Just One Thing: Green Your Barbecue

74 million households in the U.S. own at least one outdoor grill or smoker, according to the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association, but traditional charcoal grills produce smoke and soot particles that can pollute the air, irritate one's lungs, and aggravate heart problems.

Catherine Zandonella, author of "National Geographic Green Guide Families" shared some tips on "Good Morning America" on how to go green with your grilling and make your barbecue better for your health and the environment.

Charcoal: If you love that charcoal smoky flavor, but want to cut down on the pollution it creates, avoid charcoal with conventional additives such as sodium nitrate or charcoal with self-lighting petroleum products. Instead, buy natural wood briquettes that are certified and sustainably harvested, made without fillers and fossil fuels.
To avoid using lighter fluid, which gives off petrochemicals that can penetrate your food, try a chimney starter, which you fill at the bottom with newspaper and the top with wood briquettes. If you light the bottom with a match, in about 20 minutes your briquettes will be ready to pour into the charcoal grill.

If you're looking for a grill that will keep your backyard air clean, try an electric grill. It emits the fewest pollutants into your yard and is good for outdoor cooks who have charcoal and gas restrictions in their communities.
But remember that nearly three-fourths of the electricity made in the U.S. comes from the burning of fossil fuels, according to the Department of Energy. Cooking on an electric grill for one hour creates about 15 pounds of CO2, because making electricity usually involves burning coal, gas or oil.

What's the Cleanest Grill?
The most popular grill in the U.S. and cleanest burning option is the gas-powered grill, which runs on either liquefied propane gas from a refillable propane tank or natural gas piped from your home's supply. The typical charcoal grill has a carbon footprint that is nearly three times larger than the gas grill.

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Fall Fireplace Service Can Save Winter Frustration

Here are a few tips so that you can enjoy a trouble-free fireplace season this year:

If your fireplace has louvers or grills on the front, it is a “circulating” fireplace, which means it is designed to circulate room air around the combustion area. This is true of both gas and wood fireplaces. Any home, but particularly a home with pets, will tend to gather “dust bunnies” in areas that are not vacuumed regularly. If you have a circulating fireplace and especially if your fireplace has a fan or blower kit, it will pull whatever is in the air – including dust - into that area. A shop vacuum or the hose extension on your regular vacuum will help clean out the area in front and behind the louvers or grills to prevent a colony of “dust bunnies” from accumulating and keep the fan from becoming too dusty to work properly.

If you have a remote control for your fireplace, remember to change the batteries in the transmitter (handheld) and the receiver, which is probably hidden in your fireplace somewhere (some receivers are 110v, so no batteries are needed, but they are not as common). If the batteries in your remote control are unusual, try your local drug store for a replacement - they tend to keep a wide variety of unusual small batteries for hearing aids and other medical devices.

Wood fireplaces: Just like masonry fireplaces, manufactured fireplace chimneys need to be swept regularly. If you use your fireplace quite a bit, your chimney should be swept once a year, perhaps more if you use unseasoned, “soft” woods like pine in your fireplace instead of seasoned hardwoods like oak or hickory. You can find a Certified chimney professional by going to the Chimney Safety Institute of America website, www.csia.org.

Most manufactured wood burning fireplaces have what are called refractory firebrick panels in the sides and bottom to simulate the appearance of brick. These panels are generally ¾” thick or thicker and protect the sheet metal behind them from the high heat of a roaring fire. Small cracks are possible even in brand new firebrick panels, but they are normal and safe, but large cracks – larger than ¼” wide – should be repaired or the panel should be replaced. Many manufacturers have replacement panels available so that the new brick panel will match your existing panels. If you feel up to it, you may use a commercially available firebrick repair compound to fix minor cracks yourself.

If you have glass doors on your wood burning fireplaces, see the guidelines about glass, below.

Gas fireplaces: There are different sorts of gas fireplaces, and the guidelines for services are somewhat different or each type. If a model has a standing pilot - that is, a pilot light that stays on all the time - then the most important regular service item is the pilot assembly. Some units have pilot that are one on when the unit is burning, some use electronic ignition to light the burner directly without a pilot system; these will not need service as often.

For the last two decades, all unvented gas fireplaces and gas logs have had an Oxygen Depletion Sensor pilot assembly to monitor safe operation of the appliance. This assembly should be cleaned every year to keep the system from becoming more sensitive and causing nuisance shutdowns. If you are particularly handy (you can change you own oil or spark plugs in the car or can sew with a machine), this is a good homeowner project. The goal is to clear out the accumulation of sediment in the tiny pilot orifice (where the gas comes out). A can of compressed air – like those used for keyboard cleaning – may be used with the included straw to direct air toward the orifice to clear it out (this must be done while the pilot is OFF). If the pilot assembly is at least five years old or if you are close to salt water, this might not be effective any more and you may need professional help!

Unvented logs are designed to burn very cleanly, so if there are any soot (black) deposits on your logs, stop using them immediately and make sure your logs and/or burner are set up correctly. If you are not absolutely sure that everything is correct, please stop using your fireplace until a professional technician can fix the situation.

Other fireplaces and gas logs need cleaning, too, but perhaps not as often, depending on how much they are used. Vented gas logs should be cleaned regular if there is any accumulation of soot; there are commercially available spray log cleaners for homeowners to use.

