Outdoor fireplaces are a solid investment which comes with significant benefits – the best known of which is a relaxing place to rest while warming your feet. Regardless of widely held belief, however, these functional pieces do not become simply decorative ones once the frigid winter months have passed. Although winter may see the most use of an outdoor fireplace, these majestic home additions have many uses through the year.
To help get homeowners the most of their investment, we have below compiled a non-inclusive listing of just a few of the many great ways you can use your fireplace throughout the whole year. It has been broken down by season for your convenience, with the mild-weathered seasons of fall and spring being categorized together. Look at our list to get some ideas on how you can use that outdoor fireplace now!
Winter
- To stay warm while relaxing or entertaining guests outside.
- For traditional meal cooking. An example of a winter favorite is beef stew slow-roasted over an open flame.
- For lighting at night without attracting as many bugs as florescent lights.
- Roasting nuts.
- A romantic date-night-in setting.
- To hang stockings and lights without cluttering your living room.
- Roasting marshmallows or creating smores.
- A place for entertaining the kids with stories when the weather does not allow for much else.
Summer
- For traditional meal cooking. Summer is perfect for hot dogs, hamburgers, or pot roasts – all of which can be cooked over the open flames of your outdoor fireplace.
- For lighting at night without attracting as many bugs as florescent lights.
- Slow drying fresh fish (for families who have fishermen).
- Dry firewood out (at a safe distance) to stack for winter use.
- If you are not going to traditionally use your fireplace for burning during the summer months? Use it as a place to stack wood for the colder months!
- Keep some of those bugs at bay, as several species prefer to not go near fires – for obvious reasons.
- A light burning fire is the perfect place to hang wet towels or bathing suits after being in the pool – and without tracking the water throughout the home.
Fall/Spring
- To stay warm while relaxing or entertaining guests outside on those cool nights.
- For traditional meal cooking. Fall is perfect for stuffed, roasted squash while spring is the time for stuffed peppers!
- For lighting at night without attracting as many bugs as florescent lights.
- Slow drying game meat (for those families with hunters).
- The ashes can be used for compost during the fall planting season.
- Create a spooky witches cauldron area for Halloween.
Remember this list is not all-inclusive. There are many other ways you can get use from your outdoor fireplace in Maryland throughout the year. If you would like to find even more ways to use your outdoor fireplace just use a little imagination and some ingenuity! For now, it’s time to settle in and enjoy your outdoor space in all its rustic wood-burning glory.
