Opa!

That’s what they say when they light your Saganaki cheese with a lighter and it erupts into a fireball from the brandy they poured on prior to serving. Just as the flames die out, they squeeze some fresh lemon juice to extinguish the last of the flames and add some zest. I am not a big fan of that particular cheese dish, but I sure do love that fireball! I’m not the only one who loves to watch this blazing spectacle, as surely half or more of the restaurant’s patrons are watching too. I believe it’s the fascination of watching a controlled ball of fire in a public place.

Natural gas or propane fire pits and fireplaces are becoming more popular with each passing year, and our partner Firegear Outdoors is leading the way. Their products offer a variety of controls and safety features that the wood burning counterparts do not. Some examples are push button ignition and remote controlled ignition that can be linked to work with swimming pool controls. Safety features such as a flame sensing automatic shutoff if the flame happens to go out and easily accessible valves to shut off the gas to the unit. I like the convenience of being able to simply turn it off, and not have to wait for the fire to die by itself. You will no longer have to buy and store wood, and best of all, you have virtually no maintenance! The list goes on and on, and with many different types and styles, your choices are almost limitless. They even have a portable fire pits for the convenience of mobility.

Installation and design can appear to be complicated, but in reality it’s a breeze! Firegear offers many product resources such as help guides that show from start to finish including specs and diagrams. They have a tech help line number to call that has a real live person on the other end to help answer more complicated questions, or help walk you through trouble shooting a problem. Firegear Outdoors offers complete kits or just burning systems for just about everything. If you have something unique in mind Firegear will do custom work to create the perfect fire feature for you.

One of the only drawbacks to a natural gas fire pit or fireplace is the reduced amount of heat that they produce. Natural gas and propane burn at a cooler temperature, which is one of the reasons you can decorate the bottom of the kit with ceramic logs, reflective glass pieces or a glass enclosure. These units were designed for ambiance, not cooking or heat distribution. With that being said, they will still keep you toasty on a crisp fall night.

So pull up a chair, get a tasty beverage and enjoy some fire with the snap of a finger and push of a button. And don’t forget to see us at the Hardscape Center; we can help you decide which buttons to push!