Having likely owned a fire pit, there is nothing as disappointing as using a fire pit a few times and almost immediately its start corroding so severely that soon its nothing but a heap of rust-eaten metal parts that is ready for the garbage. Sometimes there is really nothing you can do to prevent your fire pit from diminishing in appearance and functionality or depreciating altogether but sometimes it’s your fault this happens, your part for not taking care of your fire pit.
Like any other home appliance, proper maintenance and care is required to ensure the longevity of your fire pit and delay/prevent the process of corrosion and rusting. So your fire pit didn’t make past a few seasons of outdoor heating? Here are some things your might have done or neglected to do that contributed to that.
Not properly storing your fire pit.
The good thing about innovation is that you don’t have to get a permanent fixture kind of fire pit. This way, during the low season, you can store your fire pit somewhere where it will be safe from outdoor weather elements. Leaving your fire pit outdoors to endure the elements when it’s not in use without proper storage is negligent on your part. Otherwise get fire pits better suited to withstand weather elements such as stone paved fire pits. Or better yet, install something like a market umbrella or retractable awnings over your fire pit.
Not covering your fire pit.
Whether a permanent or portable fire pit, your fire pit should be covered when it is not in use. This will prevent moisture, water, dirt and other unwanted debris from getting into your fire pit. Ensure the cover is durable and made of strong material.
Burning trash and other unwanted materials in your fire pit.
What better way to dispose of unwanted trash permanently than to burn to ash. Only natural wood logs or ceramic logs for fire pits should be burnt in your fire pit. Some of the things that you burn may contain corrosive elements that will most likely eat away steadily at your fire pit.
Accumulating wood ash before disposal
Proper care and maintenance is essential to ensure your fire pit operates at its optimum for as long as possible. Proper maintenance includes removing and disposing of ash regularly. Wood ash is an alkaline and when left to accumulate for long periods of time in a metal fire bowl before disposal, will eat way at the base of your fire pit over time. This is when you will start noticing holes at the base that could have otherwise been prevented had you cleaned your fire pit as you are supposed to.
Not applying high temperature rust resistant paint on your fire pit.
So you just got your shiny new toy and you can’t wait to unwrap it, assemble it and within a few minutes you are ready to start enjoying it. You don’t remember that your fire pit will be experiencing extreme hot conditions every time you light it up not to mention that if it’s a metal fire pit, it’s prone to rusting. This is why it’s essential you apply high temperature and rust resistant paint to ensure your fire pit does not start chipping and rusting quickly. Do this even if the fire pit comes in its own protective paint, you never know about the quality used, plus it doesn’t hurt to take preventive measures twice now does it? Spray/painting your fire pit regularly is part of maintenance you must undertake if you want to extend your fire pit’s life.
And there you have it. Most us are guilty of at least one of these habits which explains some of the negative reviews we have on fire pits we have used because they ‘corroded quickly’.