​What is Certification vs. Compliance when it comes to CSA Certified Vs. "tested in compliance"? This week's HPC Fire Inspired™ Tech Talk is going to focus on the difference between Certification vs. Compliance, and the importance between the two. Gas fire pits or fire bowls add so much to outdoor environments, whether in residential or commercial applications as they become the irresistible focal point of its environment. However, anytime that you are dealing with gas fire pits, there is potential for danger if the proper safety precautions are not taken. There is one standard that ensures that a fire pit has been thoroughly tested by an accredited testing laboratory to meet specified safety and performance requirements. The standards are CSA 2.41-2014 (Canada)/ANSI Z21.97-2014 (US), Outdoor [...]

What are the safety features of the HPC Electronic Ignition (EI) fire pit units? This week's HPC Fire Inspired™ Tech Talk is going to focus on Safety, specifically the safety features of our Electronic Ignition (EI) fire pits. Here are some of the features that we will talk about: safety pilot, limit switch, valve, hot surface ignition, CSA Certification, Bluetooth, and some optional accessories. Safety Pilot / Ignition Box If the unit (pilot or burner) is blown out, our unit will attempt to relight on its own The max attempts it will try to relight is 15 After 15 attempts, the unit goes into lockout mode and power will need to be toggled Thermistor or Limit Switch on Module This prevents overheating damage to the valve box The [...]

What to look for when dealing with Gas Fire Pit Gas Lines? In today's HPC Fire Inspired™ Tech Talk we are going to talk about the proper planning of gas fire pit lines. There are many factors that go into a successful gas fire pit installation, but proper planning of the gas line is arguably the most important. Here are 5 key components to consider when planning (line type and size) distance of the main gas source to fire pit: Proper gas system pressure Type of Gas Maximum required BTU of Appliance Length of run from the meter to the fire feature Type of Piping You will also want to remember the following points during the planning of your [...]

What is the purpose of proper Gas Fire Pit Clearance? In today's HPC Fire Inspired™ Tech Talk we are going to talk about the proper gas fire pit clearance to combustible materials needed when installing a gas fire feature. A combustible is any flammable material that could be seriously damaged by the flame. HPC looks at clearances two main ways: horizontal and overhead, as well as two BTU ranges: at or less than 200K and 201K to 400K BTU's. Here are the following HPC Fire Inspired™ guide lines: Standard Burners up to 200K BTU Horizontal Clearance – 36" edge of burner pan to any combustible Overhead Clearance – 84" from top of fire pit enclosure to ceiling AND must have at least 2 open walls NOTE: You must meet both of these criteria [...]

Gas Fire Pit Drainage What is the purpose of gas fire pit drainage for your enclosure? In HPC Fire Inspired™ last Tech Talk we talked about Ventilation, today we are going to talk about Drainage and how it goes hand in hand with Ventilation. The sole reason for proper drainage is to avoid water/moisture accumulating in the fire pit enclosure. There are two points (1 critical, 1 highly recommended) that HPC would like to emphasize in regards to proper fire pit enclosure drainage: In any fire pit enclosure installation it is critical that the valve box be installed above grade HPC highly recommends that a floor drain be installed on your fire pit enclosure If no floor drain installed, then the ventilation openings should go all the way down to the ground so that [...]

Gas Fire Pit Ventilation What is the purpose of ventilation in a gas fire pit enclosure? HPC Fire Inspired™ specializes in safe fire pit inserts. In order to have a successful installation of an insert, you must build the proper enclosure, which means you must meet the safe and proper product clearances and understand ventilation requirements. An HPC fire pit insert is different than a fire table. An insert is a permanent installation, requires a hard piped gas line, possibly an electric or GFCI outlet run into the enclosure. The enclosure can be built to match or blend with your outdoor area, whether stone, brick, poured concrete, or several other non-combustible materials, as long as it has adequate ventilation. HPC recommends the following [...]

Hearth Product Controls (HPC) Recommends Annual Firepit Maintenance: While many hardscape and landscape contractors are planning spring cleanups and new construction projects, we recommend that you add spring fire pit maintenance to your lists. Like any appliance, routine maintenance ensures that fire pits are safe and trouble-free. Plus, seasonal maintenance provides contractors with recurring revenue opportunities. Hearth Products Controls recommends that a professional -- one who is certified in the U.S. by the National Fireplace Institute -- service gas fire pits annually. Prior to starting a gas fire pit for the first time in the spring, here are a few things to do and check to ensure the fire pit is ready for service: Make sure the fire pit [...]

Blue Flames Explained - ​We often receive calls from homeowners asking "Why are there blue flames or the flames are hard to see when we first light our fire pit?" There are a couple of factors that cause your flames to look like this for a short period upon start-up. One is that blue flames indicate complete combustion of the gas. There is a high oxygen ratio mix. The amount of oxygen is controlled by an air mixer on your fire pit. When you first start up your fire pit, there is a lot of air (oxygen) in the gas lines. The fire will burn a blue color until all the air is purged from the gas lines. Blue flames burn almost twice [...]

Gas fire pits add so much to outdoor environments, whether in residential or commercial applications. The fire pit becomes an irresistible focal point of its environment and allows users to take advantage of outdoor spaces for more hours in the day, more days in the year. When planning to add a fire pit to your setting, there are many considerations: fire pit size, shape, BTU output, ignition system, and more. All of these variables can be discussed with a landscape architect or installation professional to ensure you have the right fire pit for your intended use. And all of these pros will recommend that the fire pit insert you choose meets critical safety and performance standards. What is the standard? Gas fire pits, [...]

Can I Put a Fire Pit Under a Pergola? At HPC, we regularly get questions regarding safety, and we love to answer them! Safety is our first priority. Here, we'll answer some frequently asked questions regarding your outdoor living space: are fire pits under pergolas safe? How much vertical clearance do I need to put a fire feature under a wooden pergola? In addition to the hominess and warmth that a fire pit adds to any outdoor living space, installing a structure above your fire feature will further enhance the coziness and the aesthetics of your backyard, taking it to a whole new level. Whether you install an HPC fire pit with match-lit, push-button flame sensing, or new state-of-the-art [...]