An outdoor fireplace is a great addition to any backyard. Whether you are enjoying a cozy fire on a chilly night or roasting marshmallows with your kids, an outdoor fireplace provides both warmth and ambiance. If you’re considering buying an outdoor fireplace, you may be wondering if it’s hard to clean it.
While it's important to perform regular maintenance on your outdoor fireplace, it's not necessarily difficult or time-consuming. By following a few steps, you can keep your fireplace in perfect condition all year long. Keep reading to discover tips and learn how to clean an outdoor fireplace!
Do outdoor fireplaces need to be cleaned?
Yes, outdoor fireplaces need to be cleaned regularly. Fireplace chimneys, bricks, and other features exposed to the elements should be cleaned regularly to keep your fireplace in good condition for years to come. For the best outcomes, you should clean your fireplace after each usage or once a month.
How to choose an outdoor fireplace
How do you clean an outdoor fireplace?
Cleaning an outdoor fireplace is not difficult. Here are the steps to follow:
- Disassemble the fireplace’s parts
- Brush the dust away
- Clean the parts
- Reassemble the outdoor fireplace
1. Disassemble the fireplace's parts
Depending on the design of your fireplace, you may need to remove various parts before beginning. A glass door, a mesh curtain, or a metal screen are all possible design features. You should remove them for greater accessibility.
2. Brush the dust away
After you’ve disassembled the fireplace, grab a hand broom and start sweeping the debris away. Cleaning the stones of the outdoor fire pit with a pressure washer will bring back the desired color and do away with scorch marks. If any mark proves to be more tenacious, using a metal brush can make miracles.
3. Clean the parts
Once you've cleaned the inside of the fireplace, it's time to clean the glass door or metal screen. The combustion can cause the glass to become hazy, so it should be cleaned on a regular basis. You can use a window glass cleaner and wash the surface with an old rag. This part is easier if you’ve followed step one.
4. Reassemble the fireplace
It's now time to reassemble the gas fireplace, check the exterior vents for debris, and seal them. You should put the glass, burner, stones, and logs back in their places. You can then turn the gas valve on and wait a few minutes before turning the fireplace on. If necessary, check the exterior vents for leaves or bird nests and remove them.
How much does an outdoor fireplace cost?
Tips for maintaining outdoor fireplaces
Outdoor fireplaces are a great way to add warmth, beauty, and ambiance to your garden or outdoor space. As long as it is regularly cleaned and maintained, your outdoor fireplace will provide you with many years of pleasure.
Here are some tips to keep your fireplace in good shape:
- Over time, refractory firebox panels might fracture or become damaged. It's best to replace these panels once their age becomes evident for safety and aesthetic reasons. To remove the panels, use carpenter gloves, unscrew the screws along the top of the sidewalls and remove the panels from their clips.
- Though virtually indestructible, metal fire grates require maintenance and replacement from time to time. Once or twice a year, wash the fire grate with a hose and scrape any soot with a wire brush to keep it looking new. This will keep the fireplace looking nice throughout the months when it's not in use, removing dust and soot from its interior.
- The quickest and most efficient way to clean an outdoor fireplace is with a commercial shop vacuum or ash vacuum. Only cold ashes are allowed to be sucked using these vacuums for safety reasons. Use a vacuum to remove ashes from the firebox after a fire has been put out, then destroy them in compliance with city rules and laws.
How often should you clean your fireplace?
It’s best to clean your fireplace after each usage. If you use it regularly and don’t have the time to clean it after each use, outdoor fireplace maintenance should be performed approximately once a month.
You should also make sure to clean your outdoor fireplace before the cold weather sets in.
Soot and creosote buildup in your fireplace may cause a foul odor and will be much more difficult to clean after it has been sitting for months.
Preparing your outdoor fireplace for winter
Shop for outdoor fireplaces and accessories
Experiencing a campfire in nature is a magical moment everyone enjoys. Our high-quality outdoor fireplaces are unique. In fact, our stone outdoor fireplaces offer buyers a “do it yourself” solution thanks to a great modular principle made of independent precast concrete blocks.
Consisting of mortises, each of the blocks easily overlaps each other to form a wood-burning fireplace. Thanks to its great simplicity, this modular concept in different designs and is easy to assemble. We also sell useful accessories so that you can personalize your fireplace and make the most of it. They are made in Quebec by trusted and qualified local companies.
