Fire pit maintenance checklist
Updated August 2026
Fire-pit care splits by fuel: a wood pit needs its ash cleaned out and a cover to keep rain off the steel, while a gas pit needs a yearly burner, lava-rock, and leak check. Standing water is the real enemy, rusting a bare steel bowl through in as few as two or three seasons. Keep it dry and covered and a gas fire pit lasts 10 to 15 years, with a wood one close behind.
| Task | Interval | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Remove cooled ash and put the cover on | After each burn | 10 min · DIY |
| Task | Interval | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Touch up high-heat paint on any bare steel | Yearly | $10–20 · DIY |
| Task | Interval | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Inspect the burner ports and lava rock or glass | Yearly | 15 min · DIY |
| Leak-test the gas connections with soapy water | Yearly | 10 min · DIY |
What neglect costs
Left uncovered, wet ash holds moisture against the metal and a bare steel bowl can rust through in two or three seasons, turning a $150–800 fire pit into scrap. On the gas side, spider webs and debris clog the burner ports over winter, giving you a lazy, uneven flame or a burner that will not light, and a connection left unchecked can seep propane. A cover and ten minutes a year are the whole defense. When a bowl is rusted past patching, the replacement cost makes the case for covering it.
Leave these to a pro
A portable propane pit is almost entirely DIY, down to swapping a $10 regulator or a bag of lava rock. Where a pro earns the call is a fixed natural-gas fire pit plumbed to the house: any work on the gas line, regulator, or a burner that will not seat correctly should go to a licensed gas fitter, typically $100–200 for a service visit. If you ever smell gas you cannot trace with the soapy-water test, shut the supply off and call rather than keep lighting it.
This whole checklist ships as reminders in OnOtto: every task above, on the right schedule for your home, snooze-proof.
Load this checklist as remindersFrequently asked questions
Do I really need a cover for my fire pit?
For a steel or cast-iron pit, yes, it is the single most valuable thing you can do. Rain pooling in the bowl and soaking into leftover ash is what rusts these out, and a $20 to $50 cover buys years of life on a pit that might otherwise fail in a few seasons. Corten and stainless designs tolerate weather better but still shed water faster under a cover. For gas pits, a cover also keeps the burner ports clear of debris and nesting insects.
How do I clean the lava rock in a gas fire pit?
Once a year, let the pit cool fully, lift out the lava rock or fire glass, and check the burner underneath for spider nests and clogged ports, a common cause of weak flames. Rinse the rock, let it dry completely before it goes back near the flame, and replace any pieces that have crumbled to dust. While the rock is out, run the soapy-water leak test on the connections. Trapped moisture in wet rock can pop and spit when relit.
How do I get rust off a steel fire pit?
Knock the loose rust off with a wire brush or a drill wheel down to sound metal, wipe away the dust, and recoat with a high-heat paint rated for at least 1,200F. A $10 to $20 can does several touch-ups. Catch it while it is surface rust and the fix is cosmetic; wait until the steel is pitted or holed and no paint will bring it back. After painting, keep it covered so you are not redoing the job every spring.
Is it safe to leave the propane tank connected?
Better not to. For a portable pit, disconnect the tank when the pit is not in use, store it upright outdoors in a shaded, ventilated spot, and never in a garage, shed, or basement where a slow leak could pool. Sun and heat can raise tank pressure and vent the safety valve. Before the first burn each season, brush soapy water over the regulator and hose fittings and watch for growing bubbles, which mark a leak to fix before you light up.