Nothing puts a damper on your BBQ plans like an unexpected rain shower. If you have already made dinner plans and invited your guests over days ago, you may be wondering if you can use a smoker under a covered patio.
When the weather isn’t on your side, don’t worry because you can use a smoker under your covered patio. However, you do need to take some safety precautions first. Before you use a smoker under a patio you need to do everything you can to minimize the risk of an accident. Even a bit of heat damage can leave a real mess on your hands. One of the most important things to do when using a smoker under your patio is to keep it located as far from your house as possible.
For the best outcome, keep the smoker close to the edge of your deck. You’ll want as much clearance as possible, anything less than 9 feet isn’t recommended. It’s important to have as much airflow as you can get in order to make using a smoker under a covered patio a safe experience. Keep reading to learn more about safely using a smoker under a covered patio.
Safety When Using a Smoker Under a Covered Patio
To make sure everything goes smoothly, you should make safety your number one priority. Before you think about turning on that smoker, make sure you have a fire extinguisher handy. It’s also a good idea to have a spray bottle with water in it to take care of sparks and flame-ups.
Now, when it comes to safety one of the most important things that you need to consider is if your patio is a screened-in porch or under an awning. When it’s under an awning, there’s a much better airflow coming through and a lot less to worry about. Using a smoker in a screened-in patio is a lot riskier.
It’s not recommended to use a smoker in a screened-in patio because there is a much greater chance of a fire starting. Even if a fire doesn’t start, the smoke will cover everything and leave a lingering odor. If you use a smoker in there frequently, it may permanently stain the ceiling. Good ventilation won’t help the situation either.
For this reason, you should only use a smoker under a covered patio if it isn’t screened in. While open patios may be a lot safer, you should still be prepared in case something does go wrong.
We recommend a vertical bbq smoker like this one to get the most out of your cooking space. If your patio space is limited, using a vertical smoker as it will greatly reduce the amount of space that will be taken up during smoking. This smoker is multi-functional and has two separate access doors to make adding charcoal or checking your meat easier.
How Far Should the Smoker Be Away From the House?
Always check the instructions manual to see how far the manufacturers recommend you keep the smoker from a building. Every model is different from the next. However, most smokers should be kept at least 3 feet away from your house. Before starting up the smoker, check around to see if there are any flammable objects nearby.
Make sure anything that is flammable is kept at least 10 feet away from your smoker to prevent an accident from occurring. The more distance between the smoker and your home (and other objects) the better.
Why Should I Use a Smoker Under a Covered Patio?
The main reason why people chose to use a smoker under a covered patio is that the rain can ruin your dinner plans. Rain and smokers don’t get along at all. When your smoker is exposed to moisture for a longer period of time it is likely to start rusting.
Another reason you shouldn’t cook in the rain is that the rain can affect the internal temperature of your smoker. When people use their smoker in the rain, they are required to turn the heat up to maximum. Most smokers can reach a maximum temperature of 1000 F, but when raindrops start hitting it that temperature seriously decreases.
If you need to check on your food and the smoker isn’t covered, then raindrops will likely get inside when you open the lid. When that happens, they could put out the fire and mess up your whole dinner situation. This is why people chose to use their smokers under covered patios when it rains.
Can You Use an Electric Smoker Under a Covered Patio?
You can use an electric smoker under a covered patio, but since the heat is much higher it’s recommended that you keep it at least 5 feet away from your house. What many people do when using their electric smoker under their patio is set up a fan (or two) to direct the smoke away from the house.
One of the biggest issues people run into when using a smoker under a cover is the smoke lingering or going towards the house. Since you probably don’t want to continue smelling smoke hours after you’ve cooked, you should have a fan set up to help blow the smoke away.
Final Thoughts
Just because it’s raining doesn’t mean you can’t use a smoker. If you prioritize safety and are prepared for every possible outcome, then you should be able to use your smoker under a covered patio. However, we only recommend using them under covered patios that aren’t screened in to make sure there is adequate airflow.
You should always have items such as a fire extinguisher, spray bottle with water, and a fan ready to ensure that you have a safe cooking experience. Although you may want to stay as dry as you can, we recommend keeping the smoker as far away from the house as possible. This will prevent smoke from causing damage to your home’s exterior.
Bad weather doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying your favorite smoked meals. As long as you are covered from the rain and there is enough airflow, you should not have any issues with using your smoker under a covered patio. It may be raining, but you should still get that meat marinated because you have dinner plans to keep!
