This is the time of year that we are starting to think of cooking outdoors. Like a car, the outdoor barbecue grill needs to be serviced and maintained on a regular basis. Spring is a great time to get the barbecue into shape for the outdoor cooking season. There are some simple steps to follow to ensure a safe and trouble-free season of barbecuing.

As with any appliance, reading and understanding the manufacturer's instructions is very important.

The first step before we light the grill for the first time after the winter is to make sure that the burners are clean and free of debris such as insect nests. And clean all areas where grease has collected.

Make sure the gas is turned off and you disconnect the tank from the grill. Remove the burner tubes and inspect them for blockage. If the burner is blocked, clean and reinstall the burners. Ensure that area where grease will collect is away from hoses and connections.

The next thing you should do is inspect the hose and connections between the LPG tank, the regulator and the burner. If they show signs of cracking or other damage, they should be replaced.

When you make any connection to the tank or burner, you should not over-tighten the connection. Newer connections are designed to be hand-tightened only. LPG cylinders have a left-hand thread. This is reverse of normal and is tightened by turning counter-clockwise.

After all connections are made you should use a soap and water solution on each connection to check for leaks. Open the valve on the tank. If you see bubbles at any connection, close the valve on the tank immediately. Recheck your connections, retest with the soapy solution. You should not have any bubbles. If bubbles still persist, close the valve on the tank and do not use.

The above procedure for checking the connections should be performed every time a connection is done or undone, such as replacing an empty LPG tank with a full one.

Please Note: It is a violation of the law to transport LPG cylinders in the trunk of a passenger vehicle.

When transporting a filled cylinder, it should be placed on the floor of the vehicle and always in an upright position and with all the windows open. The cylinder must be removed from the vehicle as quickly as possible and never left in a parked vehicle.

In addition, it is a violation of the law for any LPG cylinder, whether attached to the barbecue or unattached, such as in a case of a spare, to be stored inside any structure or on any balcony, porch, or any part of a structure.

Gas-fired barbecues are to be utilized by adults and never by small children.

Have a great barbecuing season and enjoy it in a safe manner.