — time spent indoors increases. Some have home offices that require 10 to 12 hour work days, meaning even more time indoors. All of this means that even though we would all love to be outside more, life dictates that we spend the bulk of our days confined inside.
Increasingly, that is inclining people to do more than just grill their steaks outdoors, to dine on the deck and really cook there, too. Not every “deck” is large enough for an outdoor kitchen, but almost every back yard is, and homeowners tired of being indoors are moving their kitchens safely outside. With smelly fish being cleaned and cooked outdoors, and guests relaxing around an outdoor ‘kitchen table’, being stuck in the kitchen is much more enjoyable.
Safer With Inspections
Entertaining becomes much simpler when most of it can be done outdoors, from trash cleanup to being a good host while cooking. Most homeowners would agree that potentially endangering guests is not something a good host does, so properly maintaining an outdoor kitchen is part of entertaining. Always keep a fire extinguisher close and know where your gas safety shutoff valve is located. Before and after constructing an outdoor kitchen, consult regularly with professionals and make your own experience more relaxing. Keeping your family and guests out of harm’s way will allow everyone to join in the party and keep you worry-free.