Category: Fire Pits

With school back in session for most of the country, the summer season is coming to a close. This means the temperatures will get cooler and the days will get shorter. But you keep your outdoor summer parties going well into the fall and winter months by investing in a fire pit.

According to an article published by ThisOldHouse, an overwhelming majority of homeowners (67%) said they want an outdoor fire to keep their outdoor parties going as the mercury drops. There’s still over a month left in the summer season, but depending on where exactly you live, you may already be experiencing chilly evening and nights. Instead of moving your parties indoors, though, you can keep them “burning” well into the night with a fire pit.

A fire pit is a versatile accessory that serves many different purposes. You can use it to cook and grill food; set it up as an outdoor decorative accessory; and use it produce warmth. When the sun goes down late in the summer, a fire pit produces just the right amount of warmth to keep you and your guests comfortable. And thanks to this increased warmth and comfort, you can throw more outdoor parties as the temperatures begin to drop.

Here are some tips on how to effectively use a fire pit at an outdoor party:

• Use kindling and tinder to light your fire instead of newspaper. Although effective, newspaper creates light ash that may blow onto you and/or your guests.
• Set up your fire pit with at least 10 feet of clearance from your house and any other structures.
• Provide seating for your guests. You can use either traditional chairs and benches, or you can use large logs as seating. The bottom line is that guests should have somewhere to sit and rest while they enjoy your fire.
• Bring stuff to grill. Even if you have no plans on cooking full meals, you can still roast marshmallows or other campfire snacks for added enjoyment.
• Keep water or a firehouse nearby in case stray embers escape.
• Use caution not to add too much firewood. Start with a large roaring fire, and gradually add single logs as needed. If your fire grows too big, it may produce too much heat for guests to comfortably sit or stand near.

If you have any questions regarding how an S&S Fire Pit can enhance your outdoor living space; We can help.  https://ssfirepits.com/contact/

A fire pit is the perfect outdoor accessory for individuals and families alike. When the sun goes down, you can enjoy the relaxing ambiance of a fire. But it’s difficult to fully enjoy a fire pit and everything it has to offer when there’s smoke billowing out the top. So, how can you minimize the smoke produced by your fire pit?

Burn Dry Wood

Make sure any wood you intend to burn in your fire pit is dry. Smoke occurs as a result of incomplete combustion, meaning there’s some other element present that’s restricting the fire. One such element is moisture. Attempting to burn wood that’s been saturated with rain/moisture typically leads to more smoke. This is why you should burn dry wood that’s been properly stored in a covered area.

Don’t Burn Green Pine

Certain varieties of wood, such as green pine, have a tendency to produce more smoke; therefore, it’s best to avoid burning them in your fire pit. Unlike many other hardwood varieties, green pine also produces a soot-like substance known as creosote that can clog chimneys and cause dangerous fires/explosions.

Allow Your Fire to ‘Breathe’

The more oxygen your fire has, the less smoke it produces. Oxygen encourages a faster and more efficient combustion process. And when there’s greater combustion, less smoke is produced in the process. So if you’re looking to minimize the smoke produced by your fire pit, try leaving the lid off while it’s burning. The increased oxygen facilitates combustion, which in turn minimizes its smoke.

Clean Out Debris from Your Fire Pit

Another simple way to minimize smoke from your fire pit is to keep it clean. Before lighting a new fire, remove any ashes or leftover debris from your previous fire. Burning leftover debris often creates more smoke because it has soaked up moisture. Spending just a few minutes cleaning out your fire pit, however, can minimize the amount of smoke it produces. You don’t have to necessarily scrub down the interior of your fire pit, but you should shovel out any leftover debris.

Following the tips listed here should reduce the amount of smoke produced by your fire pit. Keep in mind that all fires will produce at least some smoke. When it billows out of your fire pit like a chimney, however, there’s usually some underlying problem, such as wet firewood or the wrong type of firewood.

If you have any questions regarding how an S&S Fire Pit can enhance your outdoor living space; We can help.  https://ssfirepits.com/contact/

After gathering enough tinder, kindling and firewood for your fire pit, you’ll need to ignite it. One option is to use a grill lighter, but another option is to use a match. Igniting a fire with a match may seem simple enough, but many people make some critical mistakes. So, what’s the right way to light a fire pit with a match?

Light Under the Tinder

Going back to the basics of fire-building 101, heat rises; therefore, you should place your match under the tinder, not over it. As the heat from the match rises, it will catch the tinder on fire, spreading to the nearby kindling and eventually firewood. Simply holding a match over the tinder isn’t going to work, as the small flame lacks the necessary heat to catch the bigger pieces on fire. Always light your fire under the tinder.

Keep Your Matches Dry

It’s a good idea to store your matches indoors where they protected from rain and humidity. Allowing your matches to get wet may prevent them from igniting, unless of course they are waterproof. But even then, a completely saturated waterproof match may fail to ignite when stuck against the box.

Hold the Match, Don’t Toss it

Unless you have a 100-count box of matches on hand — and don’t mind losing them – light your fire by holding the match. Some people instinctively toss their match into the fire pit after striking it, only to discover that it failed to ignite the firewood. In some instances, tossing a match may work. Normally, however, it’s an ineffective way to light a fire pit. A better approach is to strike a single match, and then hold that match in place until the tinder catches fire.

Lighting the Match

Tired of breaking countless matches when you attempt to light them? Make sure you hold the match close to the head, pressing against it with your middle finger for additional support. You should also strike the match by running it towards your body rather than away from your body. Following these steps will reduce the risk of broken matches.

Light Upwind

A final tip to remember when lighting your fire pit with a match is to light upwind. Doing so allows the fire to blow into the tinder and kindling, making it catch more easily.

If you have any questions regarding how an S&S Fire Pit can enhance your outdoor living space; We can help.  https://ssfirepits.com/contact/

A fire pit is a versatile accessory that will open the doors to a whole new world of summertime outdoor activities. From sitting around with friends and family at night, to roasting marshmallows and grilling burgers, the possibilities are endless. But you can further enhance your summertime fire pit experience by following the tips listed below.

Bring Food and Beverages

When using a fire pit during the summer, bring plenty of food and beverages. Whether you’re camping deep in the woods or lounging in your backyard, you’ll develop quite the appetite being outdoors. So, prepare a cooler filled with food and beverages to keep you, and your guests, happy.

Here are some grilled food ideas to consider for your fire pit this summer:

• Bratwursts
• Hot dogs
• Hamburgers
• Pork chops
• Pork tenderloin
• Steaks
• Veggie kebobs
• Shrimp kebobs
• Chicken
• Lobster tails
• Corn on the cob

Table and Seating

No summertime fire pit experience is complete without a table and seating.  Be sure to provide plenty of ample seating and a nice large table for your guests to place their food and drinks on as well as it provides a place to sit and eat.

Starting Your Fire Pit

When you’re ready to start your fire pit, place some tinder and kindling and medium-sized firewood inside and light it. It’s best to start your fire BIG so it’ll create equally BIG coals. Once your coals have formed, you can simply add a piece or two of firewood as needed to keep it going. This is the preferred method for starting a summertime fire, as it keeps the fire going without being overly hot.

These are just a few tips to enhance your fire pit experience during the summer. Just remember to make it a social experience by inviting friends and family over. People have gathered around fires for thousands of years; there’s just something naturally social associated with fires. Embrace this element by creating a social environment with your fire pit.

If you have any questions regarding how an S&S Fire Pit can enhance your outdoor living space; We can help.  https://ssfirepits.com/contact/