Gas - NG or LP and how much?

Now that you understand what to expect from different sizes of fire rings, the next thing to consider is that which makes a burning ring something to behold, the gas. Gas fire pits are fueled by natural gas NG or liquid propane LP. The available gas determines the quality of the burner flame. Imagine putting time and money into a beautiful fire pit of your own design. You light it and it produces a 1 inch flame. What the hell happened?

Natural gas and liquid propane have their unique problems when applied to a fire pit. First of all for both, gas pressure rolls off over distance. Tapping into an existing smaller pipe with a larger pipe will not increase pressure. I strongly recommend using the services of a qualified plumber to assist in determining how to pipe the gas to the pit, and how much gas (in BTUs) to expect at that point. Someone qualified to measure gas pressure at the fire pit will save you much disappointment and expense later.

Let's start with natural gas for more detail. The most convenient source of natural gas for your home fire pit is the nearest line in the house. The problem with that is you are stuck with whatever pressure there is in that pipe. The architect may have designed the gas capacity to the house based on the expected usage. For instance, the architect may have sized the supply pipe from the meter to support the furnace, the water heater, and the kitchen stove. As I mentioned before, 150,000 BTU is an excellent pressure level for 18" and 24" fire rings. You may find there is considerably less in the pipe you plan to tap into. If you find that is indeed the case, the resolution is to run a line from the gas meter directly to the pit. Your plumber should be able to to select a pipe size that will deliver the quantity of gas necessary to run the pit for the desired burn.

Next post: "Let's talk propane"