Smoke decides where an outdoor fireplace installation in Downers Grove, IL, belongs, and it gets considered later than it should.
Homeowners usually arrive with a location already chosen, picked for the view or for how it balances the back of the house. Those are reasonable grounds, but they say nothing about how the fire will draw, and nothing about where the smoke ends up on a still evening.
Green Grass Landscape brings over 25 years of design-build experience to homes across Downers Grove and the western suburbs.
On a DuPage County lot the siting conversation tends to run longer than the material conversation, because the stone can be chosen in an afternoon and the position cannot be moved once footings are poured.
A fireplace draws when warm air rising through the flue pulls fresh air in at the opening, and that depends on the relationship between firebox size, throat and flue height rather than on how the face looks.
A chimney that is short relative to the opening struggles, and a firebox that is wide and shallow struggles differently.
Outdoors there is no building envelope to assist, so the geometry carries the whole load, which is why this part of the build gets settled on paper first.
Prevailing wind decides which way the fireplace opening should face, so the usual breeze crosses the face rather than driving into it and smoke moves away from the chairs.
In this part of Illinois the prevailing flow runs from the west and southwest through the warmer months, and the seating is what you are protecting.
A fireplace tucked tight against the house on the windward side can also catch downdraft off the roof plane. That pushes smoke back out of the opening regardless of how well the flue is sized.
An outdoor fireplace usually benefits from some separation from the house, and clearance requirements set the minimum rather than the target. Beyond the code question, distance affects how the space works.
A fireplace built into the back wall of a house makes one room out of the patio, which suits a narrow lot.
A freestanding structure set out from the house creates two zones, one at the fire and one between the fire and the door, and that arrangement tends to hold a larger gathering more comfortably.
A reinforced footing carried below the frost line goes under an outdoor fireplace, and in the Chicago area that is a meaningful depth.
A masonry fireplace is a heavy structure with a tall, slender element on top of it, and anything resting on inadequate foundations moves with the first few freeze and thaw cycles.
Movement shows up as cracking at the throat and as a chimney that leans a few degrees away from the plumb. Our outdoor fireplace builds put the footing design ahead of the stone selection for that reason.
An outdoor fireplace sets the room, because it is tall, it anchors the space visually, and seating orientates to it. The patio has to be large enough to hold a circle of chairs at a comfortable distance from the heat.
Too little space and the chairs sit closer than anyone wants in August. Planning the paved area and the fireplace together produces a layout that works across the season rather than only on a cool October evening.
Green Grass Landscape designs and installs custom outdoor fireplaces and fire pits for homeowners across Downers Grove and the surrounding western suburbs, and the siting is settled on the property before any drawing is finalized.
Homeowners thinking about a fire feature for next season can reach our team to start that conversation.
How much clearance does an outdoor fireplace need from a house in Downers Grove, IL?
Outdoor fireplace clearance from a house in Downers Grove, IL, is set by the local building code and depends on construction type and chimney height. Green Grass Landscape confirms the figure with the village before the design is finalized rather than working to a general number.
Can an outdoor fireplace be built in fall for use the same year?
An outdoor fireplace can often be built in fall for use the same year, if the footing is poured before the ground freezes. Masonry work has temperature limits, so a late start usually means finishing the structure in spring.
Is a wood-burning fireplace or a gas unit the better fit outdoors?
Wood suits households that want the heat output and the fire most people picture, while gas suits those who want instant lighting and no smoke to site around. The choice generally follows how often the space will be used on a weeknight.
— Green Grass Landscape
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