No one wants to be hosting a party and then have water dripping down into their fire pit. How can you keep the rain from pooling in your Firepit?
There are many ways to protect your fireplace, but how do you know which ones will work for your specific needs?
This blog post discusses how to keep water from pooling in your fire pit with several different solutions.
A fire pit should be a focal point in any outdoor space. It’s your escape from the cold, a place to cook dinner, and a great spot to have a family gathering.
The problem is that rain can sometimes create problems depending on how high the fire pit is off of the ground.
When it rains, all that water can pool down into your fireplace and cause issues with how well it works.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to keep water from pooling in fire pit, so you can keep on enjoying those outdoor fires!
Contents
- Why is Water Pooling on your Firepit
- Does It Matter: Do Water Pools Affect the Fire Pit?
- How To Keep Water From Pooling In Fire Pit:
- 1. Dig a Trench Around Your Firepit
- 2. Keep your Firepit Covered When Not in Use
- 3. Using Tarps
- 4. Store Movable Pits in Covered Areas
- 5. Drilling Drainage Hole
- Frequently Asked Questions on Fire Pits Pooling
- Q: Can You Just Dig A Hole For A Fire Pit?
- Q: What Is The Easiest Way To Prevent Water From Pooling In A Fire Pit?
- Q: What is the best base for a fire pit?
- Author
Why is Water Pooling on your Firepit
Permanently installed Firepits are more likely to experience water pooling compared to portable Firepits. There are several reasons why water may be pooling on your fire pit. They include:
- How much rain has been falling in a given period?
- The design and the positioning of your Firepit.
- How high or low is your fireplace
- The inability of your Firepit to drain water.
Related: Standing water in yard clay soil
Does It Matter: Do Water Pools Affect the Fire Pit?
Even though most Firepits are designed to withstand most elements, water pooling can affect how well your fireplace works.
Water can affect how well the logs burn, how much heat your fireplace emits, and how safe it is to use.
Water pooling on your fire pit can also cause rust, which will eventually damage metal or stone parts.
Even if you have a protective cover on top of your Firepit, a water pooling cover can also affect how well your fireplace works.
How To Keep Water From Pooling In Fire Pit:
There are several different ways you can prevent rain and other elements from pooling in your fire pit when not in use. They include:
1. Dig a Trench Around Your Firepit
Digging a trench around your firepit is one of the easiest ways to keep water from pooling on top of your fireplace.
A small trench will catch and drain away any rainwater that comes into contact with it and prevent it from entering inside the fire pit.
The trench should be at least one foot away from the fire pit and four inches deep.
You’ll want to make sure that you dig a few more inches on how wide your trench is. This will give you some leeway in case water starts pooling on top of it as well.
This method will work best for Firepits with a flat surface of stone or concrete material on top, as it is easier to dig around them.
Read: Fire pit protective mat for concrete
2. Keep your Firepit Covered When Not in Use
Another way to prevent rainwater from entering your fireplace is by keeping it covered. If you have a cover, make sure that the top of your firepit is facing downwards when not in use.
This will keep water off of the surface and allow any water on top to drain away.
Permanent covers are easier to clean, and if you don’t have one, you can place a waterproof tarp or some plastic sheeting over the top of it.
Here is a good firepit cover on Amazon: Porch Shield Fire Pit Cover
3. Using Tarps
Using a tarp is another option you can use to cover your Firepit. If your fire pit has an opening at the bottom of it, you can place tarps over the top of the fireplace to prevent water from entering.
If you do not have an opening on your fire pit, you will need to find some other way to keep the tarp in place.
You can either stake it down with bricks or tie it onto the frame of the fireplace using rope if needed.
The tarp will protect your Firepit’s surface from coming into contact with rainwater and will drain any water that comes into contact away due to gravity.
Check it out on Amazon: Hydra Waterproof Tarp
4. Store Movable Pits in Covered Areas
If you do not want to dig a trench around your Firepit and/or don’t have the means of keeping it covered, we suggest that you store it away in a safe place during heavy rain.
This will include storing your fire pit inside your garage or patio when not in use and doing so before any weather warnings are issued.
Read: Fire pit safety base
5. Drilling Drainage Hole
The last and most permanent way to prevent water pooling on your Firepit kit is by drilling a drainage hole in the bottom of it.
By doing this, any rainwater getting on your fire pit will drain away from underneath and not pool up on the surface.
This method works best when you have a flat surface or an opening at the top of your fireplace, as some ceramic firepits do.
You can drill a small hole using a power drill and make sure that you place some mesh strainer material over the hole to prevent debris from entering your fireplace while it’s raining outside.
Frequently Asked Questions on Fire Pits Pooling
Q: Can You Just Dig A Hole For A Fire Pit?
You can dig a hole for a fire pit, although you must take into account that the surrounding area needs at least six inches of gravel or stones to drain away any rainwater.
Q: What Is The Easiest Way To Prevent Water From Pooling In A Fire Pit?
One of the best ways to prevent water from pooling in your fireplace is by using tarps over the top of it. You can do this while the Firepit has an opening at the bottom, or you can use tied ropes or bricks.
If you are looking for other options, check out Fire Pit Base Sleeve.
Q: What is the best base for a fire pit?
The best base for a fire pit is either gravel or stone. However, if you are looking for something more solid, having a flat surface of concrete, brick, or flat stones will work.
In conclusion, preventing water from pooling in your Firepit is a pretty simple process. By following the methods outlined above on how to keep water from pooling in a fire pit, you should be able to stop any of it from draining onto its surface.
Read: Best Way to Heat Outdoor Patio
