Presser from The Fire Pit Store: Winter Looks Dead...Finally Sale

The Fire Pit Store rolled out it's Winter Looks Dead...Finally Sale in anticipation that spring is not going to leave us.  Check out the press release issued today at SBWire

The Fire Pit Revolution

The Fire Pit Revolution



How did the fire pit get invented?

Safety Tips When Using An Outdoor Fire Pit

When dealing with an outdoor fire pit, it can be a nasty dangerous thing and you should use your head every time you light up a word burning fire pit. You should always pay attention to the manufactures warnings and precautions. Be aware of your surroundings. Never place anything with an open flame near walls or overhangs near your home or any other structure. Always take in account the speed and direction of the wind as a gust can change your whole layout and ruin a perfectly great evening. It is always a good thing to have a fire extinguisher located outside and handy just in case the worse thing happens. They are are not expensive, and may save you in a situation that you never thought would be a possibility.

You should also consider what material will be under the fire pit. If you are placing it on a wooden deck, you should place the unit on either a slab rock surface or place it on bricks. Be sure to also check what is under your patio if you have slats or seams that are open. You do not want sparks to fly up and through a slit in your wooden flooring deck and have it ignite dry brush on the ground.

Fire screens. Yes I know that sometimes having a spark screen on your fire pit may take away from the beautiful styled fire pit you have, but it may be illegal to operate without one. Check your local laws and find out if it is a requirement to have one. Nothing will damper a party more than having the police show up after being called by a neighbor because you are letting sparks fly into the air. It is also a safety concern you should take serious.

If you are placing the fire pit on the ground, be sure to remove all the dry brush from around the area. You should also keep fire wood a good 15 feet away from any fire pit that is being used. Finally, never leave a fire pit unattended and after the party is over be sure to put out the fire completely. Do not leave and let it burn out by itself. If you are looking for a system that you can turn off and leave on the spot, then a propane version may be best for you. You can find more safety tips at the site http://www.thefirepitstore.com

Selecting A Patio Heater

There are 3 main things you need to do in selecting a patio heater.

1. Decide which application best fits your needs.

2. Select the amount of area to be heated.

3. Select the model that best suits your installation and area to be heated. You should decide how much of the patio you wish to be heated. Are there certain areas or spots that you wish to heat, or do you need to heat the whole patio. Heating an area that no one will be sitting or standing in will be a waste of your heater.

What kind of weather conditions may affect your area will determine which patio heater you should choose. Is it a windy location or have a cool breeze coming off the ocean, or just have a general low ambient temperature at night. Wind will drop the output affect of your unit and make it feel cooler via a wind chill factor. You can also add side curtains to your patio that will shield it from wind.

When looking for a place to install your heaters, you have a few options. The following are locations for installing. A trellis, a flat ceiling a vaulted or a peak ceiling. Be sure to follow safety guidelines when installing under a ceiling or any other structure. Placing any kind of shield or curtain on you patio area and enclosing it will greatly reduce the size of BTU's that will be needed to heat your area. Even using partial curtains to reduce the amount of wind will help. It is generally not advised to install any kind of patio heater in a recessed cavity. A heater that is installed in a recessed cavity runs the risk of over heating and can damage the unit as well as the surrounding structure. We have more information at our website at The Fire Pit eCommerce Store. You will find safety guidelines there as well.

Picking Out A Fire Pit

When the air starts to begin to chill, and you want to continue to use that outside patio area that you so enjoyed during the summer, what do you do? Think like a caveman and look to fire. Here are some basics on what you should think about before purchasing a fire pit.

Picking out what kind of material it will be made of should be your first priority. Copper is good for its heating ability with its high melting point along with its ability to handle heavy use. The only downside to a copper pit is that the copper finish will not stay a shiny surface but will oxidize to a green color called "patina" like an old penny. Be sure to keep your copper pit covered to help extend the life of your finish. Cast iron will last just as long as a copper version and costs usually a bit less. Cast iron is heaver than copper so it will not be as portable, so take that into account when think about placement. The melting point of iron is a bit lower than other kinds of metal and corrosion can be a problem, but usually only over many years of heavy use.

Steel is also a popular material for fire pits. Steel is fairly light compared to cast iron and will retain its look unlike cast iron or copper. If the pit is made out of a heavy gauge, it will have a long life with regular use with little or no problems. Two other kinds of steel, stainless and carbon are usually not used in fire pits because of their costs, but there are those type of pits available if your pocket book will sustain it. The main factors you should think about with weight and portability and materials and longevity.  If you are using wood in your fire pit, here is a great article on the best types of wood to burn, and the ones you shouldn't.