The weather is prime, your deck is freshly power washed and the sun is just beginning to set. It’s the perfect time for a bonfire! As you prepare for many cozy and festive summer nights ahead. Here are some firepit safety tips.

Check the Weather Report

You should always check the local weather before lighting up your firepit. If heavier than usual winds are forecasted, it may be best to call off your bonfire altogether. Windy conditions make it quite difficult to get a fire going. Once the fire is going, all it takes is one heavy gust of wind to send dangerous sparks flying. Not to mention, no one likes breathing in smoke as it wildly circulates around.

Place Your Firepit in the Open

Be sure to keep your firepit a reasonable distance away from trees and bushes with overhanging branches. One wayward spark has the potential to put a major damper on your evening of fun. You should also avoid keeping your firepit under overhangs for circulation and fire safety reasons.

Don’t Burn Just Any Wood

When homeowners have scrap wood, they sometimes see a bonfire as the perfect way to get rid of it. You should only burn dried-out logs in your fire pit, rather than scrap construction materials like plywood or pallets. These woods are chemically treated, and you certainly don’t want to breathe in those toxins. Oak is generally considered to be the best type of wood to burn because it burns efficiently and generates only moderate levels of smoke compared to alternatives like pine.

Be Prepared for Emergencies

We certainly hope that you avoid any firepit scares this summer, but it’s always worth being prepared in case of an emergency. Luckily you should be able to avoid most scares by following these safety measures:

• Keep a fire extinguisher nearby
• Always keep the fire under direct supervision
• Pay close attention to no burn alerts during droughts

Keep Your Property Looking Squeaky Clean with Peak Power Wash

I hope that these firepit safety tips will keep you safe. Peak Power Wash provides experienced home power washing and pressure washing to the greater Carroll County, Howard County and Baltimore County areas. We are proud to help homeowners give their homes, decks and patios extra TLC without doing damage to any of their property. To learn more about our services, call us today at (443) 686-WASH or visit our website.