Follow these tips to keep your outdoor fireplace burning brightly and safely for years to come.
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10 Outdoor Fireplace Maintenance Tips
Updated on Jan. 05, 2024
What Is an Outdoor Fireplace?
Just because it’s outside and you build a fire in it, is it an outdoor fireplace? Not quite!
Distinct from fire pits, built-in grills or pizza ovens, outdoor fireplaces are built-in features that largely mimic indoor fireplaces. “Most are single sided, and run the gamut of wood burning, gas and even electric,” says Keith Richardson, president of Arizona Fireplaces.
In any climate, Richardson says, an outdoor fireplace can create ambiance, provide warmth during cooler months and add beauty to any backyard.
Typically made of bricks or stone, an outdoor fireplace is often the focal point of a backyard entertainment area. And because there’s often lots of space available, outdoor fireplaces can be big — really big!
The firebox can be large enough to hold a roaring fire. Chimneys are often as decorative as they are functional, because sufficient draft is not usually an issue.
The one major issue? Maintenance. Follow these outdoor fireplace maintenance tips to keep yours functional well and looking great.
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Clean After Every Use (or at Least Try)
“I always say you should treat it the way you’d treat your indoor fireplace,” says Richardson. And that means cleaning it after each use, or at least after every few fires.
While there aren’t the same air quality issues as there are with indoor fireplaces, it’s still a good habit to clean out the ash, soot and debris left behind after a fire. You’ll avoid stains that might develop outside the firebox, and also keep ash from blowing around your patio surfaces.
To clean a wood-burning fireplace, make sure the fire is completely extinguished and the wood completely cooled. Then gather any remaining wood and brush out the ash using a fireplace brush and shovel. You can also clean up completely cooled finer debris with a shop vacuum.
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Reassemble Logs or Media Correctly
If you’ve taken apart and cleaned your electric or gas fireplace, putting it back together may not seem like that big of a deal. But gas fireplaces with ceramic logs usually have specific assembly specs, and Richardson says it’s important to put them back exactly per this factory configuration.
The logs are configured to retain heat and allow for the safe passage of gas. It’s a good idea to take a video as you disassemble the ceramic logs so you can confirm where each one goes.
If you clean or replace fireplace media, like the fire-glass or stones in linear gas fireplaces, make sure you’re using a material approved by the manufacturer, and the correct amount.
Here’s another tip for cleaning those ceramic logs: “Use a paint brush to clean soot off the log set,” says Richardson. “Don’t use water!”
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Wash the Grate
If you own a wood-burning fireplace, the cast iron grate (the thing the wood rests on) is probably going to outlive you. Still, you should clean it at least a few times a year.
This is an even dirtier job than cleaning out ash, so make sure you wear old clothes and rubber gloves. A hose with a pressure nozzle and a wire brush should be all the tools you need.
Scrub off accumulated soot with the brush as you rinse with the hose. Make sure to do this over grass so you don’t dirty any patio or deck surfaces. If you want to go the extra mile, apply a coat of cast iron oil.
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Repair Masonry Right Away
A little piece of mortar missing from your stone or brick may not seem like a big deal. But Paolo Marchetti, a stonemason in central Italy, cautions those little chips can add up to big problems. (Disclosure: Marchetti is my husband.)
“If a small piece of mortar is missing,” he says, “it’s going to turn into a larger piece over time.”
The greater risk is condensation — water getting into the masonry, breaking down brick, developing mold and, if you’re in a cold enough climate, freezing and causing structural damage. “Take the time to fix the little problem now, before it becomes a much bigger one,” Marchetti says.
For repairs to masonry that comes in contact with heat or flames, make sure you use refractory mortar.
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Trim Nearby Plants and Trees
Ostensibly, gardening might not have much to do with outdoor fireplace maintenance. But there are two good reasons to keep foliage away from your fireplace.
First, to avoid the risk of any nearby plants or trees catching fire. Second, to keep those same plants from getting too cozy on your fireplace masonry.
“Weeds, grass, tree roots and especially vines like to cling to the uneven surface of a masonry fireplace, and they’ll find any little crack and move into it,” says Marchetti. “The crack will get bigger as the plant grows, water will get in, and there goes your masonry.”
If hand-weeding and trimming doesn’t work, it might be time to try some weed killer.
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Replace the Firebox When the Time Comes
The boxed-shaped interior area where the fire burns is aptly called the firebox. It’s most often made of refractory panels or a stainless steel insert. (Marchetti likes to build fireplaces with stainless inserts, which protect the brick from heat-related stains and damage.)
Over time, though, even those panels or inserts might crack or warp with intense heat. Inspect the firebox at least once a season, and change it out when it shows signs of wear and tear.
Before you take out the old firebox, clean out any debris and assess how the firebox attaches to the fireplace structure. Most are set with a series of screws and clips. Wear a pair of work gloves and keep the right-sized screwdriver handy, as well as a prying tool in case removal requires some elbow grease.
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Apply a Sealant
Even the best-constructed outdoor fireplace will settle and crack over time, with hairline spaces developing between brick and mortar. That’s why Marchetti says it’s essential to apply a waterproofing sealant every year.
“The product should be used on the exterior parts of the fireplace, to ensure that no water gets in, freeze, expands and damages the integrity of the structure,” he says.
Use a paint roller or even a paint sprayer to apply the sealant to a large area. Marchetti prefers a masonry paintbrush for getting into the nooks and crannies between bricks.
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Clean the Chimney Every Year
Chimney fires can start even in outdoor fireplaces. And while they’re not as dangerous as indoor chimney fires, they can still pose a safety and damage risk.
If you use your outdoor fireplace a lot during the year, clean the chimney annually, as a DIY job or by hiring a professional chimney sweep. For fireplaces with short chimneys, Marchetti says cleaning it yourself should be sufficient, especially if there’s not a lot of accumulated creosote and soot.
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Burn Dry Wood
“Softwoods like pine or fir or hardwoods that haven’t been sufficiently dried or seasoned will gunk up an outdoor fireplace just as they would an indoor one,” Marchetti says.
You shouldn’t use the outdoor fireplace as a trash pit, either. “Don’t burn yard waste, cuttings, garbage, or anything else that’s not the proper wood and kindling for a fireplace,” he says.
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Prioritize Safety
A roaring fire in an outdoor fireplace may feel safer than an indoor one, but it’s still fire. “Safety is always a first priority when including an outdoor fireplace in your outdoor living space,” says Richardson.
Before you build your outdoor fireplace, he says, ensure you have enough open area around and above it to protect your home, patio and any nearby structures. “A fire extinguisher should always be close enough to reach in case it is ever needed,” Richardson says.
About the Experts
Keith Richardson is president of Arizona Fireplaces, a family-run business in Phoenix that sells ready-made and custom-built fireplaces, barbecues, outdoor living and hearth accessories.
Paolo Marchetti owns Marchetti Multiservizi, a construction and masonry company in central Italy. Trained as a traditional stonemason, he’s known for restoring centuries-old stone houses.
