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Sunday 25 December 2011

Build An Indoor Fire Pit

If you appreciate the use of a fire pit and you can see its potential as a good home decoration, you can certainly build your own. building your own will certainly bring a different environment in your house. In this case, if you are wondering how to build one, here are some guidelines that you can consider:

Look for the expert. For sure there are people that offer building premade pits. If you know someone, you should ask them for their services if you are that serious in building an indoor pit. The sooner you get one, the sooner you can get your own indoor pit.

You should think of your own design. It is important that you completely convey all the things you like to the expert you hired so that they can base the structure of the pit according to the characteristics you want.
Ask the expert the materials needed to start the project. Make sure to point out that you want the best or quality material.

After you procured the list of materials, the next thing that you should do is to purchase it. If you are working on a budget, just look for stores that offer quality materials but not as expensive.


Wait for it and be prepared to be amazed.


If you have no idea about pit types, the following are useful information that can help you decide and determine the appropriate type for you:


Portable Pits

Gas
Propane
Copper
Stone or Brick
Others

There you go. Whatever you have in mind, whether you want to combine types or you settle for a single type and make it your own, you should learn safety precautions. You want to be safe especially when you use it right? So in this regard, safety precautions include:
If you are using propane or natural gas, before starting the fire, you should check hoses and valves for leaks. Prevention is better than cure right? This won't take time anyway so before starting fire, always keep in mind to check.

After you made fire, the next concern is to control the fire. In order to do this, you should start a slow fire and keep away from dry leaves, woods and other flammable debris around. Create a fire that is stable.

If you are having a party or an event in your house, you should keep an eye to the people around especially children to avoid any burning situation.


If you want to use it continuously, you should stock supplies especially if there is an event. If you are using woods, pile them and if you are using gas or propane, just stock considerable amount for continuous use.


Building
an indoor fire pit is possible if you are really serious. You should not worry because you can for sure find experts that can make you an amazing pit. The good news is that indoor fire pits are not that expensive so you can enjoy its use and the beauty it brings.

Friday 16 December 2011

Outdoor Fire Pit Safety - Common Sense Guidelines For Safe Use Of Your Outdoor Fire Pit

Building the fire
It's generally best to start slow and keep the fire well-controlled. Most experts recommend that you use natural materials such as kindling or commercially available fire starter sticks for starting a fire rather than lighter fluids or other chemical products. These natural materials generally give you greater control as they start a little more slowly. Starting a fire too quickly can easily allow it to get out of control before you know it. Most experts also agree that a fire will last longer if you start small. For yours and your family's safety, start small - go slow!

Another consideration of fire building is the stacking of wood and kindling. Again, for greater control and higher levels of safety, be careful to not stack the wood/kindling too high in the
outdoor fire pit. Often times, as wood burns, it shifts and falls. This can create a very dangerous situation very quickly - especially if the wood is stacked high.
Positioning of Your Outdoor Fire pit
Another important factor in proper use of your outdoor fire pit is to keep your fire pit a safe distance from your home and any outdoor furniture or other flammable materials. Experts recommend it be placed at least ten feet from your home and three to five feet from furniture, plants, foliage, etc. It takes only seconds for disaster to strike. Also make sure that your fire pit is placed on a steady/level surface.

In addition, it is recommended that you clear away brush and dead/dry vegetation in about a 15 to 20-foot circle around your fire pit, and avoid placing your fire pit near low hanging trees where errant sparks and heat might ignite dry foliage and branches. A spark screen is recommended. Keep a working fire extinguisher or garden hose with a spray nozzle nearby, so that if sparks do escape the fire, you can smother them quickly. Never place a
fire pit in an enclosed area; fumes from it can be harmful without proper ventilation.
Liquid Propane (LP) and Natural Gas (NG) Fires
LP and NG Fires generally require less attention/tending and are more convenient and easy to light. However, there are important precautions to take when using these types of products as well. Before each use of your LP or NG Fire products, you should check all of the hoses, valves and attachments to make sure there are no leaks or holes before introducing any kind of flame or spark. If your LP or NG fire product uses a pilot-light for fire starting, be sure to check it periodically to make sure it has not been blown out and that combustible gases are not leaking into your fire area. Always know how and where to shut of your LP or NG supply in case of an emergency.

Personal Protection
Last, but certainly not least, be sure to protect yourself! Never handle hot fire pits or embers. Always allow the pit and other fire materials to cool fully before cleaning, and during the burning of the fire, use a poker or log grabber to move and arrange logs.

Tuesday 6 December 2011

Wood Burning Fire Pits

Wood burning fire pits are great additions to any backyard. There are many ways that you can enjoy the popping fire during the day as well as at night. With the heat, you can enjoy the outdoors even on the cool days of winter. It is important that you learn how to properly use a fire pit. Also, come up with some fun activities where you can incorporate the use of your fire.  When using fire pits, be sure that you do so in the safest way possible. It is a good idea to check with the regulations of backyard fires in your area. Some locations have requirements on where you can place a fire pit in accordance to a patio or deck. Others require that you place the pit on top of concrete or with a barrier of bricks or cement around it. Place the pit away from anything that could easily check on fire by flying embers.
Avoid using anything to fuel the fire that will make to start or progress too quickly. Gasoline is not necessary for a fire pit. Instead, use matches and kindling or newspaper to begin the fire. Wood burning fire pits should be large enough for all of the items you include inside it. Do not place a log that extends the area of the pit, as it can catch fire and cause the fire to spread.
There are many ways you can enjoy fire pits. One way is by cooking your meal on them. You can pretend to be sitting around the campfire, roasting hot dogs without even leaving your backyard. A hot dog meal is very easy to plan for, as all you need is a bit of food and a place to sit. If you want a more elaborate meal, you can purchase a pit that comes with a grill for cooking hot dogs and steaks.

Another good idea for
wood burning fire pits is to roast marshmallows. Grab a long stick and place your marshmallows on the end, getting them good and warm before eating them. This makes a wonderful dessert following a meal cooked on the fire, or you can choose to just have them as a snack. If you want to go all out, get some graham crackers and chocolate candy bars and create s'mores with the roasted marshmallows.
As you can see, wood burning fire pits can be a worthy investment for your backyard. Make sure you install it in a place that will prevent the fire from spread or burning other items nearby. Get a fire pit that offers a grill top so that you can cook meals outdoors while sitting around the fire. Toward the end of the event, snack on some marshmallows or s'mores.