Outdoor Fireplace Revolution

Denver outdoor fireplaces are lovely, warm, and attractive. More people are going in for outdoor fireplaces which make their backyard, poolside, patio or garden look more elegant, warm and friendly, and there are several outdoor fireplace designs and you have the freedom to choose which suits you.

The Denver Outdoor Fireplace Revolution

There are portable fireplaces, custom made ones, and they come in different designs, colors and themes. One important factor is that they have to keep the local codes in mind which specify what type of firebricks are to be used. Other important factors that should be kept in mind are ventilation and safety. You don’t want to own a fireplace which can catch fire at any time or spoil the environment with smoke and fumes.

An outdoor fireplace is like an indoor fireplace. The difference is that the indoor one has been built along with the house and is normally not portable while an outdoor fireplace design can be to your choice and you can keep on changing the design, the site of the fireplace and you can alter or improve upon it at your will. A damper is not necessary in case of an outdoor one. You can choose your design. You can have a Mexican type which consists of chimineas which are beautiful pots. You can have a tall chimney which will circulate the air and emit the smoke from the top.

You can have yours designed in such a way that you can mix and match the components. You can have etched cast iron, aluminum, clay, terracotta or any such material and design your own chimney. Cast iron and aluminum outdoor fireplaces are durable and resistant to high temperatures. You can have portable ones which can be moved from place to place. You can have a party in the backyard around it which can be shifted to the pool side for another party and then on your patio or garden for other functions.

From Ask The Builder:

If you want the satisfaction of building your own fireplace, I suggest you find one that is prefabricated. Unless you are a serious do-it-yourselfer with great skills, you will struggle building a traditional masonry fireplace. Be aware that the actual design and construction of the firebox, smoke chamber, flue and chimney is a precise science, not speculation. If you do not size all of the components correctly, the fireplace will not burn properly and it may send clouds of billowing smoke towards you and your family as you sit near it.

Some of the magnificent custom outdoor Denver fireplaces are fairly large and can not only take up valuable space on your patio, their weight may stress the patio and cause a crack. I urge you to create an imaginary fireplace on your patio and arrange your chairs and side tables so they are a minimum of four feet from the fireplace location. You want to take the time to do this to ensure you will have enough space for all to enjoy the new addition to your outdoor living space.

Do not underestimate the amount of room some of the larger outdoor Denver fireplaces will consume on the average patio. These structures can be up to 3 feet in depth and 8 or 9 feet wide. It is also important to position the fireplace so that any smoke and embers do not pose a risk to your home and any nearby vegetation. The hot flue gases billowing from the chimney can toast nearby trees. You also do not want the fireplace to block any vistas from the patio.

Be sure to use common sense around wood structures.  Some people place custom outdoor Denver fireplaces on wood decks. Burning embers can sometimes find their way onto and under a wood deck and start a fire after you have gone inside for the evening. It is an excellent idea to consult your local fire department’s fire prevention officer and get tips on how to safely install an outdoor fireplace. These individuals are interested in your safety and want to come to your house in a car, not a truck with flashing lights on and sirens screaming.