“Insufficient planning can result in 90% effort with a mark of Zero” – Anonymous
When considering installing a fire feature there can be more than meets the eye at first glance. Space/ Type/ Size all play a role. Episode III will look into “The What”, meaning types
SPACE
Are you out in the open? Tucked into a small corner of the yard, or under a covered structure. Where the fire feature is may dictate the fuel source and how big or small the unit is.
FUEL TYPE
Broadly there are typically 3 fuel sources in residential fire features.
–Wood– The OG, wood is timeless, plays to all the senses but comes with trade offs. It requires a steady source of fuel that needs to be stored onsite. You cannot simply turn the appliance on or off at the flick of a switch or lighter. Wood fires require some attention both in the coaxing into a fire and the safety of extinguishing. Finally municipal zoning and ordinances may have restrictions on open flame fires, so depending on where you live this may be a non-starter.
–Propane– This is usually used in rural areas where natural gas isn’t available or is deemed to difficult to source logistically. Tanks are a great option here and it a bit of the best of both worlds. You get the convince of a flammable gas with the non commitment of a hard piped appliance so if you want to move the unit over time or are hosting a gather were moving the unit out of the way makes sense you have that option. The drawback with Tanks is they are limited in their storage capacity, and you often have to store the tanks nearby. This can be unsightly or awkward, depending on the application.
–Natural gas– Typically hard piped to the unit and fed from your main or T’ed off you main feed into the backyard. You get the benefit of a constant supply of fuel that never runs out with the convenience an on/off application. The cons are once piped and hooked up the unit stays where it is, the other aspect is in the planning stages. Often homebuilders add a gas main outlet to the rear yard, but its either undersized for the requirements or it’s out in an area that doesn’t take into consideration the rear yard runs and pipe layout requirements. When planning your gas requirement, you need to allow for any and all units outside. So, if you want to run a BBQ while having the fire feature working in tandem the HVAC trade needs to know the specifications of each appliance to ensure there is enough fuel to supply the appliances in concert. Our experience has been that many feeds are under sized.
PRO TIP- plan out your outdoor gas requirements well in advance so that you are not stuck compromising later when you get to selecting outdoor appliances.
SIZE
How big should the fire feature be? There are so many options out there, that considering both the size of the unit and the size of the outdoor seating around the fire feature is very important. Do you envision a cozy place where 2-4 people gather around close to the fire or are larger gatherings part of the plan? You want to design or take into consideration the area so that people can safely move around the unit and its not too tight: while also allowing for the outdoor furniture to comfortably accommodate the people enjoying the space. A quick scaled sketch goes a long way here in avoiding cramped or under optimized layouts.
Technically how big is the burner capacity. This is usually specified in BTU’s when it come to gas appliances. The higher the number typically the bigger the flame and warmer the fire. There is a limit and bigger isn’t always better. Many units have a progressive dial or knob that allows a range of adjustment to accommodate the outdoor temperatures.
Some units are large and getting them into, tight side yard access may be an issue. When we look at specifics in our final episode this is a detail that sometime gets overlooked.
If you’d like to speak more to us about how we may help you design or install a fire feature, please reach out to our team.
In Episode 3 “The What” we will start looking at specific types of features. This is where you can bring the aesthetic into play…