Source: CUSTOM HOME Magazine
Publication date: November 15, 2007
By Rebecca Robledo
If you need an attention-getter in the backyard, you can't do any better than a feature boasting fire and water.
With these elements, you can think big or small. If the family would like something intimate, a cozy fire and water bowl next to the spa will be a perfect fit. For those with a grander vision, you can create a miniature volcano with flames billowing at the top and water spilling down the sides, or a long fire trough in front of a sleek water wall.
Whichever direction you and your client choose to go, you need to set up the system correctly. Consider the following construction guidelines:
Separate the fire and water. Some designers and homeowners want to emulate resort-type features that shoot fire directly out of the water. This is done by bubbling gas up through the water, and introducing a spark of some sort to its surface. Installations of this type may be fine when designed for a resort by a specialty fire consultant. But experts caution against trying to do this in a backyard—particularly when working with remote-controlled systems.
“It goes against code, typically with the electrical and the water,” says Kevin Doud, CEO of manufacturer Grand Effects in Irvine, Calif. “And we feel it's very prone to maintenance issues, with having the electronics in the water.”
Some have tried using manually lit systems to create the effect.
Click here to read full article from Architect Magazine