Fire pits?

[womanity]

Are wood burning fire pits acceptable in a suburban garden?

I want one, with all socialising being outdoors and all, but I can’t get past that they create a lot of smoke and I’m not sure I’d like it if my neighbours were using one.

Are they okay or are they polluting, anti-social monstrosities?

SIL has one of these and acts like it's the best thing since sliced bread. Coughing and hacking because of the smoke, freezing cold on a camp chair then stinking to high heaven because of the smog?

No thanks.

No worse than barbecues, which I loathe.

I can feel my blood starting to boil just at the the thought of all that burnt fat smoke wafting across my garden. Use your bloody oven like civilised people.

@Eyevorbig0ne we have been looking at the Weber one (Dh is a big Weber fan), I agree that what you actually burn probably makes a big difference. We use smokeless coals on the bbq.

I love them and the smell is great - knock yourself out providing no one's washing is hanging out :)

I think this year everyone will understand.
Don't kick the arse out of it and burn as clean as possible but don't be put off.

Please don't. I am becoming increasingly pissed off with my nextdoor neighbours, who are usually lovely, as they have one and seem to use it all the flipping time. "Yay, it's Wednesday we must use it at 3.30pm - who cares that the neighbours have their washing out ". "Yay, it's not raining today, let's light it" it makes my house stink. I've already searched our local council if they have any restrictions on using them.

they're horrible. get a biofuel one. No smoke

Get one with a chimney that takes any smoke higher before releasing it. Use kiln dried or biofuel for less smoke. Be thoughtful and considerate.

Avoid all together in gardens that are less than about 1/3 acre.

@DareIask

No worse than barbecues, which I loathe.

I can feel my blood starting to boil just at the the thought of all that burnt fat smoke wafting across my garden. Use your bloody oven like civilised people.

Do you mean like a gas barbecue?

Ah well. Blankets it is..

Treat yourself to a couple of heated throws.
Also when socialising outside in the evenings at this time of year you need to dress like you're camping, layers, many layers if you're in Scotland. It was 1c this morning and 15c this afternoon

We have one and use it maybe 2-3 times a year. We only light it once dark. But I would say they are crap at actually keeping you warm and you have to wash your clothes after.

But I think long as you’re not doing it every night it’s not the end of the world.

Don't do it! Neighbors had theirs out yesterday for the first time this year - even with all the windows shut it still stank out our back room!

But saying that, we have a big garden in a detached house!

Ours is going now for the 2nd time this week. We love it. Our neighbours have one too. 😄

We have one. We use it on the weekend we aren't camping. Wr make sure all our neighbours have their washing in and have it on the side of our garden with no neighbours.

I love the smell of a wood fire! Didn’t realise so many people hated it. I really wouldn’t mind if my neighbour had one. I’d like one myself but couldn’t be bothered with the faff (or the annoyed neighbours)

Our neighbours have one. And a log burner.
There isn’t a single season that we don’t have our house stinking of their smoke.

I love the smell of them too. I grew up in a house with a real fire.

You can buy different fuels for them. Last year I used coffee ground logs . ...

I've had one for years. We only use it probably 2-3 times a year. Nextdoor use their BBQ (and firepit) most weekends in the summer.

But, I live rurally and have a long garden. Allotments behind us. We light the firepit at end of garden over 120ft from house. The kids like helping me light it and we normally toast marshmallows and watch the stars. Firepit is now at least as old as my youngest, so over 8 years old. Xh refused to use it so one of the first things I did when he left was light it with the kids. We have lots of happy memories using it. The only time I regretted lighting it was when the wind picked up and smoke was everywhere. I put it out after 10 mins or so.

nearby neighbours had a diy one made out of an old washing machine drum that was in their outdoor space -can hardly call it a garden, more like somewhere that's been flytipped- and seemed to burn anything they could find- they were constantly reported to police, fire brigade and council all during lockdown 1 . We are in a smoke control area so they could have been fined.

Get a trampoline and a hot tub as well, just in case you're not being annoying enough with a fire pit.

@Somanysocks

Get a trampoline and a hot tub as well, just in case you're not being annoying enough with a fire pit.

We're picking our trampoline up tomorrow! The kids are dead excited 😁

FYI they seem to give me a mother of all hangovers, like I've smoked 50 a day for years, and you smell like you just walked out of a 90's club.
I've got a propane garden heater. Still shit for the environment but less anti social.

My neighbours has been pissing me off all afternoon/evening. My kitchen stinks. I have one but I burn it away from the house. They are burning by my patio doors ffs.

Woodsmoke is carcinogenic.