Fire pits are a great way to relax on a cool night, but playing with fire is no joke, and that's exactly what you're doing when you use one. Not only can sparks and flames cause serious property damage, they can also lead to serious bodily burns. Understanding how to safely use a fire pit is a must. This will keep you, your friends and your valuables safe, while also leaving you high and dry.

How long will alcohol burn?

2 ounces of alcohol will burn for 10-15 minutes, depending on the type of alcohol you burn.

Ethanol

The main benefit of using ethanol in an alcohol stove is that it burns faster than other fuels, which usually means that your food will be ready sooner.

With an alcohol content of about 97%, ethanol is also one of the cleanest burning fuels and usually burns best in warm weather conditions.

Denatured alcohol

Denatured alcohol comes with a percentage of ethanol, which should usually be higher than 50%.

Alcohol is a clear liquid and should not be consumed because it has been diluted with denaturing agents such as methanol and benzene.

Of course, denatured alcohol burns more slowly than ethanol, so it takes longer to prepare food than ethanol, but it is much less expensive than ethanol and burns much cleaner than the other fuels below.

Isopropyl alcohol (topical alcohol)

Isopropyl alcohol (or topical alcohol) is a colorless, volatile and flammable liquid that can be used as a fuel for alcohol stoves.

Isopropyl alcohol has the highest heat content per unit gram and should be avoided as a stove fuel because it burns messily and is highly toxic.

Methanol

Methanol is preferred over ethanol in cold climates because of its high vapor pressure.

Does burning alcohol produce carbon monoxide?

Ideally, alcohol should only give off water and carbon dioxide when it’s consumed. However, whenever any fuel is deprived of oxygen, carbon monoxide will be produced. Natural gas and gasoline are more common because they usually burn in oxygen-deficient conditions, but this can happen with any fuel containing carbon atoms. Fortunately, isopropyl alcohol is very rare, so it can usually be used in poorly ventilated conditions, such as those that occur indoors.

While alcohol is one of the safest fuels to burn indoors, proper ventilation is needed to ensure that there is enough oxygen for complete combustion to prevent carbon monoxide buildup. Always keep a working carbon monoxide detector with a digital readout nearby when burning anything!

How to extinguish tabletop fireplace?

A fire pit cover is a must-have accessory for tabletop fire pit. 

The slower and more passive way is to stop adding fuel and let the combustible material burn itself out.

Or you can cover it with something non-flammable (and fairly heat resistant) to cut off the oxygen from the flames.

Alternatively, use a carbon dioxide or dry powder fire extinguisher.

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