Are you seeking how far should fire pit be from house sidings? Fire pits should always be placed between 10 and preferably 20 to 30 feet away from your home. In addition, you want to also ensure there are no fences, structures that could catch on fire or low hanging branches nearby.

A fire pit offers the perfect combo of warmth and ambiance, whether it is a romantic outdoor dinner or an exciting camp fire with roasted marshmallows and food with your closest friends and family members.

But there is a lot about fire pits that homeowners do not know and that is something we are here to solve. Read on as we give you the answers to the most commonly asked questions about firepits. From questions about cooking food to choosing the right fire pit, we have you covered!

What is the best fire pit for outdoors?

This is easily the most commonly asked question. Usually, when I am asked to answer a best of whichever question, I say the answer is subjective and dependent on your criteria. While that is true to some extent with fire pits, there are some general aspects you must consider when before purchasing one. Fire pits are available in an assortment of styles, sizes and materials which further compounds the issue of choosing one

Depending on where you sit it (and your personal preference) you can opt for a wood fueled fire pit, natural gas, gel fuel or propane fire pits. The former is because a wood fueled fire pit is not advisable in places with poor ventilation or overhanging branches or a roof.

Fire pits today also come in different materials. The majority of portable fire pits come in all metal design because it is more durable, fireproof and requires little maintenance.

Cooper and Cast Iron Fire Pits

• Copper
  • Copper has a beautiful rust colored hue and the price of a copper fire pit varies – although it generally lingers around the higher end of the scale. This gives any copper fire pit an elegant and sophisticated appearance. On the downside, it does take on a greenish patina when kept outdoors. To retain its warm and shiny appearance, you will have to pour a lot of time and effort into cleaning it so if you want a fire pit that requires less maintenance, consider some of the options below.

• Cast iron
  • Cast iron fire pits are well known for the great distribution of heat as well as the lower price point. They come in a range of styles and colors. These colors fade over time but heat resistant paint can easily restore it. Furthermore, cast iron fire pits are resistant towards corrosion and are quite heavy. The heavy weight does work to your benefit because these pits are hard to topple, even during strong winds. On the other hand, this weight makes it difficult to move.

Steel and Stone Fire Pits

• Steel
  • A steel fire pit boasts a lower weight than a cast iron pit along with better resistance towards the weather. This light weight means a steel fire pit is easy to move around your garden, making it an ideal portable fire pit. Also, the price of a steel fire pit strikes a sweet medium between cast iron fire pits and copper fire pits.

• Stone
  • Most fire pits are detailed with stone or masonry and are a common sight in fire table tops. A stone fire pit is on the heavy side so go ahead with this if you do not intend to move the pit. Stone is also much easier to maintain. For instance, it does corrode unlike metal but then again, it is susceptible to changes in temperature so you might want to keep it somewhere it won’t be exposed to extreme temperatures. Stone can quickly crack after a couple of cycles of freezing and heating. So, if your property has brick or stone detailing, using a stone fire pit is an excellent way to tie your existing house theme with the fire pit. Expensive, luxury fire pits are usually made out of stone.

What do I use to start a wood fire?

The most common solution to start a fire is to opt for chemical fire starters but these are not always the safest things to use, more so if you are trying to cook over the same fire. Using gasoline can cause hazardous flare ups while also adding a bad taste to the food.

So what do you do?

The best thing to do here would be to use a good fire starter. Furthermore, a fire starter will burn for about eight to ten minutes, lights up even when wet and is not dangerous (unlike gasoline). How far should fire pit be from house sidings is a great question to ask because safety from fire is so important. You always want to be cognizant of your surroundings. Furthermore, all it takes is one unnoticed ember or spark landing on dry leaves on your homes roof or deck to do it.

For a larger fire, it is best you use a fire pit grate. They are similar to traditional grates used in fireplaces but are round, although you can also find grates that keep the firewood in a tee-pee formation for proper flow of air.

Can a fire pit be used on a deck or patio?

The answer to this depends on the material that your deck uses. If the deck or patio is made of brick or concrete, feel free to go ahead as long as there is no issue with the clearance – such as a roof or an overhanging tree.

That being said, you may want to invest in a fire pit heat mat. These will ensure no heat exposures is placed on your wooden deck, patio or lawn.

Can you cook over a gas fire pit?

NO. This is not recommended. The burners in a gas fire pit have little holes that will get clogged with grease and animal fat from food. The grease can drip down to the gas logs which are porous and will absorb grease. You can not wash a gas log so your only option would be to replace them – and they are not cheap to replace. Additionally, the grease will spoil the appearance of the fire pit since the rock and glass are permanent parts of a fire pit and can not be cleaned.

Is it okay to burn wood in a gas fire pit?

Again, the answer to this question is a hard no. A gas fire pit is constructed in accordance with the output of the gas fire in question – gas fire pits burn at a lower temperature than a wood fire. If you try to start a wood fire on a gas fire pit, the intense heat can permanently damage the fire pit.

So, how far should fire pit be from house sidings? We recommend at least 20 feet and preferably 30 feet away from your home. Always remain vigilant. Fire pits are a great addition to any home but you always want to play it safe as well.

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