Enjoy a Backyard Fire Pit With These Safety Tips

Have you ever imagined having a home where you can sit around a cozy fire and chat with friends and family? You're not alone! Backyard space is one of the most sought after features in Mansfield homes for sale. And Ohio has just the right weather to make having a fire pit an enjoyable activity during most of the year. 

Building your own fire pit is a great way to personalize your backyard space and it's a project that's within almost everyone's DIY skills. These tips can help you get started.

Decide What and Where to Build                          

The internet has tons of plans and pictures to help you build a fire pit. Consider the location, style of the fire pit, amount of work you want to do, and the kind of fuel you plan to use.  

• Locate the fire pit at least 10-20 feet away from plants decor, and buildings.
  Avoid overhangs and low hanging tree limbs that could catch fire from sparks. Observe local fire ordinances regarding location and proximity to buildings. You should also be able to arrange seating in a way that people can move around the area safely.
  
  
• Design considerations.
  Choose either a raised or in-ground fire pit. If you plan on doing outdoor cooking, a raised pit with grates is a good option. You can leave a small space in the sides to increase oxygen flow to the fire if necessary. An in-ground pit may be better if you need an irregular shape or are repurposing an area of your yard. Alternately, you could make a base of non-combustible material or pavers and use a free-standing fire bowl or cast concrete-style pit on top.
   
• Budget-friendly options.
  Common materials for building a fire pit are pavers, bricks, and retaining wall blocks. All are inexpensive and easy to get. You or someone you know may even have some left over from another project. You can also use repurposed materials such as a large metal or terracotta planter, stones, or the bowl or grates of an old grill. Most designs don't require any mortar or grout.
   
• Fuel options.
  Small fire pits do better with gel canisters or low combustion pressed wood logs since it's easier to keep the fire small. Larger fire pits can use seasoned firewood or charcoal. 

The Building Process

Building a basic fire pit is pretty simple. Clear the area of anything that could catch fire and level it if necessary. If the area is grass, you may want to dig it out. Use non-combustible material like sand, gravel, or bricks as a base. The area should be at least 36 to 44 inches wide to provide space around the fire and let people be close enough to talk. If you're going with an in-ground design, put in a border. If you're using a raised design, build up the sides of your fire pit. Arrange the seating and enjoy your fire!

Fire Pit Safety

• Don't use lighter fluid or gasoline to start the fire.
• Avoid using a fire pit in windy weather. 
• Have something nearby to extinguish the fire in an emergency.
• Use a screen to help contain sparks.
• Supervise children and pets around fire.

Building a fire pit will help you enjoy the backyard of your new home, bring hours of happiness and make memories for years to come.

Our REALTORS® know how to help you find what you're looking for in a home. Haring Realty has been getting buyers into the right homes since 1983, and we can help you too. Contact us today to get started.