Has rain put a damper on your fire pit use?
Fall can bring heavy rainstorms depending on where you’re located in the country. Unfortunately, without the summer heat to evaporate the moisture, you may find your fire pit area to be a damp mess the next time you go to use it. While there’s not much you can do to prevent a muddy sitting area, here are some tips to ensure your fire pit components last longer in wet conditions.
Isn't my fire pit built to survive the weather?
Nearly all our fire pit burners are manufactured from 304 stainless steel or brass. This heavy-duty construction means they’re built to last regardless of the weather conditions, but taking care of your toys will help make them last even longer.
It’s also important to point out the difference between what’s acceptable and what’s optimum. Although your fire pit will likely still work even if neglected, it’s worth it to maintain your product to ensure the best possible results—both from an appearance and a performance standpoint.
Our manufacturers take inclement weather into account during the engineering process. The best example of this is the raised central hub of the penta burner. This feature keeps the gas inlet raised above the tubes of the burner ring to prevent water from entering the valve or gas line. Any insignificant amount of moisture still capable of entering the burner evaporates the next time the fire pit ignites.
Proper drainage is key
Although most burners are designed to prevent water entry, these design features aren’t meant to be only layer of defense. Fortunately, water won’t be a problem if you allow for proper drainage.
Our burner pans feature drilled weep holes to allow for proper drainage out the bottom of the fire pit. Should you decide to manufacture your own fire pit pan, you’ll want to create similar holes. You’ll also want to incorporate a drain to prevent water buildup under the fire pit pan. A vent can double as a drain if installed at the bottom of your fire pit’s sidewall.
Cover your pit when it’s not in use
One of the easiest ways to keep rainwater from building up in your fire pit is to invest in a relatively inexpensive vinyl cover for your unit. These covers are a great way to keep debris out as well, ensuring your fire pit is ready to use whenever you’d like. Many of these covers also feature a vented design to allow trapped moisture to escape.
If you’re looking for something sturdier than a vinyl cover, we offer a large selection of metal fire pit covers as well. These heavy covers provide even better protection from rain and debris while also adding a unique aesthetic touch to your fire pit.
We strongly recommend covering any fire pit when it’s not in use.
An important note for those by saltwater
If you’re near the ocean, you know the effects the sea air can have on metal—a fire pit is no exception. While there’s no perfect way to protect your fire pit from the harsh air short of moving [and we’re not going to recommend that!], it’s extra important to protect your fire pit to slow the process of degradation. If you control the variables you’re able to control, you won’t need to worry as much about the variables you can’t control.
Your fire pit could potentially outlive you
A fire pit is a very simple product. Excluding ignition systems, they’re a collection of hardware components with few moving pieces capable of breaking. Combine this with the previously mentioned quality of the manufacturing materials, and you can see how durable these systems are. Under ideal circumstances, your fire pit can last decades without any diminished performance.
Conclusion
Although your fire pit isn’t indestructible, rest assured it’s been built to highest quality standards if you’ve purchased it from Spotix. We only stock premium fire pit burner kits. We hope you’ve enjoyed these tips on extending the life of your fire pit system.
Have any additional questions on ways to protect your fire pit? Give us a call at 877-374-6777 and one of our sales or customer support reps will do their best to answer your questions. We’re here to ensure you’re happy with your fire pit!