(cross-posted from Food and Spirits board)

My extended family is building a big vacation lodge which is almost complete. Several of us have had input into it and the builder has gotten some mixed messages and just gotten few things wrong (although he's done a high quality job in general and we're all really excited about it).

The net result is that what was supposed to be a standalone outdoor kitchen ended up being (currently) put under the covered, wraparound porch.

I don't like it aesthetically, but more importantly am concerned about fire safety, unsightly smoke damage under the eaves, and also heat and smoke being trapped under the roof and smoking and heating up the wraparound porch and also transferring inside.

The porch is pretty good size, extending about 12' from the exterior wall with about 3.5' of overhang past the edge of the porch. All of the floors, eaves, and exterior walls are wooden. If I was going to use it under the overhang I'd do so on the edge of the porch as far away as possible from the exterior wall.

Anyone have any experience using a grill or smoker in these circumstances, and if so, what are your thoughts? Thanks for any help, as I'm trying to decide how obstinate I want to be regarding this issue.


[This message has been edited by DTP02 (edited 3/3/2014 2:14p).]

I've got a friend from grad school who burned his house down with a grille under an overhang when we were still in school. The insurance was real nice and put him up in a hotel when it happened. I wouldn't think putting a grille under an overhang is a very good idea after hearing that story.

I have a built in grill under an overhang in my outdoor kitchen in an alcove by the pool. My absolute one complaint is the lack of airflow. It is absolutely miserable when grilling large quantities due to excessive smoke. Even with the ceiling fan on high and a high flow directional fan trying to exhaust, it's just too thick in my opinion. Gotten to where I don't grill nearly as much on the built it, but with take a charcoal grill to the middle of the walkway where it isn't butted up by two walls.

When I lived in an apartment, I grilled in a partially enclosed patio. It was probably an 8'x8' covered area with walls on two sides, and the other two sides had walls about 4' tall. I never had any problems with excessive smoke, or flames getting out of the grill, or getting anywhere close to burning my apartment building down.

Mine is under the covered patio; but I built it like a fireplace with the smoke going up and out above the roof.Love it!

The simple solution to ensure you have no smoke entering the house would be to put a large vent above the grill or if you are using a smoker just set up the stack to be above the roof line

I run a grill on my porch with an overhang - and have for many years -- without a problem. If you are worried, keep a fire extinguisher out there -- which is probably a good idea anyway. One in the kitchen, one in the garage, and one on the back porch.

It might be a good idea to install a ceiling fan out there to keep the smoke moving.

I had a grill (charcoal) under our oovered patio for many years. I used it every week, sometimes twice.

The paint against the house and on the patio cover were a shade of brown, so the soot buildup was so gradual it did not notice it until we tore down the patio cover to build one that matched the house. The top layers washed off, but the base had become part of the paint.

I would not ever put a charcoal grill under or directly adjacent to the patio or house again.

However, I have my charcoal grill and another pit in the yard away from the house. I have a Charbroil Tru-infrared (smaller one) under the patio cover. No issues, and the paint is a light tone. Obviously, this pit does not smoke like a charcoal.

My porch wraps around the house and is 12' from house wall to outside of the wave. Cieling is 10' and entirely hardi board. I use my grille exclusively under the porch, same with my smoker. No problem. I'm not sure what kind of cooking you do but I don't see how its possible to set anything on fire unless you had an uncontrollable flame....like an 8 foot one.

How is it anything close to a fire hazard?? My porch is not closed in. It was designed for screen And glass but I decided against it so smoke does not get caught under the eaves.

[This message has been edited by Brazosdog02 (edited 3/3/2014 9:00p).]

[This message has been edited by CrossBowAg99 (edited 3/3/2014 9:05p).]

We are about to build a big covered patio onto our house in the next couple months. We play on installing a gas grill and charcoal grill under the roof but the ceiling will be vaulted and the gas grill will be sitting approx 18" away from the brick wall. I'd definitely worry about siding but we built our home without any because I can't stand that stuff. Charcoal grill will be recessed into the counter as shown below. Only stone and granite around it so nothing to catch fire.



[This message has been edited by txaggie02 (edited 3/4/2014 2:15p).]

No way I would do it. I've had two smokers catch fire. Would have been a much bigger deal if it was anywhere close to a house.

Thanks to everyone for the input. I will be going up soon to check it out firsthand and figure out what to do from there.

I have a partially covered patio that I keep my grill under. The covered portion is around 8x16.... and I keep the grill up against the brick wall (well, about 10" from the wall). Never had any problem with smoke accumulation.... and with the exterior being all brick, no issues with fire hazard. Granted... it's a gas grill... and the patio faces the west so I get southerly/westerly winds most of the year to help with smoke.... And I keep my grill clean so as not to have flare up/fire issues in it.

Gas built-in should be fine with brick / stone behind it. A lot of the newer ones that I have seen have a stainless vent-a-hood to take care of any smoke.