Outdoor living is becoming more popular as indoor living space is shrinking and becoming an extremely high-cost premium. But what gives your home a fiery spark to send buyers rushing to write an offer? Perhaps, bringing the comforts of indoor living outside may help.

Outdoor fireplaces create a visual focal point and are often a quality of the home that attracts buyers. “This is a great way for people to warm up and gather around. They’re very well engineered,” says Peter Ross, CEO of Home & Hearth, Inc.

Here are a few quick tips if you’re planning to purchase an outdoor fireplace.

·  Consider your space: make sure you don’t go too large or too small for the area.

·  Wood-burning option: not all outdoor fireplaces are set up to burn wood; some only burn gas. Be sure to check that the one you buy accommodates wood-burning. “All of the fireplaces that are set up to burn wood can be fitted to burn gas as well but the ones that are only for gas are not set up to burn wood,” says Ross.

·  Location: make sure you put the outdoor fireplace in a safe spot. “You don’t want to set the outdoor fireplace on a wooden deck. You don’t have adequate protection around it from embers,” says Ross. He also says don’t put it underneath over-hanging trees or right up against your house. On a concrete patio or paving stones is a good location provided that there is lots of clear space in case sparks fly out.

·  Durability: “There are companies that are selling metal outdoor fireplaces with stucco enclosure around them. They look very nice but the fireplace that they’ve put in there—the metal fireplace—is not really made for outdoors. They’re just a plain steel fireplace which will rust in a few years, especially if your home is anywhere near the ocean,” says Ross. He says, if you purchase a metal outdoor fireplace, make sure the fireplace is from stainless steel.

·  Always remember safety first: use a spark screen if you plan to burn wood. A spark arrester on top of the chimney is a good addition and may be required by law in some areas.

Written by Realty Times Staff

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