One thing that has certainly changed post Covid-19, is our outdoor activities. Most of us, including me, are used to going out and spending time with friends and colleagues, but that hasn’t been the case for the past 2 years.
People are now finding ways to adapt to this situation and trying their best to replicate the same outdoor environment inside their house. Just like a hangout place where friends and families can sit together under a shade and have fun.
This is where the concept of pergola comes in handy.
The word pergola originated from the Latin word pergola which means a projecting eave or a projecting roof that extends from a building’s walls.
They consist of Four poles or columns that anchor these attractive open-air constructions, which are topped with cross-beams. Wood, vinyl, or aluminum are the ones that are typically used to construct these open-air structures.
This enables the arrangement of outdoor chairs and/or grilling equipment under it. Pergolas are a terrific way to turn a corner of your garden into a gathering zone where family, friends, and colleagues can peace out under one roof.
Now the major concern here is they might look nice and pleasing to the eye but they have no sides or roof. The panels that are used are placed at such an angle that they provide relief from sun rays in the mornings and late in the afternoons but do they protect me from winds and cold?
The answer is no.
This is where it gets all tricky during winter times when there is a strong cold breeze flowing across the outdoor yard. So, what do I do now? Is there a solution for this particular issue?
Can I have a fire pit or a chiminea under a pergola? Is it really safe? I know there are a lot of questions and doubts that are popping up but at the same time, I have all the right answers to these questions!
So before I go ahead with the topic, let me first explain the difference between a fire pit and chiminea which sort of gives a better clarity as in what I’m trying to explain.
- Fire pits are nothing but an open bowl kind of thing which lets you burn larger chunks of wood with larger fires and at the same time gives you a 360 degree view.
- Whereas with chiminea, you have an enclosed chamber which is mostly made out of terracotta clay (Although they are available in cast iron and cast aluminum). The ability of a chiminea to pull in fresh air from below and send it through the fire, then up and out through a vent at the top, is vital to its function.Placing your chiminea on a base of flat stones or bricks with little spaces between them is the simplest method to do this.
Can You Put a Chiminea Under a Pergola?
The short answer for this would be yes from my side. I would recommend using extreme caution when doing so because there are chances for the base of the chiminea to crack or even explode because of the excess heat generated.
Now the bigger picture here is to consider a few important things before using it. Below are some of the important tips for placing and using chiminea under pergola.
- Your chiminea should have a clearance of at least 4feet from the pergola structure that is approximately 1.2 meters, and make sure to keep it 1 foot away from people who tend to walk around it or sit.
- Make sure to avoid flammable substances around the chiminea as well as the base of the chiminea because it can easily catch fire.
- Still if you have any flammable substances around, make sure to place non flammable substances like brick or a large rock in between them that will eventually act as an insulation.
- Your chiminea should have a clearance of at least 3 feet (1 meter) away from all the combustibles
- Be sure to position it in such a way that it is away from the wind which can come up at any time unexpectedly.
- Build a proper fireguard around the chiminea to protect your furniture and wooden decks from sparks and flames. This is an angled fence that surrounds the structure on all the three sides. Its height should be 5 inches higher than the hearth/Top of the chiminea at its highest point. The fourth side will have to be open so you can use it as a passage to light the fire.
- Make sure to use a fireguard/spark screen which is strong and durable as it is highly recommended by me when considering chiminea.
- I would suggest you to have a fire extinguisher around in case of emergencies.
- Try to keep your kids and pets away from chiminea as much as possible.
- Make sure the fire is completely extinguished after using it.
How Close Can a Fire Pit Be To a Pergola?
There are a few mandatory considerations that you need to keep in mind for your pergola space if you want to include any sort of a fire feature in it.
Fire pit tables can safely be placed on a concrete deck under the wood pergolas, right on the lawn or grass, or in a variety of other outdoor spaces.
The important ones to be considered are the variety of fire pit designs that are available. Depending on which one you choose, you need to maintain a certain minimum distance between the fire pit surface and the pergola overhead structure to ensure safety.
The following are the most common types of fire pits that are used with a pergola:
- Liquid propane fire pit – This requires a 80 – 94 inch clearance above the fire pit, 8 inches below the burner and 24 inches at the sides . One needs to make sure to check the minimum clearance detail specified by the supplier before using it.
- Portable gas fire tables – These fire pits come in a variety of sizes and designs. They are normally 23′′, 29′′, or 35′′ tall. This requires a minimum of 100 – 120 inches clearance.
- Natural gas fire pit – A minimum clearance of 120 inches is required for a natural gas fire pit. Again make sure to check the minimum clearance detail specified by the supplier before using it.
What Are the Risks of Having a Chiminea Under Pergola?
When considering using chiminea under pergola, there are a lot of risks that need to be addressed. A small hiccup can cause a huge damage so one needs to make sure that all the precautions are taken accordingly.
Below are some of the main risks of having a chiminea under pergola:
- Fire Outburst – First and foremost, regardless of the type of fire you are lighting, one must ensure that it is put in an appropriate location. Keep in mind that fires produce heat, smoke, and flames in their immediate surroundings. This means one needs to clear enough space to avoid damaging items that are surrounding the chiminea.
Setting up a bonfire, grill, or chiminea beneath any type of canopy or pergola is a clear invitation for disaster, as it poses a fire and carbon monoxide risk.
So I make sure that my chiminea is located at such a place where there are less flammable substances around and at the same time enough clearance is maintained as per the instructions given by the supplier.
- Fuel Ignition – Avoid any sort of fuel near the vicinity of chiminea. The flames and the hot smoke emitted can easily ignite the fuel and can cause some serious fire accidents.
Gasoline, pressure treated wood, compound wood, waste, or construction materials (such as drywall) are some of the fuels that need to be avoided because they can generate poisonous gasses when burned. So make sure to avoid all these.
Releases great heat even when not in active use – Now the most important thing that you need to remember is that the chiminea will still release great heat even when not in active use, so please make sure that you are not leaving any sort of a flammable substance too close to it when untouched or when it’s not in use!
- Usage of sand as a bottom lining in wet atmospheric conditions – I would suggest you to not use sand as a bottom lining for your chiminea, if you are residing at a place where it often rains most of the year. The reason for this is because sand has the ability to absorb moisture from the atmosphere which inturn makes the way for a premature cracking of your chiminea. So make sure to avoid sand in these sorts of cases.
What Is The Safest Way To Heat A Pergola?
One of the most important things to consider when I talk about heating a pergola with a chiminea is that one needs to start heating the chiminea very slowly and steadily because otherwise if you start your fires really high, you are gonna end up cracking it.
As they are cold to touch at the beginning, chances are pretty high that it makes a way for a premature cracking and post that it becomes too difficult to control the fire burst. So in this way one can easily and safely heat up the pergola as per the convenience.
Finally:
The combination of a fire pit/chiminea and a pergola is great. Pergolas are a safe and handy place to put a fire pit because of their open ceiling, which provides shade and ventilation at the same time. A fire pit or a chiminea can be utilized on a deck with the right safety precautions as per one’s choice. Fire pits should be kept away from your home and any other non-ventilated constructions.