Home>Which Fire Pit is the Right One for Your Home?
Which Fire Pit is the Right One for Your Home?
Fire
pits have been in use for ages
– virtually, since man first learned to create fire and
control its elusive flames. In the beginning, they were used for
staving off the cold nights or winter winds, or perhaps to keep wild
animals at bay.
Eventually, they were used for cooking freshly caught food, when
mankind began preparing its first warm meals. Early fire pits began as
simple circles of stone which kept fire contained with in a designated
and controlled area.
As man's technology has advanced, the simple fire pit has been
developed, and new systems and devices are in place for for controlling
both fire itself and the heat it creates. From stoves, to
fire places, to furnaces, to complete central heating systems, our use
of fire has definitely evolved.
Today, the discovery of a fire pit on an archaeological site can help
to reveal vast amounts of information. With the use of carbon dating on
charcoal and fire-pit ash, one can determine the approximate age of the
dig (the area that is being excavated by archaeologists). Also, looking
at the bones and seeds lying in and around and in the fire pit can help
archaeologists determine the diet of a past civilization.
Fire pits are still used for warmth and cooking, but one of the reasons
they've been a constant throughout history is their versatility. They
have long since evolved from simple rings of stone. Modern
fire pits can be found in many varieties - some are portable, some are
made with steel, and some are made with cast iron or one of many other
materials that are able to contain fire.
If you are looking to purchase a fire pit for your home, the size you
might choose will depend on what you want to use it for, and
why.
If you simply want to achieve a soft glow to enjoy outdoors with a few
friends or family members, then a smaller fire pit might be just the
thing. But if you are prone to inviting half the neighborhood over for
a weekly roast, you might want something a little larger.
If you decide to get a premade fire pit (or one that has already been
assembled and is ready to be purchased directly from a store) you will
find that there are several choices and variations available.
However, if you find that you taste runs a little more specific, you
may elect to have a custom-made fire pit built to your specifications.
A premade fire pit is generally immobile and is used for more permanent
placement, whereas an assembled fire pit is usually smaller and can be
purchased “off the shelf.” It is more
portable, making it relatively easy to move from one place to another,
such as from the back yard to the
front yard.
Premade fire pits tend to be more stationary than assembled ones,
because they are larger and heavier. They are also
specifically constructed to be as pleasing to the eye as possible, and
to fit well in a garden or patio setting.
Also, depending on the ease of use you require, you can get a fire pit
that uses wood, or one that uses gas. If you don’t mind
purchasing and/or cutting your own firewood, and if you don't mind the
clean-up which will be involved, then a traditional wood-burning fire
pit may do just fine. But if you simply want to achieve the
ambiance and light of the warm flame, and not the hassle of chopping
wood or cleaning up ash after every use, then a fire pit that runs on
gas or electricity would probably do better.
To a large degree, the use of the fire pit has remained a constant
throughout time - although it is no longer such an essential part of
our lives as it was in the past, before modern heating and electrical
systems were developed.
Gathering around a fire pit with family and friends is still considered
good fun - many memories are made in this manner. There is
nothing quite like spending an evening around a fire with others;
whether telling jokes and stories, singing or playing a guitar,
roasting marshmallows for S’mores, or building your own
traditions. Nothing can really replace the warm blaze of an
outdoor fire.
