Smokers are a great part of any cookout. After all, that rack of ribs tastes much better with that sweet, smokey flavor cooked into it.
But when the rain dampens your cookout plans, it can leave people wondering whether it’s a good idea to use an electric smoker in the garage. Is it safe?
Electric smokers are not ideal to use in the garage or indoors due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Smoking in the garage is also a fire hazard and can leave a lingering scent.
There’s a lot of reasons why using an electric smoker in the garage isn’t a great idea, and the rest of this article is going to explore why it’s better to just put your barbeque plans on hold if it starts pouring down with rain.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Can Occur from Indoor Smoking
While electric smokers don’t produce as much smoke as gas, wood, or charcoal smokers, there is still enough of a buildup to be considered dangerous in an enclosed space. If you’re using smoking chips, there will be carbon monoxide produce.
Admittedly, the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning are a lot lower than other kinds of smokers that pump out more smoke, but being poisoned is no joke. Carbon monoxide is odorless, tasteless, and imperceptible to the naked eye.
When you’re inhaling the stuff, you won’t even notice that you’re not breathing regular air anymore. When your oxygen levels get low, carbon monoxide replaces oxygen in red blood cells, leading to serious tissue damage.
If you should pass out in an enclosed space with too much carbon monoxide, you run the risk of dying within minutes. That’s the primary reason why using any kind of smoker in any enclosed space is a terrible idea.
Electric smokers are often considered safer because they don’t use wood or charcoal, both of which produce carbon monoxide, except in the form of smoking chips, but make no mistake― your electric smoker doesn’t produce zero carbon monoxide. There’s always a risk.
If you want to user your electric smoker in doors, install a carbon monoxide monitor and ensure that your smoker is as close to the outside. Get a fan going and crack the garage door open a little to allow for ventilation.
Keep in mind that these methods don’t entirely eliminate the threat of carbon monoxide poisoning, and using any other kind of smoker in the garage is a terrible idea.
Using an Electric Smoker in the Garage Is a Fire Hazard
Sometimes, accidents happen. An electric smoker isn’t a perfect machine, and user error can cause a whole host of dangerous outcomes.
First, the smoker itself gets very hot when cooking food and can kindle nearby objects if you are careless. On the other hand, sometimes a fiery discharge can ignite something flammable nearby and set the house on fire.
Let’s be real― you take a lot of precautions when using your smoker outside, but when it comes to the garage, it’s virtually impossible to fireproof everything in there, making the risk of a small ember starting a big fire that much more alarming.
You’ll Never Get the Smokey Smell Out of Your Garage
Again, while electric smokers don’t puff out as much smoke as other kinds, your garage is still going to stink if you use one inside. Even with the garage door open and the fan blowing, you run the risk of stinking up all your equipment, old books, tools, and clothes.
A smokey smell might be nice on meat, but it definitely doesn’t have its place in all those old clothes you had stored away in the garage. All of those precious objects stored away are going to have a distinct smokey smell, and the entire room will have an aura of smoke.
Proper ventilation can help reduce the risk of smoke buildup in your garage, but if you make a habit of using your electric smoker in the garage, the scent will be noticeable after time. Yes, it will fade eventually, but for most homeowners, it’s not worth the hassle.
If you’re dealing with smokey clothes, you can air them out, clean them with baking soda, or make a DIY cleaning solution― that, or you could just send them off to the cleaners.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Safe to Burn Things in the Garage?
Burning things in the garage poses a fire hazard and should be avoided at all costs. Open flames can spread quickly and can be very difficult to control.
Is It Safe to Use a Propane Grill Indoors?
Propane grills are a thousand times worse than electric grills when used indoors. The amount of smoke it pumps out poses a severe risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
It Is Safe to Use an Electric Grill Indoors?
Some companies do manufacture grills that are listed as safe to use indoors, and these can be used in a garage or kitchen, where appropriate. Just make sure you keep the grill out of the reach of children at all times.
Conclusion
Electric smokers are becoming the way of the future. They are a lot more energy efficient and better for the environment. Their low maintenance level leads people to assume that they are safe to use in a garage since they pump out much less smoke.
While an electric smoker can be used in a garage, it is strongly ill-advised and always runs the risk of serious injury or even death. Carbon monoxide is an untraceable byproduct of using a smoker. If you let it build up in your garage, you run a serious risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
In the end, it’s better to get a suitable canopy built for smoking and set it up in your yard. That way, you can still smoke outside in the rain. However you choose to approach cooking your meat, you should always prioritize the safety of you and your property above convenience.
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