hosting-a-fire-pit-hang-this-summer?-heres-how-to-keep-it-safe-and-neighborly
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Hosting a Fire Pit Hang This Summer? Heres How to Keep It Safe and Neighborly

ByStan S.

HOME BUYERS – To get the best exclusive listings visit www.vreg.ca and go to “EXCLUSIVE DEALS”

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Get the most use out of your fire pit without ruffling feathers next door.

Key Takeaways

  • Always follow local fire regulations to ensure a safe gathering.
  • Be mindful of your neighbours by managing smoke, noise, and the timing of your fire pit hangout.
  • Foster a sense of community by being inclusive and occasionally inviting neighbours to join the fun.

If you own a fire pit, your backyard is destined to be a popular gathering place amongst friends during the summer months, especially when s’mores are involved. But there are a few considerations hosts should take into account to keep their gathering cozy, safe, and neighbourly. Follow these tips for using your fire pit responsibly this summer.

Know Your Local Laws

It’s not the most exciting part of outdoor gatherings, but one of the most important things you can do as a host is make sure you and your guests aren’t breaking the law. Check local laws to make sure recreational fires are permitted in your area.

Local ordinances will also outline any materials or fuels that may be prohibited from burning. And regardless of where you live, remember to never burn construction waste, plastic, garbage, or yard waste, which can be toxic.

Burn a Clean Fire

Your guests might be okay with smelling a little smoky post-fire, but your neighbors might not share that sentiment. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers several tips for how to reduce pollution from a wood-burning fire:

  • Make sure your wood is both dry and seasoned. Dry, seasoned wood burns hotter and cleaner than the alternative.
  • Measure your fire’s moisture with a moisture meter. The recommended moisture content for a wood-burning fire is about 20%.
  • Never burn wood during air quality alert days—air pollution is already high without the smoke from your fire.
  • Convert your fire pit into a natural gas or propane burner, both of which give off lower levels of airborne pollutants.
  • Never burn green wood, which creates excess smoke.

Practice Safe Fire Management

A fire is cozy, yes, but it’s still a fire. Once the flames are roaring, a responsible host should keep an eye on things to keep everyone safe. Don’t ever leave a fire unattended, and make sure to keep a water source nearby. Plus, have a fire extinguisher handy.

Mind the Volume

Whether open flames are involved or not, any outdoor gathering should respect noise ordinances or curfews in effect. End your fire before your area’s curfew and communicate your gathering’s end time to guests so they know what to expect. If the party is still going strong when curfew arrives, move it inside. (Just make sure to transition to your inside voices.)

Be Inclusive

Part of being a good neighbour is intentionally connecting with the neighbourhood. Once or twice this summer, invite neighbours over to enjoy the festivities, especially if you live in close quarters such as an apartment community. Your neighbour’s feathers are less likely to be ruffled by your fire pit night if they’re in on the fun.

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    Credit: Getty Images / Vicki Smith Opening windows that have been painted shut can prove challenging, as dried paint creates a surprisingly strong hold. Whether it was a simple window painting mishap or your home got the “landlord special,” where every surface was covered with layers upon layers of white paint, you’ll need to break the seemingly impenetrable seal that the dried paint creates. To help you get started, this guide explains various methods for opening a window that has been painted shut, along with the necessary safety measures to use. How to Unstick Windows That Have Been Painted Shut To open windows that have been painted shut, you need to break through the paint holding the window shut. While this may sound simple, it can be difficult. Here are a few different effective methods, but you need to choose the one that is right for your situation. For example, if you want to preserve the paint on the window, choose a method that disturbs it as little as possible. 1. Apply Heat A heat gun is useful for warming and loosening the paint bond, which allows you to easily scrape it off the window and remove it from the sash so you can open the window. It can be challenging to pinpoint precisely where to apply the heat, so you should only rely on heat application if you aren’t looking to preserve the surrounding paint. Before using a heat gun, ensure there’s nothing nearby that can be damaged and refrain from using heat on plastic window sashes, as they may warp and melt. 2. Score the Paint With a Multitool Painter’s multitools, such as a 5-in-1 tool, are effective for scoring and cutting out paint that’s holding a window shut, as they’re both strong and sharp. However, the thicker blade might damage the surrounding paint, so choose this option only if you’re looking to replace the surrounding paint. 3. Score the Paint With a Utility Knife If you want to preserve the paint finish while also unsticking the window, scoring the seal with a razor blade or a utility knife can offer the cleanest cut. However, if your paint is old, brittle, or has several layers, it can be difficult to score it cleanly. If this is the case, a heat gun can be effective for warming and softening the paint, allowing you to score it more easily and cleanly. To preserve the paint on the window, avoid applying too much direct heat, as it can cause the paint to bubble and compromise its integrity. 4. Break Deeper Seals With a Putty Knife If you’ve scored the paint along the window sash, but the window still won’t budge, dried paint may have seeped deeper into the sash. To break this invisible paint’s hold, place a thin, flexible putty knife in the gap and lightly tap it with a hammer. Work your way around the window until you’ve fully broken the seal and the window opens. If the window has been painted shut, there’s a good chance it hasn’t been operable for years. To aid in future operation and prevent your window from getting stuck again, apply a spray lubricant, such as silicone spray, to the tracks. 5. Use Wood Shims to Open the Gap As you work your way around the window, slide thin wood shims into the gap to slightly hold the gap open, lightly tapping them into place with a hammer if needed. Be careful not to push the shims in too far, as this may stress the window and could even break the glass. 6. Score the Outside of the Window Still no luck? If you haven’t already, check the outside of the window to ensure it hasn’t been painted shut as well. Window Paint Removal Safety Tips Before attempting to remove paint, take the necessary safety precautions to keep you and those around you safe during the paint removal process. Test for lead paint. Removing lead paint requires a higher level of precaution . Most experts recommend skipping lead paint removal and instead opting for encapsulation, so your safest bet may be to score the paint enough to open the window without removing it altogether. Wear the appropriate safety gear. Whenever removing paint, wear the proper respirator to protect against both particles and fumes. Additionally, wear safety glasses and gloves when working with tools for paint removal. Use caution when scoring paint. Whenever you’re using a blade to score paint, use extreme caution and do so slowly and steadily. Moving too quickly or applying too much force may result in injury or damage to the surrounding materials. Consider masking the glass. When working around windows with hand tools, there’s a risk of broken glass. To protect your windows, consider taping cardboard to cover the glass while you work.

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    7 Things in Your Garage You Should Never Throw Away

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Overlooked—or perhaps simply insufficiently cleaned—are bathrooms, which are places most people hate to clean.” While you don’t have to clean, it is a nice gesture and one you would appreciate if the roles were reversed. “One of my sellers said to me, ‘They sought to present the home as they would wish to receive it,’” Zinsser said. “This has always stuck with me!” What You Should Clean When Leaving an Apartment  When it comes to cleaning an apartment or home rental, the rules are typically much more rigid and spelled out in the leasing documents. They often state that you must leave the space empty and broom-cleaned or swept. “For homeowners, cleaning is rarely a

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