Direct vent gas fireplaces have a fixed glass panels that will likely need annual cleaning to stay clear. If the glass is collecting a black residue (soot), the fireplace should be adjusted to burn more cleanly. If the glass has a gray or white film, there are chemicals in the gas which produce the residue, which is completely normal. Do not using glass cleaners containing ammonia to clean your glass. Water and a soft cloth will sometimes suffice, adding a little vinegar to the water will help, but tough deposits may require special fireplace glass cleaner, available at you local fireplace store. Be sure to dry your glass completely and check for streaks and fingerprints before re-installing the glass!

Electric fireplaces don’t require much maintenance, but Fall is a good time to replace all of the light bulbs to reduce the likelihood of having one go out in the middle of fireplace season.

Whether you have a wood, gas or electric fireplace, if you have any questions or concerns about how to take care of your fireplace, most manufacturers have a website where you can download installation/operation manuals for current models. If your fireplace is older than two years old, your best source of information can be found by doing a “dealer” search on your fireplace manufacturer’s website. Any reputable fireplace dealer (like COASTROAD) will have factory-trained technicians to help you with you questions and to provide in-home service if necessary.

With a little attention to your fireplace now, you’ll be able to enjoy a trouble free burn season and get the most from your investment.

National Barbecue Month Sparks Mood For Outdoor Cooking

ARLINGTON, Va., April 30 /PRNewswire/
People's love affair with outdoor cooking is heating up as the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA) kicks-off May as National Barbecue Month and the beginning of outdoor cooking season. This month, and all summer long, the appeal of having fun with family and friends coupled with the desire to be outside set the mood for Americans to cook outdoors, according to the 2009 HPBA National Barbecue Month Consumer Poll.

"Food serves as the cornerstone of any gathering of friends and family," said Derrick Riches, About.com Guide to Barbecues & Grilling. "Add in the relaxed atmosphere of the backyard to any barbecue or cook-out and you can see what attracts so many people to this popular pastime. There's no better way to spend a summer evening than cooking outdoors with family and friends."

Key Ingredients
When deciding to attend a cook-out, consumers say the guest list is important. Almost all poll respondents - 94 percent - say the burning reason to go to a barbecue or cook-out is to spend time with friends and family. Others rank a casual atmosphere and the opportunity to meet new people as incentives to attend. And, one in five consumers love an invitation from a host who is a barbecue enthusiast.

While today's outdoor chef is dishing up grilled hors d'oeuvres, fruits and desserts, the poll revealed that beef is the number one choice for an outdoor cooking menu (38 percent), followed by chicken (23 percent), then seafood, including salmon, shrimp or lobster (19 percent). On the flip side, some consumers have a penchant for going meatless and prefer grilled veggies (five percent).

"Across North America, people love the tradition of summer cook-outs," said Leslie Wheeler, HPBA Communications Director. "It's a great activity that creates affordable fun, especially at a time when consumers are choosing to eat at home more often."

Setting the Mood at the Last Minute
For those planning outdoor parties take note: 43 percent say the best barbecue or cook-out is one that is planned a few days ahead of time. But last minute get-togethers are still an option as 38 percent of the poll respondents prefer a spur-of-the-moment gathering instead. And despite today's online obsession, two-thirds (65 percent) of consumers polled prefer a good old fashioned phone call to emails or online invitations.

When considering what tunes to set the mood, oldies or country music were the most popular genres among poll respondents, followed by rock/alternative then jazz and R&B.

Tips & Techniques from HPBA and About.com's Derrick Riches
Whether planning a backyard barbecue for two or 20, HPBA and About.com's Derrick Riches offer the following tips and techniques to use this summer and all year long.

"Every outdoor cook seems to have secrets and tricks," said Riches. "Remember that what works for someone else might not work for you. Try some of these tips and techniques to get started, but remember the best way to find what works for you is to get cooking outdoors!"

Trim excess fat from meat and poultry to reduce grill flare-ups. Use the appropriate grill temperature to cook your food, using lower temperatures for chicken pieces and thick cuts of meat. Try grilling delicate foods like seafood and fish fillets on a cedar plank.

Before cooking vegetables over an open flame, pre-soak them in cold water for half an hour to keep them from drying out. If you're cooking vegetables with a thick skin, cut-off the ends to allow water to enter. Placing your veggies on the outer edges of the grill will also prevent them from overcooking.

Before lighting the grill, apply non-stick spray on the grates to cut down the clean-up time afterward. For charcoal grills, line the bowl with aluminum foil and - after the coals cool in 48 hours - simply discard the foil with the coals and the ash.

When using a gas grill, be sure to regularly check how much propane remains in your tank. There are several accessories on the market that can easily monitor your propane level without lifting the propane tank. Better yet, keep a full, spare propane tank handy so you never run out of fuel.

After you've taken the last piece of food off your gas grill, place aluminum foil over the grate and turn the gas up to high for one minute, and then turn it off. The foil focuses the heat on the grate, burning everything to a fine ash. After the grate has cooled down, crumple up the foil and use it to brush the ash off.

For more outdoor cooking tips, resources and recipes, please visit www.hpba.org/nbm and www.bbq.about.com.