Propane fire pits offer homeowners maximum convenience. They can give you a beautiful, quality flame while saving you the hassle of refilling gel or wood and cleaning leftover ashes.
However, safety is one of the main concerns when it comes to using these fire pits. A particularly common question in this regard is “can you use a propane fire pit indoors?”
Today, we’re providing answers not only for this question but also for a bunch of related questions to put your mind at ease when using a propane fire pit inside the house.
What is a Propane Fire Pit?
As the name suggests, propane fire pits use propane gas to generate and fuel fires. They often come in large sizes and serve as the focal point of the room or patio. As such, they’re usually designed with faux wood, glass, or rock pebbles.
There are a few different types of propane fire pits, here’s a brief breakdown of each one:
- Portable Propane Fire Pit — one of the best investments you can make, a portable propane fire pit will provide warmth, ambiance, and cooking options just about anywhere you want. They’re either equipped with wheels or built lightweight enough to easily carry.
- Copper Bowl Fire Pit — this is a fancy option for an outdoor fire pit. Copper has an extremely high melting point, which makes it very durable and quite costly.
- Fire Pit Table — these propane fire pits look like a table with a rim surrounding the flames. It features a large ledge to maximize safety and provide a place to rest drinks or plates of food.
Are Propane Fire Pits Safe?
As with most products, propane fire pits aren’t all manufactured the same. So, if you want to make sure you’re buying the safest possible option, choosing your propane fire pit with the following considerations in mind:
- Purchase the product from a reputable manufacturer as they’re likely to put safety first.
- Check that the product is CSA approved and tested for safety.
Can You Use a Propane Fire Pit Indoors?
For the most part, the answer here would be no. Using propane fire pits indoors can be very dangerous, especially if you fail to provide proper ventilation. Even if someone tells you otherwise, you should still check the safety precautions in the manufacturer’s manual for your specific model.
That being said, there are some cases where propane-fueled fire pits can be safely used indoors. For example, if you have a fire pit table that uses liquid propane, you can bring it inside to heat a large room. It can also double as a coffee table.
Do Propane Fire Pits Produce Carbon Monoxide?
Propane fire pits give off carbon dioxide as a result of the normal process of combustion. As the gas further burns, it produces carbon monoxide as a by-product.
Since the gas is odorless and colorless, it’s impossible to tell whether or not it’s present inside your home unless you use a carbon monoxide detector.
Are Propane Fire Pits Dangerous Indoors?
Propane fire pits aren’t necessarily dangerous, but they do have a unique set of potential hazards which include a person accidentally leaving the propane gas running after the fire has been put off. This can be extremely dangerous if a spark happens to be fired near the pit.
How Do I Light a Portable Propane Fire Pit?
Start by connecting the hose to the propane tank. Once you get it attached, the flow of propane should move down the hose into the fire pit.
From here and depending on your model, you can either turn on the automatic ignition or use a BBQ lighter for manual ignition.
Can you Use a Propane Fire Pit in a Garage?
Propane fire pits, or any gas fire pit for that matter, should be used only outdoors. Avoid using your propane fire pit inside a building, garage, or any other enclosed area without proper ventilation.
Can You Use Propane Lanterns Indoors?
All propane gas lanterns (as well as natural gas lanterns) that feature either an automatic shutoff valve or electronic ignition are CSA Certified to comply with ANSI Standard Z21. 42 for indoor and outdoor use.
What does CSA Approved Mean?
When a product is certified by the CSA, this means it has undergone tests by a global testing organization known as the Canadian Standards Association. They grant their stamp of approval only to products that are completely safe and working without issues.
Also, they pre-install and test the ignition on propane fire pits at the factory to ensure safety.
Can I Cook Food on a Propane Fire Pit?
Technically speaking, you can cook food on a propane fire pit. However, it’s not recommended for cooking anything more complex than toasting some marshmallows.
Why? Well, when cooking food, grease or other materials will likely drip down the pit.
This can damage some of the interior parts and create a sticky, hard-to-clean mess. Not to mention, it can make your fire pit look pretty gross.
How Do I Store a Propane Tank Safely?
Here are some guides to safely store your propane tanks:
- Keep the propane tanks at least 10 feet away from your house.
- Make sure they’re nowhere near other flammable items.
- Store your propane tanks in a vertical position to protect the valve from damage and prevent potential gas leaks.
- Keep the gas cylinders standing inside a box or crate to prevent them from tipping over.
- Be sure to always check the installation manual for extra safety instructions.
Wrap Up
So can you use a propane fire pit indoors? Well, as you can tell by now, this isn’t a good idea.
Using a propane fire pit inside your house can be very dangerous, especially if you don’t provide proper ventilation. That being said, you can safely use certain types of propane fire pits indoors such as fire pit tables.
You can bring one of them inside to heat a large room while serving as a coffee table.