Caring for Your Fire Pit
Fire pits are a great addition to any backyard or patio area, providing a visual focal point and meeting place for all. While outdoor masonry fire pits don’t require all that much maintenance and attention, there are still some things you should know as a fire pit owner so you can take the best possible care of your outdoor fire pit and help it to last a long time.
Remove Ashes from The Pit
Shoveling ashes out of your fire pit on a regular basis is an important habit to get into. Ashes are actually acidic and can cause long term damage and deterioration when left unattended over time. To make this easy we suggest getting a small ash shovel, often found with other fire pit tools, and using it to remove ashes the day after each use. You can keep a metal ash can next to the pit and deposit your ashes into it to make the process easy.
Cleaning Your Fire Pit
Over time, residue will build up, we recommend using a special low level acidic cleaning solution to scrub the fire pit with. Try a one part muriatic acid to nine parts water solution, then rinse with water and let it sit for 2-3 days before your next use.
Extinguishing Flames
Ideally, if you can let the flames in your fire pit naturally die off, that’s the best way to extinguish them. By doing this you avoid quick changes in temperature, which can cause cracks to happen in the stone. However, this isn’t always possible and you should still keep water on hand for extinguishing the flames, especially for an emergency situation.
Fire Pit Tools
Having the right set of tools can also really help you take care of your fire pit. We recommend a scoop or shovel for ash, a long poker, and some fire tongs to move around the logs and keep an even burn. This small purchase will greatly improve not only your fires but also the condition of your fire pit over time.
Contact New England Hearth & Home
Fire pits are an excellent addition to your backyard or patio area. We offer custom fire pits design and installation that can offer style, warmth and a great change of pace to your backyard area! Please give us a call at 781-562-0771 or contact us here.