Outside Fire Pit - Safety Pre-cautions

Its rare to enjoy any product that contains fire, without some kind of hazardous pre-caution/s, which is why I think Fire Pits safety is very important. Its recommended that you check with your city or county for any regulations regarding the use of this product before purchasing it. Restrictions are common among college campuses and apartments communities, so if you reside in either, check your lease or with the community management for any restrictions. Open high flames, close proximity to a bldg, and smoke drifting into neighbors spaces, are all a recipe for problems. Also always read the manual that comes with your fire pit and follow the instructions.

Just as important also is where to place your fire pit. It should not be placed on an unstable surface, or in an enclosed area, as fumes from it can be harmful without proper ventilation. Ideally fire pits should be set on concrete. It should be several feet away from any flammable structure, your home, deck, overhangs, plants and trees, dry grass, open firewood, or other materials that could ignite, such as flammable and combustible materials, gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, and charcoal lighter fluid.

Once you've determined a safe location, consider how you want your guests to interact. You may want to position your fire pit in an out-of-the-way place for late night gatherings, or you may want it more centrally located to encourage conversation and interaction between your family members or guests.

Though a defining characteristic is that they are designed to contain the components of the fire at all times, it is always important to take safety measures, because very hot materials do escape from its confines. One safety feature is placing a mesh screen over the pit, which not only restricts the sparks to being underneath the fire pit, but also reducing the wind's impact on possibly enlarging the fire. Its best to avoid using a fire pit when it is very windy. Another pre-caution is to never use pressure treated wood, it emits toxic fumes (you can tell if wood is pressure treated by its green tint). To avoid sparks and excess smoke, its recommended to use seasoned, hardwood rather than soft woods such as pine and cedar. Soft and moist woods create sparks and pops. A fire pit is also no place to burn trash, paper, leaves, cardboard, or plywood.

Never leave the fire unattended, especially with smaller children around, because kids find fire fascinating, and who knows what they might try to do that they shouldn't, also the wind can suddenly increase or shift direction. Any kids around should be adult-supervised at all times.

Always keep a hose, water supply, sand bucket, or fire extinguisher within reach when using your outside fire pit. When you're finished using it, make sure to extinguish the fire completely. Follow the manufacturers instructions. Use a fire extinguisher, or enough water to let the hot coals or wood soak. Continue to pour water till theres no steam. Cover with a lid after you have put the fire out. Do not store the coals or wood in bags right away, but use a metal ash bucket instead.

When starting your fire, start the fire small, and only use the recommended fire starters. With some basic sense as to placement and fire pre-cautions, you can get years of enjoyable use out of your fire pit.