Don’t Fan the Flames! How To Stay Safe While Enjoying Your Fire Pit

Many homeowners love to use fire pits as a simple and effective way to enhance the looks and usefulness of their outdoor spaces. Great for entertaining during the cooler days and nights of spring and autumn, it’s no wonder these items have grown increasingly popular.

Fire pits range in structure, from small portable units to expensive, complex designs to a homemade patch of land encircled with rocks. They each have the same goal, however, which is to warm up chilly evenings with the fire they contain.

Their usefulness and ability to enhance an outdoor living space come with danger. Fires are lit and intended to be contained in these portable or permanent areas. When a fire loses containment, serious injuries and damage can result. So, considering the risk to persons and property, what measures can fire pit owners take to minimize losses?

• If you use a portable fire pit, it must be placed on a level, non-flammable (concrete, brick, gravel, etc.) surface.
• If you install a permanent fire pit, its location must meet local ordinances regarding its placement, including the need for a site inspection.
• Any fire pit should be at least ten feet away from structures, flammable property, and overhanging branches.
• Take into consideration weather conditions, such as drought and wind, before lighting fires.
• Do not use accelerants (gas, kerosene, lighter fluid, etc.) to start fires.
• Only seasoned hardwoods with the proper size (logs in proportion to pit size) should be used.
• Never use fire pits to burn cardboard, paper, plywood, or trash.
• Fire extinguishing equipment or materials should be kept nearby.
• Carefully supervise children when using a fire pit.

Fire pits are a great addition to any home, so take great care to keep them as safe as possible. For more information on this, or to get help with a fire pit-related claim, contact Williams Insurance today.