If you’ve got a chiminea, you should be prepared to winterize it before the snow flies, or you won’t have a very good chiminea come next springtime! This article is a guide on how to winterize a chiminea. It goes through the basic steps and important information you should keep in mind in order to keep your chiminea in tip-top shape.
Chiminea Love
Chimineas are small, wood or charcoal-burning fireplaces with a unique shape. They typically have a lower firebox where fuel is burned, and a long, slender chimney at the top that expels smoke.
Many people love chimineas because they bring warmth and atmosphere to an outdoor environment, and the design does a better job of getting smoke out of peoples’ faces than, say, a fire pit does. They’re often much more comfortable to sit around than a fire pit is.
There are a wide variety of chimineas available, including traditional styles and many modern chimineas that we love, and some of the designs can be really eye-catching!
How to Winterize a Chiminea
Getting your chiminea ready for winter typically doesn’t require that many steps, but if you ignore the preparation, your chiminea will suffer!
A great deal depends on whether your chiminea is a clay chiminea or a metal chiminea. The steps for winterization are a bit different depending on the material, so we have broken down the information for both types of chimineas.
Avoiding Moisture
A crucial part of maintaining any chiminea is ensuring that it avoids the moisture and temperature changes that come with snow and winter cold.
Clay Chimineas and Moisture
For clay chimineas, temperature drops are especially damaging. The sudden switch from warm to freezing cold can cause cracking and breaking, and then the owner (that would be you!) will be out of an outdoor fireplace.
Clay is a porous material. Once water sinks into these pores, it can freeze if the temperature dips below freezing. In a similar way to how potholes form on roads, this water will turn into ice and then expand, forcing the clay to move, and eventually crack.
Just as clay planter pots crack in the winter if left outside, clay chimineas can crack when left outside as well. It’s best to bring these inside or store them in a temperature-controlled environment if at all possible.
Metal Chimineas and Moisture
People with metal chimineas (commonly iron, steel, or aluminum), also need to worry about moisture. Snow and ice exposure can cause rust to quickly form on the inside and outside of the chiminea, weakening the entire structure and making the chiminea look much worse.
Experts recommend that the chiminea is wrapped in a moisture-proof material such as a specially made cover in order to keep your metal chiminea looking good.
If the chiminea fireplace came with a rain lid, it should be kept on during the winter. This will prevent snow from falling through the chimney and pooling in the belly, which can build up and cause damage inside.
Chiminea Covers
If you have a chiminea, you really should have a cover for it, and use it regularly (once the chiminea is cold enough!)
Since these fireplaces are exclusively used outdoors, it’s important to make sure your chiminea doesn’t get exposed to rain and water. Even a little bit of moisture can weaken the fireplace’s overall structure, giving it a much shorter lifespan than it could have if taken care of.
Here is where the chiminea cover comes in.
These objects are fabric or synthetic covers which protect the entirety of the chiminea, including its pot belly, chimney, and the opening at the top. They tend to come in a variety of standard sizes to fit every style of chiminea available on the market.
Choosing the Right Cover
In this section, we look at three of the most important factors to consider when shopping for a chiminea cover. Also, just as a precaution, we want to remind chiminea owners to always be sure that the chiminea is completely cool before installing the cover.
Water Resistance
One of the most important characteristics is having a material that is water and mildew resistance. We all know that a major downside of the winter is that everything is damp and wet almost all of the time. Picking a material resistant to moisture can mean the difference between a healthy chiminea and one that cracks or rusts.
Draw String or Other Fastener
Another significant factor is whether the cover has a drawstring near the bottom. Because of the chiminea’s unique shape, it can be difficult for an inflexible cover to protect everything. A drawstring at the bottom means the underside of the pot belly will be defended just like the rest of the fireplace, ensuring more years of use.
Washable Material
Washable materials are preferred. Almost all fabrics that need to be exposed to the environment on a regular basis – such as porch swing cushions, awnings, and umbrellas – will gradually start to mold or develop mildew over time.
A chiminea cover is no exception to this rule, so it should be washable to prevent unpleasant growths from developing.
Which Chiminea Cover is Best?
We are huge fans of the Classic Accessories Ravenna line of covers in general. They are great quality, look fantastic, and have a lifetime warranty. They make two sizes of Chiminea covers and are definitely worth their price.
Lifetime. Warranty.
Last update on 2024-11-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Sealant and Paint
Depending on whether you have a clay chiminea or metal chiminea, you’ll want to be regularly sealing or painting to keep everything looking good.
Clay Chimineas and Sealants
There is a common thread for winterizing chimineas, and this is protection from moisture. These fireplaces are heavy and difficult to move, especially the cast iron ones, so it can be hard for an owner to transport their chiminea into a safe space like a garage or dry basement. If this is the case and the owner already invested in a cover, there is always sealant.
All chimineas need to have sealant applied to protect the fragile clay (assuming it’s not made of metal). Clay is hard but susceptible to cracking and breaking easily. A sealant typically used for wood or furniture works best. The sealant will create an invisible layer of protection that stops moisture, dust, and dirt from working its way into the clay.
Typically chimineas should be sealed every 3-6 months, ideally with a wood finish like Thompson’s Water Seal, or an Acrylic Floor Finish.
Last update on 2024-11-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Metal Chimineas and Paint
Metal chimineas are typically painted with a high heat Rustoleum paint, but after several uses, that paint will start to fail. It’s a good idea to regularly repaint your chiminea with a similar high heat Rustoleum style paint in order to ensure that all of the metal surfaces are covered with paint, and are unlikely to rust.
Regularly check your chiminea to look for bare metal spots, or to find areas where the paint is peeling or chipping.
Also, be sure to consider the finish of the paint that you’re looking for, whether it be matte, glossy, or enamel.
Last update on 2024-11-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Conclusion: Chiminea Care and Maintenance
Ultimately, owning a chiminea is a responsibility and requires some forethought and work. Winterization of a chiminea is not difficult but does require a few steps, and some planning.
We recommend that owners read up on their type of chiminea before winter comes to ensure all of the proper steps are taken.
Remember to invest in quality materials and equipment like a cover, and try to bring the fireplace inside during the winter to avoid moisture and ice.
Good luck, and have fun sprawling by the fire on a warm summer’s eve.
I just purchased a clay chiminea. The care instructions, which are minimal, advise not to use sand in the bottom of the chiminea, as sand retains moisture and this will lead to potential cracking etc. The care sheet also does not mention using any kind of sealant, and on the home depot website the manufacturing company owner, in Mexico, says that the chiminea does not need sealant, that it should be fine as long as it’s completely dry. Yet there are numerous reviews that say the chiminea has cracked, burst, etc.
So, my three questions: 1) Does the potential moisture retained in the sand/gravel make it a bad idea for the base of clay chimineas and 2) Would you recommend applying the sealant to both the inside and outside of the chiminea? and 3) Will the wood sealant you recommend above give off harmful fumes/odors when burned off from the flames?
Congrats on your new purchase! Do not use sand or gravel as the base as rocks can retain moisture and pop or explode when exposed to heat. Since it is a clay chiminea you want to seal the outside of it with something like Thompson’s Water Seal. Avoid sealing the inside so you dont have to worry about high heat and fumes.