If you have a patio, installing a fire pit is a must. The entire family will gather to enjoy the warmth, making for cozy memories. Unfortunately, once the fun is over, putting out the fire pit can be tricky.
Not only do you need to choose an extinguishing method that won’t damage your fire pit, but you must also follow all safety measures to ensure the flames don’t rile up again.
It’s easier than it seems once you know what to do, though! So, keep reading our guide to learn how to put out a fire pit.
How to Put Out a Fire Pit
Putting out a fire pit might seem like a simple task, especially if your warm pit comes with a snuffer. Still, you need to take the necessary safety precautions to ensure your well-being.
Here are some ways to safely extinguish a fire pit:
1- Stop Adding Fuel
The best way to put out a fire pit is to stop adding fuel. Even if you’re opting for other methods on the list, cutting the fuel supply will make putting out the fire significantly easier.
You should typically do this in advance, about an hour before you plan to extinguish the fire. In the case of a gas fire pit, turning off the propane tank should be straightforward.
2. Spread Out the Wood
Wood fire pits are complex to put out. You might think all you have to do is stop feeding the fire. However, as long as there’s an oxygen supply and enough wood in the fire pit, it’ll keep burning.
For this reason, you need to learn how to snuff out wood fire pits. For starters, you’ll need to separate the wood logs, as this creates smaller, more manageable flames.
Then, you should avoid adding any flammable items to the fire. Additionally, you should keep the fire away from the wind, and avoid fanning it, as this accelerates wood burning.
3- Wait For the Fire to Burn Out
If you’ve separated the logs and cut off the fuel supply at the right time, you should cozy up by the fire for hours before it completely fizzles out on its own. If that’s not the case, you’ll still need to wait for the fire to burn out. This way, you can proceed with the other steps.
You don’t have to wait until there are no flames, though. Instead, the flames should be flattened out so you can smother the fire using as little effort as possible.
4. Use Water
Water is a sure way to put out a fire. However, you don’t want to risk ruining your gorgeous fire pit. That’s why it’s crucial to let the fire die out, before dousing the fire pit with only a tiny amount of water.
When you’re drenching the flames, you should hear a sizzling sound. Keep adding water until you no longer hear that sound. Moreover, you must be at a safe distance from the fire pit, as the water would immediately turn into steam that might burn you.
Having said that, you should never put out a gas fire using water, especially if you haven’t let the fire burn out. You can mist the flames with a couple of sprays of water to cool them down, though.
5. Cover With Dirt or Sand
The next step would be to kill the fire using sand. To do so, you’ll need to pour a significant amount of sand on top of the fizzled-out flames.
Then, stir the embers and the sand to ensure there’s no fire left. This method is ideal for gas and metal fire pits, as it’s safe and non-damaging.
If you’re looking for an affordable way to put out the fire pit, you can also use the ash. However, this will only extinguish the flames, but it won’t reduce the temperature.
6. Cover the Fire Pit
So, you don’t have any sand, dirt, or ash, and you’re apprehensive about using water? Don’t worry, you can still put out the fire pit.
Similar to how you would stifle a candle by closing the lid, covering the fire pit should also smother the flames. That’s because there’d be no air, precisely oxygen, to feed the fire.
Some fire pits come with a snuffer, a designated metal lid that cuts off the air supply.
If your fire pit doesn’t come with one, you can buy a snuffer from most supply stores. However, you need to make sure it’s the right size. That said, any cover that’s large enough would do. You can even use a fire blanket.
7. Use a Fire Extinguisher
Though this might be a drastic option, using a fire extinguisher will work if you’re in a pinch or in the case of an emergency.
Naturally, you don’t need to wait for the fire to die out or use water beforehand. Fire extinguishers are for immediately putting out uncontrollable flames.
Accordingly, using them isn’t an everyday occasion. Moreover, fire extinguishers leave behind a powder that’s hard to clean. This powder might even ruin your precious fire pit.
Even if you don’t plan on using a fire extinguisher to put out your fire pit, keeping one around is essential.
8. Wait a Few Minutes
Lastly, after you’ve successfully put out the fire, you still need to keep an eye on the pit. There might be some flames or embers. With a breeze of air, or contact with flammable objects, the fire would start in seconds.
The goal when putting out a fire pit isn’t just to smother the flames, but it’s also to completely cool the pit. Then, you can rest assured that your patio and home are safe.
How Long Does a Fire Pit Take to Burn Out?
A fire pit can keep burning for hours as long as there’s enough fuel or wood to keep it going. This depends on the size of your propane tank and the amount of wood logs you supply your fire pit with.
For this reason, I’d recommend letting the fire burn out without adding any excess fuel or wood, even if you still plan to cozy up by the fire. This way, once you’re ready to extinguish the fire, it’ll already have burnt out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put my fire pit out with water?
You can definitely put a wood fire pit out with water. However, water could be hazardous in the case of gas fire pits.
What’s more, water shouldn’t be the first option, as you’ll need buckets of water to put out a fire pit. Instead, you should let the flames fizzle out before spraying some water to cool things off.
Additionally, water and metal pits shouldn’t be used in the same sentence! If you value your fire pit, you wouldn’t want to risk it rusting due to excess water.
Can I let a fire pit burn out?
A fire pit would take hours to burn out. While you can let it burn out safely, you must monitor the pit, as the flames can suddenly get out of hand. Otherwise, you should never leave the fire pit unattended.
Final Thoughts
Learning how to put out a fire pit should be your top priority if you own a fire pit. Each type of fire pit has an appropriate extinguishing method. Moreover, it isn’t enough to put out the flames, you must also ensure that the fire pit is cool.
The most straightforward way to smother the fire pit is to use a fire pit snuffer. If you don’t own one, you can still easily put out the fire using sand, water, or by simply cutting off the fuel supply.
The most important step is to keep a watchful eye on the fire pit, even if there are no flames. The slightest amount of embers and hot ash can rile up the fire pit.
Ben has a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, you can find him at home with wife and two daughters. Outside of family, He loves grilling and barbequing on his Big Green Egg and Blackstone Griddle, as well as working on projects around the house.
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