Natural Gas Fire Pits vs Propane Fire Pits
Gas fire pits offer some great benefits – lower maintenance, quick to start and stop and burn very cleanly. In your search for the perfect gas fire pit, you’ve no doubt come across two different options - Natural gas fire pits vs propane fire pits!
At first, you may think there is very little difference between the two, so why the debate? However, there are some key factors to consider when thinking about installing a gas fire pit, which will mean one will likely be better suited to you than another.
To make your life as easy as possible, we have outlined the key differences here to help you choose which is going to be better for you, a natural gas fire pit or a propane fire pit.
Let’s dive in…
Propane Fire Pits
Liquid propane is actually just petroleum gas compressed into a liquid and stored in a tank. The gas is then released slowly and burned.
Your propane fire pit uses liquid propane as its fuel source and has a very simple operating system. The propane tank is connected to a hose that leads to a burner. When you turn on the gas supply and spark, your fire pit turns on. Simple.
Natural Gas Fire Pits
Natural gas fire pits work in a very similar way the only real difference being that they are connected to your mains gas line, which means you have a constant source of fuel rather than just a tank.
Natural Gas Fire Pits vs Propane Fire Pits: Which is Better?
Now let’s dive into the good stuff and get to grips with the advantages and disadvantages of each over the other.
The Fire!
Both propane and natural gas have the great advantage of burning a lot cleaner than wood or charcoal. Neither gives off very much smoke (you’ll barely notice any, really!), which is also great!
Natural gas fires can be bigger and give off more heat because they have access to more fuel (though your mains supply!). This is particularly useful if you like to use the fire during the day and want to see the flames.
Propane flames don’t quite give the same atmosphere during the day.
Installation
When it comes to installation then your propane fire pit will take the prize for most people. They are incredibly quick and easy to install as they don’t need any additional installation for gas pipes.
In most cases, you can simply drop and go with a propane fire pit.
A natural gas fire pit, on the other hand, requires a bit more work to install, and will usually require a bit of building work to run gas pipes to the area you want to install it, etc. This will make the process of installation a little longer and a bit pricier.
This also leads us nicely into moveability!
Moveability
As we’re sure you will have guessed, propane fire pits also have an advantage here too.
Because they run off their own propane tanks (which can sometimes be hidden inside the fire pit itself) you can move them around and reposition as you see fit very easily. This has the great advantage of giving you flexibility and not having to commit to one layout or space for your firepit area.
For natural gas fire pits, you will need to know exactly where you want your fire pit to be installed, and if at any point you want to move it again you more than likely have to get the builders out again.
Of course, if you have a mains gas supply and you know exactly where you want your fire pit to be placed, then a natural gas fire pit has the huge advantage of not needing to worry about running out or replacing the fuel.
Cost
Having access to a constant stream of fuel with natural gas means that in the long run, you are also likely to be more cost-effective.
Maintenance
Propane gas fire pits are incredibly hassle-free, a little more attention is needed with the natural gas fire pits, it's recommended that they are serviced annually when your other gas appliances are checked over.
Other than that, natural gas fire pits, once installed and regularly serviced, require little more thought than turning on and off when needed.
For propane fire pits, though, you will need to replace the gas tank every now and then.
Safety Considerations
It is essential to have your natural gas fire pit installed by professionals. Any work involving your gas pipes should not be taken lightly and should always be done by a professional.
For your propane fire pits, you also want to remember that you are using a flammable substance, so you want to make sure you are sourcing your propane from reputable companies and that the tanks are well-built.
You also want to make sure that any spare propane tanks you have are stored safely so that they don’t get knocked over, dented, or damaged in any way.
Extra care should be taken when storing gas bottles below ground level; we recommend only storing above ground.
Can you get the best of both worlds?
The short answer is yes!
You might be surprised to know that you can actually get propane fire pits that can be converted to natural gas fire pits if you wanted.
This could be an ideal solution if you still aren’t sure of exactly where you want your fire pit to go and need the flexibility to move it about. You could get a propane fire pit, work out exactly where you want your fire pit to live, and then convert it to a natural gas fire pit for a constant and hassle-free fuel source.
We have an excellent range of new fire pits from Elementi Fire that can do just that!
The Elementi Fire Manhattan, for example, is a gorgeous square gas fire pit with a glass windshield that can run off of propane or be fitted for natural gas. Amazing!
Final Thoughts
Finding the right fire pit for your outdoor space is a real treat. Both propane and natural gas fire pits are fantastic choices.
Hopefully, our article here has given you more of an idea of the considerations you need to think about before deciding which is best for you. The reality is, when it comes to natural gas fire pits vs propane fire pits, the winner is down to your specific wants and needs.
The fantastic thing, no matter what you choose, is that there is a huge range of options, so we have no doubt you will find exactly what you want!
We are proud of the fact that we represent a wide range of brands. This allows us to give honest and unbiased thoughts and opinions and can focus on finding you exactly the right fire pit for your needs without any other agenda. We make sure that we only work with the highest quality products to bring you the widest range of options that you can be confident will last.
Post Code Checker
Using a wood burner outside is legal; being a nuisance with an outdoor fire can cause problems with the neighbours and the local council. Here is our local council checker for their guidelines.
This is currently for postcodes in England and Wales. It will soon expand to Scotland and Northern Ireland.
