Outdoor Gas Fireplaces in Southern MD

Backyard fireplaces in Southern MD

One of the great moments in any camp out is when you get that fire built and let it burn for a few hours and then late in the evening, as the cool air settles around you, everyone enjoys the warmth of a campfire.  We have a “civilized” version of the campfire experience, which many people replicate in a backyard fireplace.  It is a simple enough idea and an old one to build a sturdy hearth next to the patio where most of your social times occur.  Then when the time is right, you build a fire in that hearth where it can be controlled and maintained and where wind or weather will not cause a problem.

The outcome is similar to a camp out experience.  As you watch the logs burn down, the kids can cook marshmallows and make smores if they want to and the adults can just gaze into the fire.  For some reason it is one of the most tranquil moments we have and one that often leads to reflection and/or a bit of romance if you are snuggling next to that backyard fireplace with the right person.

Sadly, what happens too often is that a back yard fireplace is installed and after a while, it becomes just another unused thing on the porch.  The reasons people stop using their outdoor fireplaces are pretty much always the same and they includeÖ

• It is a mess to clean out the ashes from the last fire each time.
• Keeping firewood around is a nuisance and it draws termites and other creatures.
• Wood fires pop and send embers out onto the patio where people are talking or children are playing.
• Buying firewood is another cost and you always have to be thinking about what kind you want to keep on hand.
• Getting a wood fire going is hard sometimes and keeping it going requires that someone be paying attention.
• We don’t like leaving a wood fire burning when it is time for bed but putting it out is also messy.

The answer to all of these problems and a new twist on the old idea of a backyard fireplace is to convert it to a gas fireplace.  With an insert or the addition of some simple and inexpensive equipment, you can have a gas fire any time you want one.  And because the fuel of the fire is coming from an enclosed tank, you have much more control over the fire and you are using a fuel that is safer and inexpensive as well.

Every one of the objections listed above come from burning wood in your fireplace.  With gas, there is no mess, you start it easily and put it out by simply turning off the flow of gas.  You can make it look authentic with gas logs and the size of the fire stays consistent all evening.  The kids can still do marshmallows for smores over it and you get the same atmosphere that you like.  But the fuss, mess and expense of keeping wood and burning it is eliminated completely.  It is a neat and efficient answer that puts your outdoor fireplace back to work right away for your enjoyment and for the enjoyment of your family as well.