So, you’re thinking of adding a gas fireplace to your backyard! Gas fireplaces are becoming the gold standard for outdoor use. Today’s outdoor gas fireplaces are not only attractive, they also offer a high safety profile with convenience and cleanliness.

Read on to learn more about what makes outdoor gas fireplaces the best choice for your family.

What is the Safety Profile of Gas Burning Fireplaces?

Whether you purchase a wood-burning or a gas fireplace for outdoor use, carbon monoxide will still be a resulting by-product. However, these types of fireplaces are the ideal choice for installation in the great outdoors since you already have a built-in ventilation system.

If installing your gas fireplace/fire feature in an outdoor space that is partially covered, you will need to take care to ensure proper ventilation is in place to avoid the accumulation of carbon monoxide fumes.

One of the most critical aspects of gas fireplaces that increases their safety profile is their clean-burning technologies. Natural gas and propane fireplaces do produce carbon monoxide; however, it is in greatly reduced capacities to wood-burning units.

Still, it is important for you to remember that gas fireplaces will still produce some pollutants that must be appropriately vented to ensure the utmost in safety.

Generally speaking, outdoor gas fireplaces produce fewer harmful greenhouse gas emissions, positive news for the environment from a climate change and safety perspective.

Outdoor gas fireplaces also offer greater safety than their traditional wood-burning counterparts since you will not be subject to dealing with sparks, airborne particulates, or smoke, three of the biggest safety hazards.

To increase overall gas fireplace safety, it is recommended that you purchase a protective screen to place in front of the glass insert. This screen helps to prevent burns from occurring by preventing people from touching the hot glass surface.

What Makes Gas Burning Safer than Wood?

Though both gas and wood-burning fireplaces are considered to be safe, experts agree that gas burning is the preferred option from a safety perspective.

Since wood-burning fireplaces rely on regular cleaning to ensure their safety, the chances of dangerous fires occurring is higher.

Unlike wood-burning fireplaces, gas fireplaces can be turned on and left unsupervised for short periods of time without putting you, your family, or your home at risk.

Additionally, wood-burning fireplaces emit several different pollutants that can be hazardous to your family’s health including:

• Formaldehyde
• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
• Benzene

Appropriate ventilation, even outdoors, is required for both types of fireplaces to ensure the utmost of safety.

Wood-burning fireplaces are responsible for 75 percent greater carbon dioxide production than natural gas. Gas-fueled fireplaces also emit carbon dioxide; however, the amount is only half or 2/3rds of that produced by burning wood.

Additionally, even when considering the most efficient and clean wood-burning fireplaces, gas fireplaces are responsible for far fewer toxic emissions.

Gas fireplaces operate at lower temperatures, making them safe for use around children and pets if screens are installed in front of them to prevent accidental touching of the glass.

What are the Benefits of Gas Fireplaces?

There are many advantages gas fireplaces provide that have helped tip the balance of the scales in their favor in recent years. Among the benefits gas fireplaces offer over traditional wood-burning units are:

Convenience

Gas-powered fireplaces operate via a simple switch. Turn it on, and you have instant fire and warmth. Turn it off, and the fire is immediately extinguished.

This means no waiting for the fireplace to generate heat and also means no need to supervise the extinguishing of any flames to ensure no spontaneous fires begin to rage out of control.

The fuel supply is continuous and contained, meaning there is no mess or work involved in keeping a fire going.  What could be easier?

Cleanliness

Though it is hard to resist the appeal of the smoke and warmth generated from a traditional wood-burning fireplace, there is one obvious advantage gas fireplaces offer: cleanliness.

Wood fireplaces generate a lot of smoke, soot, ash, wood chips, and bark that must be properly disposed of on a regular basis. Keeping a wood-burning fireplace clean is essential to maintaining appropriate safety conditions. Not to mention the chords of wood that need to be purchased, stacked, continuously fed into the fire and cleaned up before, during and after a fire.

Gas fireplaces burn cleanly and leave behind no residue. The environment remains clean before, during, and after use.

Flexibility of location

Since gas fireplaces function on natural gas or propane and are easily vented in the great outdoors, you have the luxury of placing your new fireplace anywhere your heart desires.

With a gas fireplace, you do not have the worry of selecting a place that allows for easy hauling of wood for burning and supplies for cleaning and soot and ash removal.

This flexibility of location permits you to install your new fireplace in the most attractive and beneficial location in your yard.

Greater opportunities for year-round use

Looking for a way to spend more time in the great outdoors even when temperatures start to fall?

A gas fireplace affords you the luxury of spending time outside even during the coldest winter months.

With a convenient and steady supply of fuel to keep your fireplace stoked for warmth, you can grab a cozy blanket and a hot cup of cocoa and head out to enjoy the beauty of winter in an outdoor setting that is both beautiful and comfortable.

Gas fireplaces allow you to make the most of your investment by giving you a longer period of time in which to enjoy your own backyard regardless of the season.

Diversity of styles to enhance your outdoor aesthetic

No longer are outdoor fireplaces relegated to the same dated styles. Many companies like Spark Modern Fires offer modern and elegant designs that are sure to add not only to your yard’s visual appeal but also to your overall property value.

Select an outdoor gas fireplace that suits your personality to a T with the excellent selection available at Spark Modern Fires. From Fire Ribbons to Fire Cubes, Fire Tables, and much more, Spark Modern Fires offers it all!

Are There Any Precautions Required to Ensure the Safety of Gas Fireplaces?

There are several important precautions recommended to ensure the safety of outdoor gas fireplaces. These include:

Have your fireplace installed by a qualified professional

When it comes to any appliance powered by natural gas, it is best to leave the job to a highly qualified and reputable professional. Though DIY projects often save some time and money, they can end in disaster, particularly when the appliance is reliant on natural gas to function.

Be certain to hire a highly qualified professional with experience in the safe installation of outdoor gas fireplaces.

Purchase and install a safety screen

For the maximum in safety efforts, all gas fireplaces should have a screen in place to prevent the glass from being touched. Children and pets seeking to get close to the heat source may trip and fall, potentially causing serious burns should they touch the surface of the fireplace.

When selecting your protective screen, be sure to choose one that is the least likely to retain and conduct heat. Many companies sell their gas fireplaces with the recommended screens to ensure the utmost in safety.

Have your fireplace inspected annually

Annual inspections by a licensed gas technician or fireplace professional are critical. During an inspection, your gas professional will inspect the gas lines, clean the key areas of your fireplace, and examine the unit for signs of condensation.

Inspections should be done once yearly at a minimum.

Thinking now is the perfect time to add an outdoor gas fireplace to your home? Spark Modern Fires is the team you need. Contact our team of friendly professionals now at 203-791-2725 or by email at info@sparkfires.com. We look forward to serving you!