With Summer right around the corner, you’re probably thinking of inviting your friends and family over for some summer fun. One great idea is to have a bonfire or fire pit that you can sit around to hang out and tell stories. A firepit creates the perfect atmosphere for any summer night spent outside. However, this will not be the case if the fire you started in the pit is creating a ton of smoke.
If this occurs, your night of fun can turn into a mess of trying to breathe properly, or your guests getting carbon monoxide poisoning. Lucky for you, these expert tips will ensure that any fire you start in the firepit has minimal smoke coming off.
1- Understand Why the Fire is Producing Smoke
There are a couple of reasons why a fire lets off a lot of smoke. Smoke from a wood fire can be quite dangerous to your health. Knowing the exact reason why the fires you start are doing so, can help you deal with the issue as needed. For example, your fire could be creating a lot of smoke because you are using wood that is high in moisture. You could also unknowingly be disrupting the airflow which results in excess smoke. Another reason why you could be facing a problem with your fire is that your firepit is dirty or foliage has made its way into it, therefore causing a ton of smoke.
2- Choose the Right Type of Wood
Now that you are aware of the different reasons causing the issue, it is time to find some solutions. The first thing you need to do is choose the right type of wood for your fire. There are a lot of options out there to pick from, which can be quite confusing if you have never built a fire before. When choosing your firewood, there are some tips you need to keep in mind. By following these tips for buying firewood, you can elevate your fire building to a higher level. For example, remember to stay away from softwood. While softwood can make good kindling, it is not meant to be used for a long-burning fire. You should get wood such as oak, maple, or hickory. These are great for building a fire that not only has a limited amount of smoke but can burn for a long time to come.
3- Ensure that the Wood Chosen is Properly Dried
Even after you choose the perfect type of wood to use for your fire, you might still notice that there is a lot of smoke. In this case, the wood you used may not have been properly dried. Firewood needs to have less than 20% water content to effectively burn without letting off smoke. To ensure that your wood is dry enough to build a fire, use kiln-dried firewood. If you cut your stack of firewood at home, then you can air dry it. However, this is a long process because it can take from six months to two years to get the wood dry enough.
4- Store Firewood Properly
Whether you are buying the firewood or creating your own air dried wood, you need to know how to store it correctly. This may seem like common sense but it is still worth mentioning. You should keep your firewood away from the ground that has moisture and you should shelter it from rain to ensure that it stays as dry as possible. Your firewood also needs to have consistent airflow to ensure that it does not trap in any moisture whatsoever.
5- Set Up Firepit Correctly
When you want to build a fire, you need to pay attention to how you’re setting up your firepit. The firewood needs to be laid out in a way that ensures continuous airflow. There are two methods to maintain the necessary airflow, you can set up your wood in a teepee shape, or a log cabin shape. This ensures that all the logs are exposed to a sufficient amount of air when they are ablaze.
6- Keep Your Firepit Clean
If you use your firepit a lot, then it is important for you to make it a point to keep it clean between fires. Debris from a previous fire can affect the amount of smoke your fire is emitting. Foliage, such as leaves, can also fall into the pit, resulting in a lot of smoke if you start a fire without removing it.
Using these six different expertly given tips, your fire will burn as brightly as you want it to, without creating a large amount of smoke that ruins the mood and causes danger to you and your friends. With these simple steps, you can have the best fire to sit around with friends and family during the summer nights. Do not forget to take the proper safety measures when starting a fire and to put out the fire when you are done for the night to ensure that it does not spread.
