How do I winterize my gas fire pit at the end of the season?
Three steps: disconnect and store the propane tank outdoors, upright and valve-closed (or shut off the gas at the valve for a natural-gas pit); cover or store the fire pit so rain and snow stay off the burner and igniter; and clear the burner ports and pan of leaves and debris. Do it before the first hard freeze so moisture can't sit in the burner all winter.
What actually needs protecting
The parts that hate a WNC winter are the ones you can't see: the burner tube, the ignition electrode, and the gas valve. Water that works into a burner sits there and rusts, then blocks the ports so half the flame won't light come spring. A wet igniter corrodes and stops sparking. So winterizing is really about keeping moisture off those three things for five or six months.
If your pit is a freestanding table or bowl, the easiest move is to bring the whole unit into a garage or shed once it's disconnected. A built-in gas fire pit set into stone or a masonry surround can't move — so a snug cover over the burner and a good fitted cover over the whole pit matter that much more.
Handling the fuel
For a propane pit, close the tank valve, disconnect the regulator, and store the tank outdoors — upright, in a shaded, well-ventilated spot, away from the house and out of any basement or living space. Never store a propane cylinder indoors for the winter. If you'd rather leave it hooked up, at minimum close the tank valve and cover the connection.
For a natural-gas pit fed by a buried line, there's no tank to deal with — just shut the gas off at the pit's shutoff valve for the season so nothing can seep into a cold, unused burner.
Fire glass, rock, and our wet winters
Fire glass and lava rock trap water, and a pan full of frozen slush isn't kind to a burner. Where you can, scoop the media into a dry bin or cover it tightly so the pan drains and stays dry. If glass or rock does get soaked and you fire the pit before it dries next season, trapped moisture can make pieces pop — another reason to keep it covered.
Our freeze-thaw cycles and leaf-drop are the real enemies up here. A pit that ran fine in October can be a hassle in April if leaves nested in the burner and moisture rusted the ports over winter. Twenty minutes now saves a service call later — and if the pit was already acting up at season's end, don't let it winter over broken. Call (828) 545-0525 and we'll sort it before spring.
Related questions
- What do I need to do to get my gas fire pit running again after it sat unused all winter?
- Should I cover my gas fire pit when I'm not using it?
- Should I leave the propane tank hooked up to my fire pit between uses?
- Can I use my gas fire pit in the winter?
- What's the proper way to shut down a gas fire pit after using it?
- How do I light the pilot light on my gas fireplace?
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