Wednesday, August 20, 2014

How to Get the Best Out of Your Propane Fire Pit

How to Get the Best Out of Your Propane Fire Pit

Propane fire pits, also known as gas fire bowls, are a novel way to enjoy nights out in the garden with friends and family - they provide all the warmth of a traditional wooden fire but do not emit smoke or any other bad smells. Propane fire pits are quite simply the most convenient, quick and easy source of warmth for socialising outdoors. However, many people still don't know how to get the best out of their propane fire pits and thus can end up wasting a lot of time, money and effort after their purchase.

First, there is the small issue of the gas tank. One might say that this is the primary disadvantage of a propane fire pit - as the name suggests, it runs on gas tanks which have to be replaced quite often. Gas tanks are generally available from your local hardware store or even large supermarkets, particularly during the summer when barbeques stretching on into the night become all the more common. A large gas canister can cost up to 50 dollars or 20 dollars if you hand in an empty tank at the same time. Alternatively, a better approach is to find a place locally which sells propane refills, since you can get these for around 10 dollars per refill. If you have a more permanent propane fire pit which is more like a permanent fixture in your garden, you might want to consider contacting your local gas company to see if they can run a gas pipe directly to your fire bowl, thus saving you a lot of time and inconvenience.

Once you have gas, your propane fire pit will simply be a question of flicking a switch whenever you want to turn it on. There are no additional fuels or apparatus required to get your fire bowl to work, but if you do have technical issues do not hesitate to contact the manufacturer. This brings me to another important point: always ensure that you buy your propane fire pit from a reputable seller as this guarantees not only the initial quality of product, but also the quality of the support down the line if you ever run into trouble.

Now, on to the fun part. Guests, parties, barbeques - all have a distinctly better atmosphere when enhanced by a propane fire pit. Whether you need it for warmth, lighting, cooking or all of the aforementioned, a good quality propane fire pit will enable you to add a further dimension to your parties. Just make sure that when cooking, you don't drop anything into the fire pit, and if you do, make sure that you clean it up next time before use. A propane fire pit can be ideal to toast marshmallows or cook hot dogs, but we would recommend that you save the heavy duty cooking for the barbeque, many of which, incidentally, are also fuelled by propane. Finally, when the party is finished, make sure that you cover your fire bowl when it is not in use in order to protect it from the weather. Some fire pits can be brought inside, while others have their own protective mechanisms. Others need to be covered in plastic covering the old fashioned way. This will ensure that your propane fire pit not only works well, but also that it lasts a long time.