Find answers within this guide to chimineas, including placement for optimal heating and aesthetics.
Few things enhance an outdoor space like a chiminea: a cozy, durable fire pit with legs. As a chiminea owner, you likely have questions about how to care for it and what you can do with it.
Find answers to all your questions in this guide to chimineas as you continue reading.
Table of Contents
Related Reading: Best Chimney Cap to Install for Your Home
Guide to Chimineas-History
Chimineas originated in Mexico in the 16th or 17th century. They were traditionally made of clay and used as ovens and furnaces inside homes for cooking and heating.
Chimineas are now primarily used for decoration outdoors in dining and entertainment areas and are constructed from various materials including steel, cast aluminum, copper, and cast iron.
Chimineas are still suitable for cooking with proper use and equipment.
How Does a Chiminea Work?
Chimineas were originally designed for use in Mexican homes centuries ago.
They feature a wide potbelly base and a tall, narrow chimney that directs smoke and cinders outside through a hole in the roof.
They provide a controlled and clean fire for the people.
The fuel, traditionally wood, was added to a large fire bowl on the structure’s face to disperse heat and prevent rain from extinguishing the fire.
Nowadays, chimineas come in various sizes to fit different spaces. Larger ones are usually made in two pieces – the base and the chimney.
Although useful, chimineas can get damaged easily. However, you can extend their lifespan by purchasing a cover to protect them from the elements such as rain, snow, wind debris, too much sunlight, and heat.
A cover will help prevent cracking and rusting.
It is essential to cover the inside of the chiminea bowl with three inches of sand before lighting a fire to protect it from cracking in high heat.
Let’s look at other crucial information in this guide to chimineas.
Should You Use a Chiminea on a Deck?
It is not recommended to place your chiminea on a deck. Chimineas should be placed on fire-resistant surfaces like sand, clay tiles, bricks, or pavement slabs.
The high temperatures chimineas reach, even when fueled by ethanol, pose a fire hazard to wood decking. Windy days increase the risk of burning debris falling from the fire bowl.
You can place your chiminea on your deck if it is on the correct pad material.
However, you must make sure that your deck can support the weight of the chiminea and the fire-resistant material it is resting on.
Additionally, the deck should be large enough to ensure that the fireplace is at a safe distance from your house.
How Close Can a Chiminea be to a House?
It’s unsafe to place a chiminea close to your house or under any awnings, wooden balconies, or lawn shades due to smoke, sparks, and cinders that are directed upward.
You should consider wind direction when lighting fires as smoke and sparks can easily spread to nearby flammable objects, leaving unwanted sooty residues that don’t match your house’s paint job.
Consumer Reports recommends giving your chiminea a 10 feet radius from fire-susceptible materials or structures, similar to a fire pit.
Installing a spark arrester on the chimney top can reduce the risk of accidental fires. These cages are appropriately named as they effectively trap any lit debris.
You can either make a spark arrester with chicken wire or buy one with a smaller grate that fits.
How Hot Does a Chiminea Get?
What your chiminea is made of and what fuel you use will affect how hot it gets. Clay chimineas can reach nearly 100 degrees Fahrenheit and radiate heat up to 6 feet away.
Clay chimineas are prone to cracking if they get too hot, so they are not recommended for fuels that burn hotter than wood, such as charcoal or smokeless coal.
It is best to look for clay chimineas made with heat-resistant clay than terracotta, which should be stated on their label.
It is unclear how hot a chiminea made of cast iron or cast aluminum can get, but it can cause severe burns if touched and ignite anything flammable if it’s too close.
Keep in mind that other factors can affect the temperature of a chiminea.
- Weather
- Size
- Proximity
Can You Use a Chiminea Indoors?
Most people use their chimineas indoors as decoration only.
Lighting a chiminea with wood inside your house will inevitably make everyone choke on smoke and be a fire risk.
Chimineas were not originally designed for indoor use in modern houses, as there are no ventilation holes in our roofs to release the smoke.
Many chiminea owners use them indoors with non-wood fuel or rigged chimneys. This is not the best approach as there are other equipment options approved for this type of use.
Don’t forget to place your chiminea on a fire-resistant pad like tile or brick to ensure it functions properly in your home.
What do You Burn in a Chiminea?
Chimineas typically require hardwoods, such as ash, apple, cedar, or oak, as their fuel source due to their longer burn time.
