Seeing water and fire elements in the yard is a great experience! Choose from the range of water and fire features, but the question is, which ones are the best fit for your outdoor living space?
This blog will provide tips in choosing the ideal water and fire elements for your design.
What are backyard water & fire features?
When it comes to creating an outdoor living environment, water and fire elements are popular choices. The water features include fountains, koi ponds, wading pools, waterfalls, and other eye-catching installations, which should be cleaned regularly and kept in a healthy balance. The function of a water feature determines whether it is a swimming pool or not.
Outdoor fires, chimineas, and patio heaters, as well as tank pits, pots, bowls, and tables, may all be used to create fire elements in your yard.
Water Features in the Backyard
Fountains
Most fountains use submersible pumps and motors that move water without filters so that the water doesn't get dirty. The only method to cleanse a rush is to use a leaf rake and a spa vacuum. Clean residue from the vessel, then drains it, clean it, and replace it with fresh water. Water fountains and cascades have water-filled lines with automatic filters and skimmers for vacuuming. They are filtered and powered by a pool-style pump and motor system.
Evaporation is an issue with most fountains and waterfalls since they are shallow and have a large water surface area. It is critical to maintaining enough water movement. The rapid evaporation rate may result in large-scale deposits at the waterline in a visually appealing tile or rock.
The wind is another danger associated with fountain upkeep. Wind will not only speed up evaporation, but it will also blow the water out of the fountain. The solution ensures enough water to keep the pump from running dry. Shut off the unit in severe circumstances.
Artificial rock and unique illumination have lifted the art of creating fountains and waterfalls to new heights in recent years. Water gives a remarkable living improvement to both indoor and outdoor environments, and the only limit is the designer's ingenuity. There are no easy or conventional guidelines for planning and creating waterfalls or fountains due to the specific technical needs of each design. An expert designer or builder can help you add a water feature or existing pool to your yard. Lifting and moving water for fountains and waterfalls have their own set of hydraulic needs.
Koi ponds
Unlike a regular pool or spa, a koi pond has unique requirements. Its circulation system must run 24 hours a day to oxygenate the water adequately. Preventive maintenance is crucial, as is recognizing issues before they become serious. Next, chlorine cannot clean the pond since it would kill the fish. Finally, the decaying detritus produced by koi, their food, and rotting ornamental plants is too much for a D.E. or cartridge filter to manage. As a result, only sand or biological filters are used in koi ponds. Koi, their food, and decomposing plants produce more decaying debris than a D.E. or cartridge filter can handle. The natural filtering process of a biological filter is generated by rotating many layers of gravel. Drain the pond with a submersible pump and scoop the biological filter gravel out using a shovel.
Keep a close check on the circulation, eliminating obstructions and cleaning filthy sand filters as soon as possible before the flow decreases to dangerously low levels. The koi will quickly perish if you throw a gallon of liquid chlorine into a muddy pool.
Wading Pools
When it comes to children's swimming pools, shallow pools have a separate pool and spa. Wading pools, spas, and pools are in today's designs, and the water circulates from one to the next. Wading pools are heated and filtered using three-port valves, similar to those in connected spas. These valves are usually automated. Cleaning and maintaining a wading pool is the same as cleaning any other collection.
Youngsters use wading pools so much that special care must provide a clean and balanced chemical environment on them. Young children's eyes and skin are especially vulnerable to the effects of excessive chlorine exposure. Because of children's frequent use of pools and the prevalence of leaks caused by three-port valves, most repairs need further cleaning efforts.
Water Falls
When adding a waterfall to an existing pool, integrate the fountainhead into the circulation system, treat it basically like any other return line, or install a separate suction line, pump, and return to the waterfall. As the water flow's height, volume, and diameter vary, the pressure. In reality, setting up a fountain head or spray show is straightforward. A ball valve controls the flow, allowing the height or diameter of the discharge to be adjusted. The real fountainhead connects to the water supply.
Fire Features in the Backyard
Fire Pits
The most common outdoor fire feature is a backyard fire pit. Fire pits exist in every form, size, and design. D.I.Y. versions resemble a campfire, while ready-made models are the height of elegance. Many D.I.Y. holes are stone constructed. The rocks form a circle around which the fire burns, like a campfire. The high-end construction materials may elevate the campfire aesthetic. Rare and exotic stones add beauty to the traditional style. Luckily, prefabricated fire pit options are practically endless. They are all designed for usage above ground. Unlike some of the permanently installed pieces, most details are easily moved. The material used in the building is metal resistant to corrosion, intense heat, and typical wear and tear. Iron, stainless steel, and copper are ideal.
