How to use your Chimenea and Fire Pit
All chimenea's and fire pits need some kind on instructions. Clay chimenea's and cast iron chimenea's are fireplaces and we are going to burn fires in them. Each type has it's pro's and con's and both types are great but they both need a few instructions. And shameful enough most retailers sell chimeneas without instructions. We all assume it's basic enough we don't need them but we do need them. They aren't complicated but a few helpful tips go a long way.
Fire Pits
Are pretty basic. Just make sure you have a good safe spot. You'll want to take into consideration wind, and flying ashes. If they ashes fly where are they going and what can they do? We highly suggest using a safety screen for your fire pit. Highly highly suggested. If you have a fire pit and the screen needs replacing we sell replacement screens. We also make custom sizes screens as well. All I can say about fire pits is - They are open pits. If the wind changes- be ready before it happens. once of protection is worth a pound of cure. Think ahead of any potential problems that might arise. Then your set. Enjoy!
Cast Iron Chimeneas
are pretty much set to go. But there is usually some assembly required.
Once the chimenea is assemble put it in a predetermined location. This chimenea
isn't some thing your going to want to move around a lot. They are heavy
and hard to handle and a cast iron chimenea WILL break if dropped. Cast
iron chimeneas will get hot VERY fast. Clay chimeneas will get hot as well
but not like a cast iron chimenea. THe best investment with any chimenea
especially a cast iron chimenea is a good set of thick, long sleeved
stove gloves. 
I
stress - Be careful. The cast iron will get very hot and a simple touch
will blister. The cast iron chimenea is basically a wood burning stove that's
been used in our home for many years. WE just moved it outside. Get comfortable
with your chimenea before you start stacking up the fire.
Other then what we just mentioned your set to go. Use the chimenea and enjoy. Taking care of your cast iron chimenea? I recommend a chimenea cover . When your not using your chimenea and it's cooled down cover it up. This will save the paint from rusting. Every once in a while your going to need to re-paint your cast iron chimenea and i recommend this re-finishing kit I have put together. It's complete with a wire brush to brush off the rust and it comes with specially formulated heat resistant primer and paint. These two products were made to work together to give you the best heat resistant paint that you can apply out of a can.
Clay Chimeneas!
They can break! Clay chimeneas are made of Clay and they will break. Cast iron chimeneas will break as well, believe it or not
First thing to do is find a safe place to put your clay chimenea and think
about it before placing the chimenea.. Clay chimeneas are usually heavy
and I know for a fact they are bulky to move. The less movement the less
chance you have of accidentally dropping it and breaking the chimenea. So
give your back some mercy, fInd a safe spot first, then put the chimenea
in place. This is also just as important with cast iron chimeneas as well.
This spot should be clear of any over hanging trees, branches or brushes.
The exhaust coming out of the top of the chimenea has velocity and the heat
will rise far beyond the top of the chimenea. So make sure there's nothing
above the chimenea to catch fire.
The location should be on a flat and have fireproof surface such as rock, concrete, bricks or pavers. Sometimes when your moving the logs and stoking the fire some hot ashes may fall out the front so it's important that it's on a fire proof surface.
Some chimeneas have fire screens on the front but when your adding wood or stoking the fire the door is open so be careful. So it's just best to play it safe and make sure the chimenea is on a safe surface. And make sure there isn't any brush or combustible material around the chimenea.
Once you have found a good, safe spot you will want to put some pea gravel, lava rock or sand in the bottom of the chimenea. You'll want to fill the bowl so it's about one to two inches below the opening. What this does is it keeps the coal off the clay and it also raises the top of the burning fire above the opening. This will keep the smoke blowing out the top. Other wise it will come out the front opening and smoke out the deck.
Other then that your set to go. Start out with small fires and get use to your chimenea. Don't fill the bowl and go crazy. get to to know it. It doesn't take much to get a good cozy fire going. Like I tell my kids- Get a tuned to your fire. We do suggest putting a cover over your chimenea once it has cooled off. This is will add life to any chimenea. Protect it from the sun and all the other elements.
taking care of your clay chimenea
is no big deal. What we suggest is once or twice a year apply some chimenea
sealer to the clay. That's it. Just clean out the ashes and seal it
once in a while. Sealing the chimenea helps preserve the finish and protects
the clay from moisture. The worse enemy of a clay chimenea other then dropping
it, is water. The clay chimenea will absorb the water and make it softer.
The clay chimenea will last with out it the sealer but it will add life
and it will protect the finish.
CHIMINEA SEALER
The clay chimenea should be sealed and protected from water if possible.
The best method is to be sure the clay chimenea is sealed.
See sealer products here. This protects and seals the clay so when it
rains the water runs off just like a freshly waxed car. But this sealer
will wear off and must be re-applied every once in awhile. This is the most
important part of keeping your clay chimenea in good condition. Keeping
it sealed. The life of the sealer depends on a lot of factors. Usage is
one, not being covered is another. The chimenea sealer will usually last
about 3 to 6 months with average weekend usage before needing to be re-applied.
CHIMINEA COVERS
Covering your chimenea I think is important. See
chimenea covers here. This will prolong the life of the chimenea and
protect the paint from the UV rays from the sun. The paint will last longer
. I usually keep my clay chimenea covered during the week but on Friday
we usually take the cover off. During the weekend we just use a chimenea
lid for rain protection. See chimenea
lids here. Recover the chimenea during the week. This seems to be the
routine our family has adapted and the chimenea looks like new.
CLEANING THE CHIMINEA
First off you should have some sand or lava rock or pea gravel in the bottom
of the chimenea. Once your ready to clean out the ashes use a small shovel
and remove the rock and ashes. and put in a bucket and rinse them off with
water. I'll let the rock dry and put the rock back into the bowel of the
clay chimenea. If you fill the chimenea bowl with sand just rack out the
excessive ashes and turn the sand over. THen your good to go.
