Hearth Health: 12 Tips for a Better Outdoor Fireplace

Heavily used from November through March, this outdoor fireplace is kept in camera-ready condition thanks to proper maintenance, aesthetically appealing accessories and designer touches.

Over time, refractory fire box panels may crack or become damaged. For safety and stylistic reasons, it's best to replace these panels once their age begins to show. To replace the panels, protect both hands with carpenter's gloves, then locate screws along the tops of the side panels, loosen the screws with a screwdriver or drill, and take the panels off their clips. Repeat the same process for the back panel. Should the replacement panels require custom cuts, make these cuts using a circular saw before placing the panels on their clips and securing them inside with screws.

Metal fire grates, although virtually indestructible, will require occasional maintenance and possible replacement. To keep a fire grate looking new, consider washing it with a hose and scraping away any soot with a wire brush once or twice a year. This will keep the fireplace looking great during the months it's not in use, ridding its interior of dust and soot.

The quickest and most efficient way to care for an outdoor fireplace is with an ash vacuum or shop vacuum. For safety reasons, these vacuums are only intended for use with cold ashes. Several days after a fire has been extinguished, use the vacuum to remove all ashes from the fire box, then properly discard of them in conjunction with city codes and regulations.