A backyard pit usually uses wood as fuel. Besides wood, today, there's propane, natural gas, charcoal, bio-ethanol, and gel. There are also electric variants. Consider your intended usage while evaluating your alternatives. Your pit can heat your home as well as cook great food.
Fire Bowls
The distinctions between a fire pit and a bowl are subtle but distinct enough to warrant classification. Unlike a pit usually dug into the ground or surrounded by a concrete ring, a bowl is a movable metal bowl on its legs. It is like a bird feeder in which you heat the area.
A fire bowl's main advantage is portability. It is usually smaller and lighter than pits. Moving your bowl is also an option, and it is beneficial in colder climates where the winters may be severe. Instead of leaving your bowl outside, store it in a shed or garage. Fire bowls, like pits, come in many styles. Various designs are offered, from classic to modern. Types of fuel also come in a wide variety. While some bowls use wood, most use propane or natural gas.
Fire Columns
A fire column is a stunning outdoor fire element that combines the best of pits and bowls. This feature is a column with space on top of a fire. Most columns, like bowls, do not burn wood. Instead, they use propane or natural gas. A fire column resembles a bowl. Bowls are round, and columns are square or rectangular. Columns also have the advantage of being thin. Unlike a bowl, they take up less space on a patio. Most fire columns are wood or stone except for the metal interior, giving your backyard an authentic, natural appearance. Unlike pits and bowls, most columns are simply for heating and decoration. They aren't ideal for grilling or frying.
Fire Tables
Fire tables are one of the most striking outdoor fire elements. These unique tables combine purpose and style. They may be used as a table while simultaneously acting as a fire pit. One of these tables has a tiny gas or electric fire in the middle. You have several alternatives such as end tables, coffee, dining, and bar tables when it comes to fire tables. While rustic and traditional designs exist, most seem modern or contemporary. You can unify the style and function with a fire table in your outdoor entertainment area.
Chimineas
Known as chimineas in Spanish, these unusual fire features can be seen throughout Mexico and the American Southwest, but they're becoming more popular in other parts of the world. Terracotta has always been the material of choice for chiminea builders. However, contemporary metals are now much more widespread than the original model's material.
Chimineas provide warmth and are also the safest choice because of their enclosed design. It has a fireplace-like appearance with a bit of aperture in the chimney, completely encasing the actual fire. The majority of chimineas still use wood to burn. It also utilizes hickory, mesquite, or cedar as the wood, although any kind would do. Natural gas and propane chimineas are also available if you're not a lover of the wood-burning kind. Chimineas are not intended for usage during the cold months.
Patio heaters
Even though they aren't official, patio heaters perform the same function as an outdoor fire feature. Patio heaters are available in several styles and designs. A wide range of options is available, including floor-standing, wall-mounted, ceiling-mounted, and tabletop types. With a patio heater, you get the pleasures of a fire without having to worry about the dangers associated with it. Portable, energy-efficient, and very safe are just a few of the advantages of these devices.
Choosing the proper water and fire features for your outdoor living space
There is no such thing as a typical outdoor living space with its own set of requirements for perfection. A water or fire feature might be challenging to choose if you've decided to add one to your home.
Try to consider the climate where you reside. A swimming pool or spa could be a good investment for those who live in warmer temperatures. Consider installing a fireplace or beginning a fire pit for those who reside in colder climates.
The second thing to think about is what materials you'd want to use. As an alternative in building a water feature, you may utilize a more unusual material like wood decking or stone paving slabs. It is common to use cast iron, stainless steel, and copper for a fire feature. Wood, propane, natural gas, ethanol, gel, and electricity are the most frequent power sources.
The last consideration is the amount of space available for working. You'll need enough space to accommodate the size of your water and fire elements, as well as any additional furniture you intend to install in your outdoor living area.
Whatever water element you choose for your water feature will be determined by its size. If your water feature is too huge, it will take up a lot of room for outdoor furniture, so you need to prepare for that as well. Meanwhile, small patio heaters up to full-blown outdoor fireplaces come in various sizes for fire features.
Conclusion
Your yard will be more beautiful with a fire or water feature, so go ahead and put one in there. Make sure you choose the one suitable for your requirements and your wallet. Our staff is always available to help you.