Heads Up: Make Sure Your Fire Pit Is 10+ Feet Away From Your Home

Nothing beats the warmth and relaxing ambiance of an outdoor fire pit. When the sun goes down, you can relax around a fire pit with your friends and family. When setting up your fire pit, however, you should check to ensure that it's at least 10 feet away from your home. Placing your fire pit closer to your home could result in a structure fire.

Fire Pits Can Reach Temperatures of Up to 1,000 Degrees

To say fire pits get "hot" would be an understatement. Assuming you have a wood-burning fire pit -- as opposed to a gas fire pit with ceramic logs -- it may reach temperatures of up 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. As it burns the firewood, fiery-hot embers will accumulate at the base of your fire pit. To protect your home, you need to give your fire pit at least 10 feet of clearance. 

Why Fire Pits Need 10+ Feet of Clearance

Fire pits need at least 10 feet of clearance to prevent structure fires. It only takes a single stray ember to ignite a nearby structure. The closer your fire pit is to your home, of course, the greater the risk of a stray ember igniting your fire and catching it on fire.

As previously mentioned, fire pit temperatures can reach up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. With so much heat, their embers can easily ignite most structures, including homes. Fortunately, you can prevent this from happening by positioning your fire pit at least 10 feet away from your home.

Other Safety Tips to Follow When Using a Fire Pit

In addition to giving your fire pit at least 10 feet of clearance, there are a few other safety tips you should follow. Avoid burning damp wood, for instance. Damp wood doesn't burn cleanly. It will release lots of soot that can trigger respiratory distress.

When you are finished using your fire pit, let the embers sit to cool. You shouldn't attempt to remove them from your fire bit. Embers, as well as ash in general, can stay hot for up to 24 hours after the fire has gone out.

Even after 24 hours have passed, you should still avoid dumping the ashes in a trashcan. Instead, transfer them to a metal container. You can use any sealed metal container to discard of your firepit's ashes. With a metal container, you can rest assured knowing that any remaining hot ashes or embers won't ignite trash.