Softwoods, like fir, spruce, and pines, are better suited for kindling.
This is because softwoods aren’t as dense as hardwoods, so once set on fire, the flame will use the softwood up quickly.
Avoid using pressure-treated lumber as it contains dangerous chemicals used during pressurizing. If burnt, toxins can pose health risks, especially indoors.
If you are bothered by the amount of smoke produced by your fuel, you can reduce it by:
- Use seasoned wood (wood with as much moisture removed as possible).
- Avoiding the use of leaves as kindling
- Not using too much Tinder
- Regularly cleaning the inside of your chiminea.
If you want to create a cozy ambiance for yourself and your guests using a chiminea, consider using hardwoods such as apple, red cedar, and pinion, which have a pleasant aroma.
Pinion is particularly popular in the United States and can also function as a natural mosquito repellent when burned.
Charcoal is another readily available fuel source that will be easy to use and light; it just won’t be half as pretty or atmospheric.
Some fuels can only be used for specially designed chimineas, specifically non-wood fuels.
Cast iron chimineas have an edge over clay chimineas because they can have removable propane and other gas inserts to make fueling easier.
Can You Paint a Chiminea?
Painting your chiminea is essential for its maintenance.
While we will explain how to maintain your chiminea in the “How to Maintain a Chiminea” section, let’s focus on painting for now.
For best results, use heat-resistant paint designed for BBQs and stoves when painting metal or cast iron chimineas.
If your chiminea is made of clay, remove any loose old paint and then use everyday household emulsion paint.
To paint your chiminea,
- Clean the inside and outside thoroughly, using a brush to scrub off loose paint.
- Sand all over the chiminea with coarse 80-grit sandpaper to make your new paint adhere better.
- Apply a heat-resistant primer to even better adhesion and durability of your paint.
- Paint your chiminea
- Apply a clear sealant to ensure your coat lasts for years to come.
Can a Clay Chiminea Get Wet?
Fortunately, getting your chiminea wet doesn’t cause any damage.
However, if you light a fire in it before drying it completely, the water will expand and cause the clay to crack.
It’s important to let a chiminea dry out after rain to prevent water damage. While it’s okay to cover it during rain, be sure to remove the cover once rain has stopped.
How to Maintain a Chiminea
Chimineas, like other clay and metal objects, require maintenance to ensure longevity. Fortunately, it’s not difficult.
Every chiminea requires basic care regardless of its material.
- Using a cover to protect it from the elements
- Buying a rain lid for the top of the chimney to keep any water from getting inside. Make sure your chiminea has cooled down before putting the lid back on.
- Regular cleaning of the fire bowl and chimney.
Clay chimineas require routine sealing and repainting, with sealants lasting 3-6 months depending on usage and coverage.
Before sealing the clay, clean and dry the outside of the chiminea. Apply the sealant using a brush or spray bottle.
Cast iron and cast aluminum chimineas require routine rust cleaning, while both clay and metal chimineas eventually need repainting with heat-resistant paint.
Can You Cook in a Chiminea?
Before starting to flambe food in your chiminea, make sure it is ready for cooking.
- Make sure your chiminea isn’t cracked and damaged
- Make sure there are three inches of sand on the bottom of the bowl.
- Inserting a girl into the fire bowl
- Placing a grill on top of the chimney
Where you put the grill depends on what you want to cook.
- Saute shrimp in a pan
- Cook soup in a pot
- Grill fish or meats
Make sure to leave enough space for smoke to escape when using a grill on top of the chimney.
If you want to use firewood to cook, place the grill on top of the logs to create delicious meals.
- Casseroles
- Pizzas
- Ribs and potatoes
- Vegetables wrapped in foil
- Or meats, of course.
Chiminea Costs?
Chimineas are commonly found at patio shops and home improvement stores like Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Ashley Furniture.
Chimineas are a cost-effective fireplace option. However, if you want a fully-functioning chiminea inside your house, it will require additional labor and materials.
Chimineas are priced between $100 and $500 and their cost varies based on factors such as size, available modifiers, and additional design and functional features.
As chimineas become more popular, their prices increase.
Conclusion
You should now have basic knowledge of the history, use, and best practices for your chiminea. Generally a decoration, the chiminea can also add some function to your outdoor environment while looking great.
That concludes our guide to chimineas. We hope we have answered all your questions about purchasing and owning a chiminea.
Enjoy living the outdoor life!!!
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