Having friends around for a fire pit gathering is one of the best aspects of outdoor adventures. It creates a sophisticated and peaceful atmosphere there that each of us loves to enjoy.
But sometimes, things can become a little harder to cope with. Sometimes that very safe fire pit can be bothersome. It may create such excessive smoke that it becomes pretty challenging to control.
Luckily, there are a few simple ways to reduce fire pit smoke that we may adhere to.
These tips can help you maintain a fire pit effectively and hassle-free, whether it’s the simple backyard fire pit you enjoy with family or the fire pit you light up while camping with friends.
Here’s all you need to know about them,
Table of Contents
1. Use Dry, Seasoned Wood
Dry, seasoned wood is the key to reducing smoke in your fire pit. These are typically green wood that is left to dry out for about six months or more, allowing the water inside the wood to evaporate, leaving behind a much drier piece of wood that will produce less smoke when burned.
One thing to bear in mind, though, is that hardwoods are more efficient in terms of producing more flames and less smoke. Therefore, avoid utilizing softwoods and stick to dry hardwoods while keeping the following things in mind:
- Before use, ensure the wood is dry. Excess smoke will be produced if any moisture remains in the wood.
- Cut the wood into small pieces to make the dry firewood burn more evenly and with less smoke.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment with different types of wood to see which ones produce the least amount of smoke.
2. Don’t Build a Big Fire
It’s time to put the large logs away and start a smaller fire. It will help reduce the smoke created by the fire pit and enable you to enjoy a smoke-free campfire experience.
It may seem counterintuitive, but a small fire will produce less smoke than a large one. That’s because the smaller the fire, the adequate amount of oxygen it gets to burn. And when there’s proper oxygen, the fire produces less smoke.
So if you want to enjoy your fire pit with fewer fumes, keep your flames small.
3. Build a Fire That Starts Quickly and Burns Longer
Another simple way to reduce fire pit smoke is to build your fire pit with a good foundation. If your fire pit isn’t built on a solid foundation, it will take much less time to burn out and can produce a lot of smoke.
So, here are a few things you can do to build a fire that starts quickly and burns longer.
- Place a good layer of ashes on your fire pit’s bottom part. This will insulate the wood and help it burn slower.
- Use dry wood that’s been split into small pieces. Wet wood will produce more smoke as it dries out.
- Finally, don’t overcrowd your fire pit. A well-oxygenated small fire will produce less smoke than a large one smothered by logs.
4. Keep Your Fire Pit Clean
Be sure to keep your fire pit clean to reduce smoke after every use. Ashes and debris can accumulate in your fire pit and obstruct airflow. This can lead to your fire pit smoking more than usual.
Therefore, remove any ashes and debris accumulated inside and outside the pit. Additionally, you should ensure the vents are clear so air can flow freely.
These simple steps can help keep your fire pit in good condition and reduce the amount of smoke it produces.
5. Use a Smokeless Fire Pit
Even if you use every technique available to reduce smoke in the fire pit, it could still produce some smoke. Therefore, it’s always preferable to use a smokeless fire pit that has no possibility of producing any smoke.
These fire pits are made to burn gas rather than wood more effectively and have better ventilation, which decreases the amount of smoke created by a traditional fire pit.
You can use a smokeless fire pit in a few different ways. One method is to circulate the air around the flames using a fan. You may also use a fireproof mat as an additional method.
This will help to keep the fire from spreading, which is especially beneficial for areas where there is not a lot of ventilation.
6. Avoid Burning Leaves, Pine Needles, and Green Branches
It is best to avoid burning leaves, pine needles, and green branches to make a smokeless fire pit. Unlike dry wood, these materials burn efficiently to create minimal smoke.
In addition, burning these materials creates air pollution and a risk of fire spreading to the nearby local areas.
If you must burn these materials, do so in a controlled manner. Here’s what you need to do,
- First, ensure the leaves, pine needles, and green wood are dry before you burn them.
- Second, simply burn as much gasoline as is required to start the fire. Avoid overburning your fuel.
- Third, Be sure to douse the fire with water when you are finished. Also, keep your fire pit clean – ashes can produce excess smoke later on.
7. Don’t Overcrowd the Wood Logs in the Firepit
One of the most simple ways to reduce fire pit smoke is not to overcrowd the wood logs.
Besides producing excessive smoke, this can lead to several other problems, including poor air circulation and difficulty controlling the fire.
When the logs are too close together, they can cause the fire to spread more quickly and become out of control.
It is best to leave space between the logs so the fire can breathe and be controlled more easily.
Causes of Excessive Smoke Production in a Fire Pit
So what causes all this smoke? There are mainly a few factors that contribute to excessive fire pit smoke.
For example, improper storing of the fuel. It’s essential to have enough ventilation where you store the wood logs or other fuel for your fire pit. If not, moisture will accumulate, causing the wood logs to get damp and produce an obnoxious amount of smoke when burned in the fire pit.
Soot accumulation on the fire pit’s walls is another possible factor. This can happen if the pit isn’t properly cleaned after each use. The soot can ignite and cause a large amount of smoke.
Excessive kindling or accelerant use can also contribute to excessive smoke. So, burn a proper amount of kindling based on the size of your fire pit.
You might consider a few alternative options if you still have excessive smoking issues.
- First, ensure your fire pit is on a level surface so it doesn’t tip over and cause a mess.
- Second, try covering your fire pit with a screen to help contain the smoke.
- And the last option is to attempt shifting your fire pit to a different area if everything else fails.
Key Takeaway
Reducing a fire pit smoke is very little work unless it entirely spirals out of control. And as you know, being out of control means getting yourself as well as others around you in grave danger. Therefore, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
This article has compiled a list of simple ways to reduce fire pit smoke so you don’t have to deal with any extra hassle.
All you have to do is never leave the fire pit unattended and use the tips listed above just to be safe.
