Brevard gets more rain than almost anywhere we serve — 80-plus inches a year in Transylvania County — so the honest Brevard answer is yes, a gas fire pit can stay out all winter, but only if you respect the water. Cold at 2,230 feet is harmless. It's the relentless wet, freezing and thawing, that rusts an unprotected pit.
Rain is the whole ballgame here
The same 80 inches that crack chimney crowns and rust dampers all over Brevard is what a fire pit has to survive. Every drop that collects in the burner pan, freezes overnight, and thaws by afternoon is chipping at the metal and corroding the igniter. In a drier climate you could get lazy about a cover; in Brevard and out toward Connestee Falls and Sherwood Forest, you genuinely can't.
Propane country means tank care
Brevard is propane country — most pits out here run off a cylinder, not a gas main. Wintering one means disconnecting the tank, capping the line, and keeping the regulator clear of ice and standing water. The connection between tank and pit is licensed gas work; the landscaper who set your stone can build a beautiful surround but legally can't make Brevard's fuel connections in NC. We can, permitted through Transylvania County.
Cover it like you mean it
Use a fitted, breathable cover so the rain stays off but trapped condensation can escape, and confirm the pan drains instead of holding a wet bed. A built-in pit set up this way stays put through the wettest winter. Portable tabletop models, though, belong under cover. We're 40 minutes southwest — call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Brevard
We install and service fireplaces throughout Brevard and the rest of Transylvania County — just 40 minutes southwest from our Asheville-area showroom.