Ban on gas grills rolling through Colorado mountain HOAs: "These changes affect all of us"
Colorado HOAs Ban Gas Grills: Safety or Overreach?
In Colorado's mountain communities, homeowners associations are increasingly banning gas grills on properties due to insurance companies' refusal to cover HOAs that permit them, citing high fire risks. This shift, driven by the industry's response to costly fires like the Marshall and Maui fires, is expected to impact thousands. Many HOAs are moving towards prohibiting any devices with open flames, including gas grills and fire pits, by 2025 to maintain insurance eligibility, leading residents to adopt alternatives like electric grills.
What specific events prompted insurance companies to push for a ban on gas grills in Colorado mountain HOAs?
The push for a ban on gas grills in Colorado mountain HOAs was prompted by the insurance industry's reaction to the Marshall Fire and the Maui fire, along with a growing concern about the risks associated with gas grills in high fire zones2. These events led insurance companies to look for ways to reduce their risks, and one of the measures they took was to stop insuring HOAs that allow residents to use gas grills on their decks or balconies2. This has resulted in many HOAs rewriting their policies to ban the use of gas grills in order to maintain affordable insurance coverage2.
How do the National Fire Protection Association fire code and municipal fire codes relate to the new insurance guidelines on gas grills?
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) fire code and municipal fire codes have long recommended restrictions on the use of devices like gas grills, particularly in areas prone to fires3. These existing codes align with the new insurance guidelines that are being implemented by homeowners associations (HOAs) in Colorado's mountain communities. The insurance companies are increasingly unwilling to insure HOAs that allow the use of gas grills on decks or balconies, primarily due to the high risk of fire in these areas.
The recent insurance guidelines are a response to significant fire events, such as the Marshall Fire, which have highlighted the dangers and financial losses associated with such fires. By aligning with the NFPA and municipal fire codes, which already discourage or regulate the use of open flames near structures, the insurance guidelines are effectively reinforcing these existing safety measures. This alignment helps ensure a consistent approach to fire safety across different regulatory and advisory frameworks, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of fire prevention strategies in vulnerable areas.